【Translation】36 Common Artistic Techniques in Classical Poetry
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Chinese classical poetry is truly a dazzling gem among the treasures of Chinese culture and art. Today, I’ll summarize some of the artistic techniques commonly used in the appreciation of classical poetry. I hope this will be helpful to everyone in reading and writing poems! 1. Expressing one’s feelings directly, such as: “After countless battles amidst yellow sands, my armor is worn thin; I shall not return until Loulan is conquered.” ”(“Marching to War” by Wang Changling) 2. Blending emotions with scenery, for example: “Morning rain in Wei City washes away the dust; the inn is surrounded by fresh green willows.” ”(《Seeing Yuan Er Off on a Mission to Anxi》, Wang Wei) 3. Expressing one’s aspirations through imagery: \"Amidst countless rocks and valleys in the deep mountains, only from a distance can one see where they originate.\" A stream cannot retain its waters; in the end they flow into the sea as waves. ”(“Poem Composed in Response to Each Other at the Waterfall”, Li Chen) Another example: “From a high place, the sound travels far; it does not rely on the autumn wind.” ”(《Cicada》, by Yu Shinan) 4. Using an object as a means to introduce the theme, such as: “With each cry, spring fades away; with every sound, there lies an eternal injustice.” ”(《The Cuckoo》, by Yu Jing) 5. Make clever use of contrast, for example: “Rain falls in thick showers over the river; the grass by the river grows evenly. The Six Dynasties seem like a dream, with birds crying uselessly.” Most heartless are the willows of Tai City; still, mist shrouds the ten-mile embankment. ”(Tai City, by Wei Zhuang) ； Indirect depiction: For example, “The red blossoms wither; the jade-like autumn breeze lingers. She gently removes her silk robes and alone boards the orchid-shaped boat.” ”(“Yi Jian Mei” by Li Qingzhao) Another example: “To find out how much rain has fallen in spring, one can see if boats can return when the fields’ ponds are filled with water.” ”(“Spring Rain” by Zhou Bangyan) 6. Ingenious associations, such as: “With graying hair, I behold the autumn hues in the Three Xiang regions; my heart yearns to return home from afar, under the bright moonlight.” ”(《Arriving in Ezhou at Dusk》, by Lu Lun) 7. The details are vividly rendered: “The promised guest fails to arrive past midnight; I idly tap the chess pieces as the lamp wax drips.” ”Waiting for a Guest” by Zhao Shixiu: 8. Using contrast to emphasize the effect – for example, “In the new year, there is still no sign of blossoms; it’s not until early February that one sees the first shoots of grass. Even the snow finds spring’s arrival too late, so it dons the trees in the courtyard as flying flowers. ”(“Spring Snow” by Han Yu) 9. To emphasize something by first downplaying it, as in: “In the imperial palace, the emperor sought talented people among those who had been exiled; Jia Sheng’s talents were even more remarkable.” Pitifully, at midnight he in vain prays*; he asks not about the common folk, but about ghosts and spirits. ”(“Jia Sheng” by Li Shangyin) 10. Using movement to depict stillness, as in: “In the empty mountains, no one is seen; only the sound of people’s voices can be heard.” ” (“Deer Enclosure” by Wang Wei) Another example: “The sound of the spring water echoes against the steep rocks; the sunlight casts a cool glow on the green pines.” ”(“Visiting Xiangji Temple” by Wang Wei)
11. Using stillness to depict movement, such as: “When people are at rest, osmanthus flowers fall; in the quiet night, the spring mountains are empty.” The moonrise startles the birds in the mountains; from time to time they sing in the spring streams. ”(\"Bird Calls in the Gully\", Wang Wei). The entire poem uses falling flowers, the bright moon, and bird songs to depict the night scene of Yunxi Mountain, using stillness to convey movement. Although falling flowers, rising moon, and birdsong are dynamic scenes, the ultimate goal is to depict the tranquility of the mountains. 12. Using the imaginary to depict the real, such as: “A few villages before and after winter; frost on both sides of the stream, atop and beneath the trees on the solitary mountain.” From where does the fragrance of the cold wind come? Suddenly, I meet her in white robes and gauze garments; upon sobered from wine, I’m chilled by the nightmare. The flute plays mournfully, breaking my heart in spring; the pale moon casts a dim, yellowish glow. ” 13. Using the tangible to depict the intangible. For example: “How much sorrow can one have? It’s just like the spring waters flowing eastward in a river.” ” (“Beauty of Yu,” by Li Yu) 14. The interplay between the real and the imaginary, as in: “Wang Jun’s warships sailed down to Yizhou; the imperial aura of Jinling faded away.” Thousands of iron chains lay sunk at the bottom of the river; a white flag emerged from the rocks. How many times in life have we been wounded by past events? The shape of the mountains remains, resting against the cold currents. From now on, the world is my home; the old fortresses stand desolate among the reeds in autumn. ”(“Reminiscences of Xisai Mountain” by Liu Yuxi) 15. Describing sorrow through pleasant scenes, such as: “The river is blue, making the birds appear even whiter; the mountains are green, while the flowers seem to be ablaze.” This spring has passed once again; when will be the time to return? ”(“Two Quatrain Poems”, Du Fu) Another example: “The river is indeed beautiful, but it is not my homeland; when will be the day I can return?” ”(《Yue Diao · Ping Hu Le» by Wang Yun) 16. Make clever use of questions and answers, such as: \"Where can I find the Prime Minister’s shrine? Outside Jin Guan City, cypresses stand in profusion.\" ”(“The Minister of Shu” by Du Fu) Another example: “Who writes a letter to ward off the autumn chill, using it as a barrier against the north wind by the mountain window?” ”(“Newly pasted paper on the mountain window; upon reading old imperial documents, thoughts arise” by Lin Jingxi) 17. Make clever use of metaphors such as: “Beside the sunken ship, a thousand sails pass by; in front of the sick tree, ten thousand trees bloom in spring.” ”(“In Reply to Bai Juyi’s Gift on Our First Meeting in Yangzhou*”, by Liu Yuxi) Another example: “To compare West Lake to Xi Shi, she looks beautiful whether lightly or heavily made up.” ” (《Drinking by the Lake after the Rain Has Ceased》, Su Shi) 18. Make clever use of irony, such as: “The taste of life these days is as thin as gauze; who forced me to come to the capital on horseback?” ”(“Spring Rain Clears over Lin’an” by Lu You) 19. Make clever use of metonymy; for example: “Living near the Pian River in a low-lying, damp area, one never hears the sounds of music throughout the year.” ”(“The Song of the Pipa,” Bai Juyi) Another example: “As long as there is a day to return, I dare not resent Changsha.” ”(\"Crossing the Dayu Ridge\", by Song Zhiwen) 20. Make clever use of puns, such as: \"The sun rises in the east while it rains in the west; it seems there’s no sunshine, yet there is still sunshine.\" ”(Bamboo Branch Poems, by Liu Yuxi)
21. Make clever use of exaggeration; for example: “My white hair stretches for three thousand feet; it’s as long as my sorrows.” ”(“Songs of Qiupu” by Li Bai) Another example: “After being called again and again, she finally appears; still holding her pipa, she covers half of her face.” ”(“The Pipa Player” by Bai Juyi) 22. Skillfully use personification, such as: “The face of that person is nowhere to be found; the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze.” ”(“Inscription on a Villa South of the Capital City” by Cui Hu) Another example is: “Please let the peonies hold back their tears of spring; the roses, too weak, lie on the branches at dawn” (“A Spring Day” by Qin Guan). 23. Make clever use of contrasts: “King Goujian of Yue defeated Wu and returned home; all his soldiers went back to their homes dressed in fine clothes.” Maids are like flowers in the spring tavern; now only partridges fly about. ”(“Viewing the Past in Yue and Zhong” by Li Bai) Another example: “While soldiers fight to the death on the battlefield, beauties continue to sing and dance beneath their tents.” ”(《Song of the Wild Geese》, Gao Shi) 24. Skillful use of plain description, such as: “The crowing of chickens by the thatched inn under the moonlight; footprints on the plank bridge covered in frost.” ”(“Early Journey on Shang Mountain” by Wen Tingyun) 25. Skillful use of allusions, such as: “The reeds cover the ground; I’m growing old. To whom will the swallows from my former home fly?” ”(《Jinling Yi» by Wen Tianxiang) 26. Make clever use of symbols: “Back then she refused to marry the spring breeze; yet unbeknownst to her, she was deceived by the autumn wind.” ”(“Tà Shā Xíng” by He Zhu) 27. Make clever use of repetition, such as: “Now I’ve experienced all the flavors of sorrow; I want to speak but hold back, I want to speak but hold back, and instead say, ‘How pleasant this cool autumn is.’” “ 28. Make clever use of intertextuality, such as: “The lotus leaves reach the sky, their greenness endless; the lotus flowers in the sunlight are especially red.” ”(“Seeing off Lin Zifang at Jingci Temple at Dawn” by Yang Wanli) 29. Skillfully use indirect expressions, such as: “Alone in a foreign land, I’m a stranger here; during festive seasons, my longing for loved ones grows even more.” I know from afar that my brothers have climbed high; everywhere dogwood is in bloom, yet one is missing. ”(“Remembering Brothers in Shandong on the Ninth Day of September” by Wang Wei) Another example: “In Handan’s inn, winter arrives; I sit hugging my knees, with my shadow as my companion by the lamp.” Thinking of home, I sit up late at night, still talking about the traveler far away. (“Thoughts of Home on New Year’s Eve in Handan” by Bai Juyi) 30. Words may be limited, but their meaning is boundless; for example: “Tonight, I wonder where I shall spend the night; endless sands stretch far and wide, with no sign of human habitation.” ”(“On Debts” by Cen Shen) Another example: “Jing and Wu are connected by waters; as you depart, the spring rivers stretch boundlessly.” Where will the sailers moor at dusk? Looking to the horizon breaks one’s heart. ”(“Seeing Du Shisi off to the Jiangnan region” by Meng Haoran)
31. There is poetry in poems and painting in paintings, such as: “Peaches are red with traces of overnight rain; willows are green, adorned with the mist of spring.” The flowers have fallen, but the servant hasn’t swept them up; the orioles are singing, yet the traveler still sleeps. ”(《Rural Idylls》, Wang Wei) 32. Get straight to the point, like: “The south of the Yangtze is wonderful; its scenery is one I am familiar with from before.” At sunrise, the river flowers are redder than fire; in spring, the river water is as green as indigo. How can one forget the south of the Yangtze? ”(“Recalling the South of the Yangtze” by Bai Juyi) 33. The concluding lines reveal the theme: “They come at midnight and leave at dawn.” How long does a spring dream last? It vanishes like morning clouds, beyond trace. ” (“Flowers That Are Not Flowers”, Bai Juyi) 34. The beginning and end echo each other, like: “The wind blows strong; the bowstrings ring out as the general goes hunting in Wei City.” The grass withers as the eagle’s gaze is sharp; snow melts, and horse hooves make little sound. Suddenly passing through Xinfeng City, they returned to the Xiliu Camp. Looking back at The Legend of the Condor Heroes, thousands of miles of evening clouds stretch out evenly. ”(“Watching a Hunt” by Wang Wei) The opening couplet depicts wind and surging clouds, matching the tense atmosphere of the hunt ； The final line depicts calm winds and clear skies, fitting well with the relaxed and contented state of mind after returning from hunting. 35. Without a single word, elegance is fully conveyed, as in: “Cold sparrows fill the sparse fence, competing to perch on the cold branches and gaze at the jade-like blossoms.” Suddenly, a guest appeared and sat beneath the flowers; startled, they flew away, scattering the fragrant petals onto the wine cup. Drinking heartily still enables one to compose poetry; with no mat beneath them, the guests are drunk and unaware. The flowers wither, the wine runs out; spring has arrived. Scattered about, a hint of tartness now clings to the branches. ”(《Nanxiangzi: Ode to the Plum Blossoms, in Response to Yang Yuansu》, by Su Shi) 36. The ordinary reveals the extraordinary, as in: \"People cross the bridge over the stream; at noon, the rooster crows beneath the thatched roof.\" Do not resent the dark smoke from tea drying; rather, be glad for the sunny days for drying grain. ” (“Peasants Living in the Mountains” by Gu Kuang)