Archive - Chinese Poetry Substack

Facing Hardship and Death: Two Poets, Two Paths, One Fate

In ancient China, where medical knowledge was limited, hardship, aging, and death remained constant themes—yet poets faced these inevitabilities with…

Jun 3 •

March 2025

Blooming Alone in an Empty Valley: Orchids in Ancient Chinese Poetry

In ancient China, poets often used specific plants and flowers to symbolize virtues.

Mar 26 •

January 2025

Celebrating the Lunar New Year of 2025: Snake Verses from Ancient China

Last year was the Chinese Year of the Dragon, and we translated two poems about dragons. With the imminent arrival of the Chinese Year of the Snake, we…

Jan 20 •

Whispers of the Lotus: Poetic Encounters with Temple Monks

In ancient China, Buddhism was introduced during the Han Dynasty and became very popular in the Tang Dynasty.

Jan 12 •

December 2024

Invisible Fragrance: Plum Blossoms in Ancient Chinese Poetry

In ancient China, poets often used certain plants or flowers to symbolize people's virtues.

Dec 7, 2024 •

October 2024

Love in Different Forms: Verses for Wives vs. Songs for Concubines and Courtesans in Ancient Chinese Poetry

In ancient China, poets sometimes wrote poems to their wives and about other women, such as concubines or courtesans, with whom they had relationships.

Oct 27, 2024 •

September 2024

"Fields and Gardens" Poetry: Poems Beyond City Walls

Ancient Chinese poets, often from the educated upper class, frequently had ambitions to serve the emperor and secure government positions to realize…

Sep 29, 2024 •

July 2024

Yearning Echoes: Poems about Homesickness

In ancient Chinese poetry, homesickness is a recurring theme.

Jul 7, 2024 •

February 2024

Reflections on the Passage of Time in Ancient Chinese Poetry

In ancient China, many poets expressed reflections on the past and often lamented the passage of time through their poetry.

Feb 13, 2024 •

January 2024

Mystical Murmurs: Dragon Verses in Ancient China

With the imminent arrival of the Chinese Year of the Dragon, in the article, we translated two poems centered around this mythical creature – Dragon.龙移…

Jan 23, 2024 •

Whispers of Fishing and Ambition: The Poetry and Life of Yuan Shikai

In ancient China, some renowned political figures had a penchant for poetry.

Jan 22, 2024 •

November 2023

Unburied White Bones -- Cao Cao and Du Fu's Verses Depicting the Harsh Realities of War

In ancient China, the intellectual elites generally opposed wars whose primary objective was to expand an empire's territory.

Nov 19, 2023 •

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