Editor's note: As winter chill still lingers through early spring, longing for warm days has sprung up everywhere.
Before the flowers are in full blossom, here is a collection of ancient Chinese poems depicting the revival of life during spring, which may help usher in a season to remember.
The English translations used in this article are from Chinese translator Xu Yuanchong's editions in300 Tang Poems, published by China Intercontinental Press in 2012, and300 Tang & Song Poems, published by Hebei People's Publishing House in 2003.
[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
Spring Morning
- by Meng Haoran (689-740) of Tang Dynasty (618-907)
This spring morning in bed I'm lying,
Not to awake till the birds are crying.
After one night of wind and showers,
How many are the fallen flowers?
春晓
唐·孟浩然
春眠不觉晓，处处闻啼鸟。夜来风雨声，花落知多少。
chūn xiǎo
táng · mèng hào rán
chūn mián bù jué xiǎo
chù chù wén tí niǎo
yè lái fēng yǔ shēng
huā luò zhī duō shǎo