Reading Chinese poetry and immersing yourself in the culture is a great way to

learn the language. Read on as we share our pick of famous Chinese poems, ranging from
Chinese farewell poems to Chinese poems about love.
Since ancient times, humans the world over have memorized and recited poetry. Amongst other
benefits, it’s a popular method for learning a new language, and one we wholeheartedly stand
behind! By reading out loud or listening to poems being recited, you can quickly master the
rhythms and pronunciations of words and phrases, gain confidence in your speaking, and connect
with the cultural heritage of the poet.
Luckily for us, Chinese poetry is – more often than not – concise, which means it’s far more
digestible than some of its Western counterparts (we’re looking at you, Tennyson!). It also means
that you can set manageable goals such as a poem a day! We’ve shared below three of our
team’s favourite childhood poems, as well as Chinese poems about love and Chinese farewell
poems. We hope you enjoy this list of famous Chinese poems.

3 Chinese Poems All Children Know

In China, there are a handful of famous Chinese poems that children are taught in the classroom
and expected to memorize. Many of these were written during the Tang dynasty (618–907), a
period that is widely considered to be the golden age of Chinese literature. Here are just three of
our favourite childhood poems.
静夜思 (“Thoughts in the Silent Night”, by Li Bai )
床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。
TRANSLATION
Moonlight reflects off the front of my bed.
Could it actually be the frost on the ground?
I look up to view the bright moon,
And look down to reminisce about my hometown.
About: This popular Chinese poem was penned by one of the most famous Tang dynasty poets of
all time – Li Bai (701-762). The poem expresses the poet’s loneliness, pensiveness, and
homesickness as he gazes up at the bright moon.
悯农 (“Toiling Farmers”, by Li Shen)
《》
锄禾日当午，
汗滴禾下土。
谁知盘中餐，
粒粒皆辛苦。
TRANSLATION
Farmers weeding at noon,
Sweat down the field soon.
Who knows food on a tray
Thanks to their toiling day?
About: A common Chinese nursery rhyme still popular today, “Toiling Farmers” depicts the hard
work and life of a Chinese farmer. Written by Tang Dynasty poet Li Shen, the poem emphasises
how hard each farmers work for every grain of rice, and serves as a gentle reminder for children
not to waste their food.
咏鹅 (“An Ode to the Goose”, by Luo Binwang)
鹅、鹅、鹅，
曲项向天歌。
白毛浮绿水，
红掌拨清波
TRANSLATION
Goose, goose, goose,
You bend your neck towards the sky and sing.
Your white feathers float on the emerald water,
Your red feet push the clear waves.
About: Written by Tang Dynasty poet Luo Binwang when he was only seven years old, “An Ode to
the Goose” is a particularly simple and easy to memorize poem, resulting in it often being one of
the very first famous Chinese poems to be learned by Chinese children.
Chinese Farewell Poems
Saying goodbye is never easy. Scroll on to discover our team’s pick of Chinese farewell poems.
送杜少府之任蜀州, 王勃 (“Farewell To Vice-Prefect Du Setting Out For His Official Post In Shu”, by Wang
Bo)
城阙辅三秦，
风烟望五津。
与君离别意，
同是宦游人。
海内存知己，
天涯若比邻。
无为在岐路，
儿女共沾巾。
TRANSLATION
By this wall that surrounds the three Qin districts,
Through a mist that makes five rivers one,
We bid each other a sad farewell,
We two officials going opposite ways….
And yet, while China holds our friendship,
And heaven remains our neighbourhood,
Why should you linger at the fork of the road,
Wiping your eyes like a heart-broken child?
About: Written by Wang Bo when his friend Du was set to leave and take the position of country
official in Si Chuan. Wang Bo saw off Du and presented him with this farewell poem that
represents the sincerity and profoundness of their friendship.

送友人, 李白 (“Farewell to A Friend”, by Li Bai)

青山橫北郭 , 白水遶東城
此地一為別, 孤蓬萬里征
浮雲遊子意, 落日故人情
揮手自茲去, 蕭簫斑馬鳴
TRANSLATION
Green hills skirt the northern border,
White waters gird the eastern town;
Here we part with each other,
And you set out like a lonesome wisp of grass,
Floating across the miles, farther and farther away.
You’ve longed to travel like roaming clouds,
But our friendship, unwilling to wane as the sun is to set,
Let it be here to stay.
As we wave each other good-bye,
Our horses neigh, as if for us they sigh.
About: Li Bai’s friend longs to travel like ‘roaming clouds’. This Chinese farewell poem uses
beautiful metaphors to express the deep connection Li Bai and his friend share through their
friendship.

送别, 王维 (“Farewell”, by Wang Wei)

下马饮君酒
问君何所之
君言不得意
归卧南山垂
但去莫复问
白云无尽时
TRANSLATION
Dismounted, we drank to bid you farewell.
I asked, “My friend, where are you heading?”
You said, “Oh, nothing is working my way,
So be back to the crags of Nanshan, retiring.”
“Go then! You’ll ask of the world no more!
Ah, days of endless white clouds, unending!”
About:Wang Wei’s friend is feeling dejected and rather than keeping him from leaving he is
encouraging him to leave and get some rest, they have drinks to solidify him leaving.

无言独上西楼, 李煜 (“I Climb the Western Tower in Silence”, by Li Yu)

无言独上西楼
月如钩
寂寞梧桐深院
锁清秋

剪不断
理还乱
是离愁
别是一般滋味
在心头
TRANSLATION
Wordless, alone, to the West Tower I climb the stair;
The Moon, like a curved sword, hangs there.
Held captive in the deep courtyard and its lonesome phoenix tree,
Is the cool, pure Autumn breeze.

Cut it, it doesn’t sever;

Sort it, as entangled as ever —
It is a great sorrow to part,
Creating an entirely different feeling in my heart
Notes: Although the first stanza doesn’t openly talk about farewells, the description of the view
from the West Tower provides imagery for us to believe so. The desolate courtyard and the
lonesome phoenix tree could possibly symbolize Li Yu’s feelings about parting. Describing that
although they are parting they are still as connected as ever.

赠别, 杜牧 (“On Parting”, by Du Mu)

多情却似总无情
维觉罇前笑不成
蜡烛有心还惜别
替人垂泪到天明
TRANSLATION
Fond are my feelings, yet unfeeling I feign,
Before our wine-cups, we merry-make in vain.
So heartful, the candle, our parting it grieves,
And in tears it melts, till the sky lights again.
About: Although it can’t be confirmed, instead of parting with a friend, Du Mu is parting with a
now ex-lover. Saying that even though their love was deep it diminished into nothing, they can’t
even fake a friendly smile so the candle weeps for them. This powerful poem expresses the pain
in ending a special connection with someone you loved.
Chinese Poems About Love
Many of us often struggling to find the words to express how we feel. So why not borrow from
one of these famous Chinese poems about love instead?
江城子, 苏轼 (“Song of River City”, by Su Shi)
十年生死两茫茫，不思量，自难忘。
千里孤坟，无处话凄凉。
纵使相逢应不识，尘满面，鬓如霜。
夜来幽梦忽还乡，小轩窗，正梳妆。
相顾无言，惟有泪千行。
料得年年肠断处，明月夜，短松冈。
TRANSLATION
Ten years, dead and living dim and draw apart.
I don’t try to remember,
But forgetting is hard.
Lonely grave a thousand miles off,
Cold thoughts, where can I talk them out?
Even if we met, you wouldn’t know me,
Dust on my face,
Hair like frost.
In a dream last night suddenly I was home.
By the window of the little room,
You were combing your hair and making up.
You turned and looked, not speaking,
Only lines of tears coursing down.
Year after year will it break my heart?
The moonlit grave,
The stubby pines.
About:This Chinese poem about love was written by Su Shi around 1075 and is about a dream he
once had about his wife, Wang Fu, who he married in 1054 but unfortunately died just 11 years
later. He loved and missed his wife so much that he composed this poem to express his feelings
and longing for her.

上邪 (“God!”, by Unknown)
我欲与君相知，
长命无绝衰。
山无陵，
江水为竭，
冬雷震震，
夏雨雪 ，
天地合，
乃敢与君绝！
TRANSLATION
I want to be your love forever and ever,
Without break or decay.
When the hills are all flat,
The rivers are all dry.
When it thunders in winter,
When it snows in summer
When heaven and earth mingle,
Not till then will I part from you.
About: While the author of this poem is a mystery, what is known is that it comes from the era of
Yuefu folk poems during the Han Dynasty. The poet takes an oath pledging that even if the whole
world were to be destroyed and the unthinkable were to happen, she would still love him. This
poem is a sweet confession from a woman to her lover.

蝶恋花, 刘墉 (“Butterflies in Love with Flowers”, by Liu Yong)

伫倚危楼风细细，
望极春愁，
黯黯生天际。
草色烟光残照里，
无言谁会凭栏意。
拟把疏狂图一醉，
对酒当歌，
强乐还无味。
衣带渐宽终不悔，
为伊消得人憔悴。
TRANSLATION
While I lean against the banister of a tall tower,
The breeze gently blows.
As I look into the distance,
The end of Spring arouses melancholy in my mind.
Surrounded by dewy grass at sunset,
I wonder who is able to understand my longing.
I would rather drink to intoxication.
One should sing when one has wine in hand,
But drinking to escape offers no reprieve.
I do not mind that my clothes are getting looser.
My lover is worthy of desire.
About: The poet longs for her lover so deeply that she neglects herself in a land that she isn’t
familiar with. Successfully portraying that the poet’s love for her partner is so strong that she can
only think about him.

点绛唇-蹴罢秋千, 李清照 (“Rouge Lips · She Jumps Off the Swing”, by Li Qingzhao)
蹴罢秋千，起来慵整纤纤手。
露浓花瘦，薄汗轻衣透。

见客入来，袜刬金钗溜。
和羞走，倚门回首，却把青梅嗅。
TRANSLATION
She jumps off the swing, lazily stretching her slender hands.
The dew is heavy on the thin flower branch, a light sweat seeps through her shirt.

Seeing a guest, she runs away in her socks, her golden hair pin slipping off.
She leaves in embarrassment, yet pauses at the door to look back, and sniffs the green plums.
About: This straightforward poem was written during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) by Li
Qingzhao, one of the best-known female writers in Chinese history. Though only fragments of her
works survived, she wrote prolifically during her lifetime, usually depicting the lives of girls and
women in their boudoirs.

卜算子, 李之儀 (“Song of Divination”, by Li Zhi Yi)

我住长江头，
君住长江尾。
日日思君不见君，
共饮长江水。
此水几时休，
此恨何时已。
只愿君心似我心，
定不负相思意。
TRANSLATION
I live upstream and you downstream,
From night to night of you I dream.
Unlike the stream you are not in view,
Though both we drink from River Blue.
When will the river no more flow？
When will my grief no more grow？
I wish your heart will be like mine，
Then not in vain for you I pine.
About: “Song of Divination” talks about separation between lovers and lovesickness, expressed
by using the Yangtze river to show the distance between them.

1. 登鹳雀楼 (Dēng Guàn Què Lóu) — Climbing Stork Tower

白日依山尽，
黃河入海流；
欲穷千里目，
更上一层楼。
bái rì yī shān jìn,
huáng hé rù hǎi liú;
yù qióng qiān lǐ mù,
gèng shàng yì céng lóu.
The sun sets behind the mountains,
And the Yellow River flows into the sea.
To thoroughly enjoy a thousand-mile sight,
Climb up another level.
About the Poet:
王之渙 (Wang Zhihuan) was a Tang Dynasty poet best known for penning this poem, which was
included in the famous poetry anthology 唐 诗 三 百 首 (táng shī sān bǎi shǒu) or “Three Hundred
Tang Poems.” Stork Tower is three levels tall, located between mountains and the Yellow
River in Shanxi province.
Key Terms:
依 (yī) — to go along with
尽 (jìn) — (v.) to end; to use up; (adv.) to the greatest extent
欲 (yù) — (n.) desire; want; (v.) to wish for; to want
穷 (qióng) — (v.) to use up; to exhaust; (adv.) thoroughly; extremely; (adj.) poor; destitute
千里 (qiān lǐ) — a thousand miles; a long distance
2. 终南山 (Zhōng Nán Shān) — The Zhongnan Mountains
太乙近天都，
连山到海隅。
白云回望合，
青霭入看无。
分野中峰变，
阴晴众壑殊。
欲投人处宿，
隔水问樵夫。
tài yǐ jìn tiān dū,
lián shān dào hǎi yú.
bái yún huí wàng hé,
qīng ǎi rù kàn wú.
fēn yě zhōng fēng biàn,
yīn qíng zhòng hè shū.
yù tóu rén chù sù,
gé shuǐ wèn qiáo fū.
The Taiyi Mountains near the Heavenly Capital
Connects to the mountains to the corner of the sea.
Clouds, when I look back, close behind me,
Mists, when I enter them, are gone.
A central peak divides the two sides of the Mountains,
And sunny or cloudy alters in many remarkable gullies.
Needing a place to stay the night,
I ask the woodcutter over the river.
About the Poet:
18th-century influential poet 王 维 (Wang Wei) wrote this poem about the Zhongnan
mountains. Located south of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, the Zhongnan mountains are historically
known as a dwelling for Taoist hermits, possibly since before the Qin Dynasty.
Key Terms:
太 乙 (tài yǐ) — Taiyi Mountains, used interchangeably with 终 南 山 (zhōng nán shān) and 周 南 山
(zhōu nán shān)
天都 (tiān dū) — Heavenly Capital
隅 (yú) — corner
霭 (ǎi) — mist; haze; cloudy sky
殊 (shū) — (adj.) different; remarkable; (adv.) really; extremely
樵夫 (qiáo fū) — woodman; woodcutter
Chinese Poems About Love

3. 关雎 (Guān Jū) — The Crying Ospreys

关关雎鸠，
在河之洲。
窈窕淑女，
君子好逑。
guān guān jū jiū,
zài hé zhī zhōu.
yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ,
jūn zǐ hǎo qiú.
“Guan! Guan!” cry the ospreys,
On the islet on the river.
Elegant and graceful is the lady,
A fine match for the gentleman.
About the Poem:
This Chinese poem comes from 诗经 (shī jīng) — The Book of Songs, which dates back to 600
BCE. This one is a famous and beloved poem from Southern Zhou, and also includes Chinese
animal sounds for onomatopoeia.
Key Terms:
鸠 (jiū) — (n.) turtledove; (literary) to gather
之 (zhī) — possessive particle equivalent to 的 (de); him; her; it
淑女 (shū nǚ) — lady; wise and virtuous woman
君子 (jūn zǐ) — gentleman; nobleman
逑 (qiú) — mate
4. 相思 (Xiāng Sī) — Lovesickness
红豆生南国，
春来发几枝？
愿君多采撷，
此物最相思。
hóng dòu shēng nán guó,
qiū lái fā jǐ zhī?
yuàn jūn duō cǎi xié,
cǐ wù zuì xiāng sī.
Red beans grow in the southern lands,
How many branches fall when spring arrives?
May the gentleman gather many of them
This is what makes him the most lovesick.
About the Poem:
王维 (Wang Wei) also penned this poem about one of China’s ancient symbols of love. Red beans
(known as adzuki beans in other countries) represent yearning for love and fidelity. The original
story tells of a woman waiting for her husband to return from war. She gets sick and dies from
thinking about him too much. From her grave grows a red bean tree, pointing in her husband’s
direction.
Key Terms:
愿 (yuàn) — to hope; to desire
采 (cǎi) — (n.) collection; (v.) to pick; to extract
撷 (xié) — to collect; to pluck
此 (cǐ) — this; these
相思 (xiāng sī) — (n.) lovesickness; (v.) to yearn; to pine
Chinese Poems About Culture

5. 乡愁 (Xiāng Chóu) — Nostalgia

小时候
乡愁是一枚小小的邮票
我在这头
母亲在那头
长大后
乡愁是一张窄窄的船票
我在这头
新娘在那头
后来啊
乡愁是一方矮矮的坟墓
我在外头
母亲在里头
而现在
乡愁是一湾浅浅的海峡
我在这头
大陆在那头
xiǎo shí hou
xiāng chóu shì yī méi xiǎo xiǎo de yóu piào
wǒ zài zhè tóu
mǔ qīn zài nà tóu
zhǎng dà hòu
xiāng chóu shì yī zhāng zhǎi zhǎi de chuán piào
wǒ zài zhè tóu
xīn niáng zài nà tóu
hòu lái a
xiāng chóu shì yī fāng ǎi ǎi de fén mù
wǒ zài wài tou
mǔ qīn zài lǐ tou
ér xiàn zài
xiāng chóu shì yī wān qiǎn qiǎn de hǎi xiá
wǒ zài zhè tóu
dà lù zài nà tóu
When I was a child,
Nostalgia was a tiny postage stamp.
I, on this side,
My mother, on the other.
When I was older,
Nostalgia became a small ship ticket.
I, on this side,
My bride, on the other.
Later,
Nostalgia was a shallow grave.
I, on the outside,
My mother, on the inside.
And now,
Nostalgia is a gulf, a shallow strait.
I, on this side,
The mainland, on the other.
About the Poet:
余光中 (Yu Guangzhong) passed away in 2017. A contemporary Taiwanese poet, he was best
known for this piece which highlighted the displacement and longing for cultural unity between
the mainland and the Chinese diaspora.
Key Terms:
乡愁 (xiāng chóu) — homesickness; nostalgia
枚 (méi) — piece; measure word for coins, rings, badges, satellites, etc.
头 (tóu) — side; head; top; beginning; end; measure word for livestock
窄 (zhǎi) — narrow; badly off
方 (fāng) — square; side; place; measure word for square objects
坟墓 (fén mù) — grave; tomb
海峡 (hǎi xiá) — channel; strait
6. 桃夭 (Táo Yāo) — The Peach Tree Tender
桃之夭夭，
灼灼其华。
之子于归，
宜其室家。
桃之夭夭，
有蕡其实。
之子于归，
宜其家室。
桃之夭夭，
其叶蓁蓁。
之子于归，
宜其家人。
táo zhī yāo yāo,
zhuó zhuó qí huá.
zhī zǐ yú guī,
yí qí shì jiā.
táo zhī yāo yāo,
yǒu fén qí shí.
zhī zǐ yú guī,
yí qí jiā shì.
táo zhī yāo yāo,
qí yè zhēn zhēn.
zhī zǐ yú guī,
yí qí jiā rén.
The peach tree budding and tender,
Vivid and bright its flowers.
The maiden to be wed
Is fitting for the house.
The peach tree budding and tender,
Its seedlings abundant indeed.
The maiden to be wed
Is fitting for the home.
The peach tree budding and tender,
Its leaves luxuriant and lush.
The maiden to be wed
Is fitting for the family.
About the Poem:
This poem is also from the 诗 经 collection. In Chinese culture, peach trees and the fruits
themselves are symbolic of health, longevity, vitality and (in some cases) immortality.
Key Terms:
桃之夭夭 (táo zhī yāo yāo) — (idiom) the peach trees are in full blossom
灼 (zhuó) — (v.) to burn; to scorch; (adj.) bright; luminous
归 (guī) — to return; to give back to; to be taken care of; to marry
室家 (shì jiā) — house; couple; family; household
蕡 (fén) — (n.) hemp seeds; (adj.) abundant; luxurious
家室 (jiā shì) — wife; family; residence
蓁 (zhēn) — abundant; luxuriant
7. 过故人庄 (Guò Gù Rén Zhuāng) — Visiting an Old Friend’s Farmhouse
故人具鸡黍，
邀我至田家。
绿树村边合，
青山郭外斜。
开轩面场圃，
把酒话桑麻。
待到重阳日，
还来就菊花。
gù rén jù jī shǔ,
yāo wǒ zhì tián jiā.
lǜ shù cūn biān hé,
qīng shān guō wài xiá.
kāi xuān miàn chǎng pǔ,
bǎ jiǔ huà sāng má.
dài dào chóng yáng rì,
hái lái jiù jú huā.
An old friend prepares chicken and millet,
And invites me to his farmhouse.
Green trees surround the entire village,
Green hills stretch beyond the town.
Open the pavilion window facing the courtyard and orchards,
Raise our wine glasses, and speak of hemp and mulberry.
We wait until the day of the Double Ninth Festival,
To return here and admire chrysanthemums.
About the Poem:
Also featured in “Three Hundred Tang Poems,” this piece by 孟浩然 (Meng Haoran) references
the Double Ninth Festival, an ancient Chinese holiday with traditions of drinking
chrysanthemum tea.
Key Terms:
具 (jù) — (v.) to have; to provide; (n.) tool; device; measure word for devices, coffins and dead
bodies
郭 (guō) — outer city wall
轩 (xuān) — pavilion with windows
圃 (pǔ) — garden; orchard
把酒 (bǎ jiǔ) — to raise one’s wine glass
重阳 (chóng yáng) — 9th day of the 9th lunar month; Double Ninth or Yang Festival
Chinese Poems About Life
8. 悯农 (Mǐn Nóng) — Sympathy for the Peasants
锄禾日当午，
汗滴禾下土。
谁知盘中餐，
粒粒皆辛苦。
chú hé rì dāng wǔ,
hàn dī hé xià tǔ.
shuí zhī pán zhōng cān,
lì lì jiē xīn kǔ.
Cultivating grains at noon,
Sweat dripping into the earth beneath.
Who would have thought the food on your plate,
each and every grain, came from hard work?
About the Poet:
李绅 (Li Shen) was born in 772 AD and lived in the aftermath of the An Lushan Rebellion—
the devastating uprising against the Tang Dynasty. The countryside continued to suffer from the
damage and unrest, which ended up becoming the central theme of Li’s poems. This one, in
particular, was heard across the country.
Key Terms:
锄 (chú) — (n.) hoe; (v.) to hoe; to weed
谁知 (shuí zhī) — who would have thought; unexpectedly; (lit.) who knows
盘中餐 (pán zhōng cān) — food on a plate
粒 (lì) — grain; granule; measure word for small round things
皆 (jiē) — each and every; all
9. 题西林壁 (Tí Xī Lín Bì) — Written on the Wall of the West Woods Temple
横看成岭侧成峰，
远近高低各不同。
不识庐山真面目，
只缘身在此山中。
héng kàn chéng lǐng cè chéng fēng,
yuǎn jìn gāo dī gè bù tóng.
bù shí lú shān zhēn miàn mù,
zhǐ yuán shēn zài cǐ shān zhōng.
A mountain range in panorama becomes a peak from the side,
Far, near, high and low, with no two alike.
I do not know the true face of Lushan Mountain,
Only because I myself am in the mountain.
About the Poet:
苏轼 (Su Shi) was a jack-of-all-trades back in the Song Dynasty. After visiting the mountains, he
wrote this poem with the intention of reminding readers to not be blinded by personal prejudices
to see things as they are.
Key Terms:
岭 (lǐng) — mountain range
侧 (cè) — (n.) side; (v.) to incline toward; to lean; (adj.) lateral
成 (chéng) — (v.) to become; to complete; (adj.) capable
不识庐山真面目 (bù shí lú shān zhēn miàn mù) — (fig.) can’t see the forest for the trees; (lit.) not to
know the true face of Lushan Mountain
缘 (yuán) — cause; reason; karma; fate
10. 枫桥夜泊 (Fēng Qiáo Yè Bó) — Night Mooring at Maple Bridge
月落乌啼霜满天，
江枫渔火对愁眠。
姑苏城外寒山寺，
夜半钟声到客船。
yuè luò wū tí shuāng mǎn tiān,
jiāng fēng yú huǒ duì chóu mián.
gū sū chéng wài hán shān sì,
yè bàn zhōng shēng dào kè chuán.
The moon sets and crows caw as frost fills the atmosphere
Under the riverside maple trees, the fisherman’s light disrupts my sleep.
Outside Gusu City is Hanshan Temple,
At midnight, the sound of bells reaches the ferry.
About the Poet:
张继 (Zhang Ji) was a Tang Dynasty poet who shared his experience of passing through Gusu
City (now known as Suzhou City), fighting his homesickness and loneliness by describing the
sights and sounds.
Key Terms:
啼 (tí) — to cry; to crow; to hoot
满天 (mǎn tiān) — whole sky
眠 (mián) — to sleep; to hibernate
姑苏城 (gū sū chéng) — Gusu City, now Suzhou ( 苏州 ) City
寒山寺 (hán shān sì) — Hanshan Temple; Cold Mountain Temple