Chinese poetry is a big subject. Chinese poetry, calligraphy and painting are linked as the “Three Perfections” (诗书画三绝).
These websites give the original Chinese characters as well as translations:
- Chinese Poems -Traditional & Simplified Chinese characters, pinyin and translation. The FAQs offer an introduction to Chinese poetry.
- 10 well-known poems
- 300 Tang Poems – Traditional Chinese characters and translation (Downloadable file)
- 300 Tang poems website
- Characters and translations, plus information on translators of Chinese Poetry at the quirky Mountain Songs.
- Calligraphy poems recited.
- Learning Chinese with poetry
- Li Bai’s Leave Baidi City
Posdcasts & programmes:
- The Chinese Literature Podcast covers quite a few poems, some unusual or modern eg:
- Guan, Guan Goes the Osprey
- Su Dongpo part 1 & part 2
- Ouyang Xiu – Spring at the Jade Tower
- A very interesting discussion of translating 2 related poems – Water Dragon Chant by Zhang Jie and Su Dongpo – NB content warning.
- Bai Juyi Autumn Thoughts and Charcoal Seller
- The famous Seven Step Poem
- BBC China: As History Is My Witness : Du Fu and Li Bai
- BBC In Our Time Tang Poetry and The Story of China essay on Du Fu and his poetry
Translations:
- Like Water or Clouds (downloadable) translated by AS Kline
- Translator David Hinton – Includes Tang greats Li Po, Du Fu and Wang Wei. (Uses Wade-Giles romanisation). Recently updated his translation of Du Fu. Review of his Wang Wei.
- Translator Red Pine covers poetry – including the collected songs of Tang poet Cold Mountain, hermit traditions, sutras and other texts. There are several on line video interviews and readings.
And thoughts on translating:
- https://www.lareviewofbooks.
org/article/good-way- translate-chinese-poetry/ - https://www.jstor.org/stable/
j.ctvs32rh7
Books about Chinese Poetry:
Famous Chinese Song dynasty poetess Li Qingzhao