Mandarin Monday: Get Ready for Qingming with These Classic Poems

Tomorrow (Apr 5) is Qingming Festival so we decided to bring you two famous ancient Chinese poems about the festival. The first one, by Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu is a little gloomy. Dring his life Du Mu didn't manage to achieve the high ranking position that he desired, so this may account for his rather sombre poem.

The Mourning Day 清明 qīng míng

Du Mu 杜牧 dù mù

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wine shop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot 'mid apricot flowers.

清明时节雨纷纷，qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn,
路上行人欲断魂。lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún.
借问酒家何处有？jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu?
牧童遥指杏花村。mù tòng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn.

(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)

The next poem is by Wu Weixin, who lived during the Southern Song Dynasty, and is a little more uplifting than the previous one. 

Sightseeing in Su Causeway 苏堤清明即事 sū dī qīng míng jí shì

Wu Weixin 吴惟信 wú wéi xìn

The pear blossoms are dancing in the gentle breeze,
and here comes the Qingming Festival.
Men and women, old and young, 
take a trip out of town to look for spring.
When the wonderful music, songs and dances end at sunset,
warblers sing and fly through thousands of willows trees.

梨花风起正清明，lí huā fēng qǐ zhèng qīng míng,
游子寻春半出城。yóu zǐ xún chūn bàn chū chéng.
日暮笙歌收拾去，rì mù shēng gē shōu shí qù,
万株杨柳属流莺。wàn zhū yáng liǔ shǔ liú yíng.

(Translated by Zhu Danni)

Whatever your mood this Qingming Festival, we hope it's bright and cheery in spite of the fact this longish holiday ends all too soon!

READ: Mandarin Monday: A Few Chinese Poems About Spring for World Poetry Day

Images: Unsplash Reza Shayestehpour, Jack Finnigan