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Jué JùQuatrain 绝句

Zhi Nan (志南, also known as Zhinan (monk))｜Southern Song｜seven-character quatrain

Zhinan on apricot-blossom rain and willow wind, around Qingming.

Original Chinese text with pinyin

古木阴中繋短篷
gǔ mù yīn zhōng jì duǎn péng

杖藜扶我过桥东
zhàng lí fú wǒ guò qiáo dōng

沾衣欲湿杏花雨
zhān yī yù shī xìng huā yǔ

吹面不寒杨柳风
chuī miàn bù hán yáng liǔ fēng

Simplified characters; traditional title: 絕句.

In the shade of old trees I tie up my little boat;

a goosefoot staff helps me across the bridge to the east.

The apricot-blossom rain wants to wet my clothes;

the willow wind on my face is not cold.

Original translation by Poetune — literal but poetic, written for this site.

古木阴中繋短篷 · gǔ mù yīn zhōng jì duǎn péng — In the shade of old trees I tie up my little boat;

杖藜扶我过桥东 · zhàng lí fú wǒ guò qiáo dōng — a goosefoot staff helps me across the bridge to the east.

沾衣欲湿杏花雨 · zhān yī yù shī xìng huā yǔ — The apricot-blossom rain wants to wet my clothes;

吹面不寒杨柳风 · chuī miàn bù hán yáng liǔ fēng — the willow wind on my face is not cold.

Zhinan on apricot-blossom rain and willow wind, around Qingming. The scene stays with you.

Zhinan on apricot-blossom rain and willow wind, around Qingming.

The monk Zhi Nan is credited with the apricot-blossom rain quatrain.

Lifetime: Southern Song. Other famous works: Quatrain (绝句).