Kneeling: Ancient Chinese Poetry Describing Painting

1. "Inscription on Painting Bamboo" Qing Dynasty: Zheng Xie

For forty years I have been painting bamboo branches, waving and writing by day and thinking by night.

Translation: For forty years I have been painting bamboo, conceptualizing it at night and drawing it onto paper during the day.

2, "I told to return, painting bamboo farewell Weixian gentleman people" Qing Dynasty: Zheng Xie

write to take a branch of thin bamboo, the autumn wind on the river as a fishing rod.

Translation: I drew a thin bamboo, which can be used as a fishing rod on the cool windy riverside (in the fall).

3. "Painting the Eagle" Tang Dynasty: Du Fu

The wind and frost rise from the vegetarian practice, and the eagle is painted as a distinction.

Translation: On top of the white painting silk, the wind and frost suddenly rose up, and it turned out that the eagle on the paper was ferocious and different from the general.

4, "Painting" Tang Dynasty: Wang Wei

The mountains are colored from afar, and the water is silent from near. The flowers are still there when spring is gone, and the birds are not frightened when people come...?

Translation: The mountains look brightly colored from afar, but the water has no sound when you listen to it. Spring has passed, but there are still many flowers and grasses competing for color, and people approach, but the birds are still not stirred.

5. "The Question of the Dweller of Celestial Stream" Qing Dynasty: Zhang Yiquan

The mountains and rivers outside the door are for painting, and the flowers and birds in front of the hall are for eulogizing.

Translation: The mountains and rivers outside the door are used as materials for painting, and the flowers and birds in front of the hall are put into poems and songs.