Classical Chinese Poetry Research Articles

“Workers without Borders:” Envisioning Sociality in Xiao Hai’s Poems

New worker poetry has emerged as a unique literary voice in contemporary China. This paper places Chinese new workers as the global working class and focuses on the poetics of their global vision. Through a close reading of poems written by Xiao Hai (1980-), one of the prolific worker poets, I argue that the new worker poet constructs global sociality at the levels of aesthetics, social critique, and cultural proposal. Aesthetically, Xiao Hai has borrowed inspiration from classical Chinese poetry, western counter-culture icons, and contemporary avant-garde spirit in his writings on laborers’ ordeals. Global sociality embodies a powerful critique of hierarchical global systems in which laborers are positioned at the bottom. It is also a cultural ideal rooted in revolutionary nostalgia and classical notions, a passionate call for connection among like-minded people, and an awareness of workers’ shared identity. Raising their voices in poetry, Xiao Hai, as well as other worker poets, actively explore opportunities to make their voices heard on a broader scale

Shades of Grey: Quantifying a Database of 18 Aesthetic Moods in Classical Chinese Poetry

Understanding aesthetic moods in classical Chinese poetry is essential for decoding Chinese aesthetics and can significantly benefit culturally and aesthetically inspired creative fields. However, research on how these aesthetic moods are perceived and deconstructed is limited. To address this gap, this study quantitatively identified 18 distinctive aesthetic mood clusters in classical Chinese poetry by empirical methods including natural language processing (NLP). These clusters were paired with relevant tools: mood-eliciting images, the circular valence-arousal model, and diary episodes associated with specific poems. The outcomes were developed into a website that serves as a practical database, visualizing the granularity of aesthetic moods expressed in classical Chinese poetry and relevant elements for mood-focused research and practice.

Exploring Thematic Diversity in Classical Chinese Poetry: A Novel Dataset and a BERT-Enhanced Ensemble Learning Approach

Classical Chinese poetry, as an essential aspect of cultural heritage, exhibits rich theme diversity often overlooked in natural language processing research. To address this gap, we aim to explore the classification of thematic categories within this literary domain. We curate a dataset of 2,918 annotated poems spanning 7 common themes and propose a BERT-based ensemble learning approach for effective classification. Although this method integrates existing models, it achieves an accuracy and F1 score of over 72% in the 7-class task, surpassing established baselines, and providing a baseline for future research. The experimental findings reveal the effectiveness of ensemble strategies in improving individual base model performance and highlight the potential of the MLP-based ensemble technique. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of thematic categories and textual features in classical Chinese poetry and offers an automated classification system for classical Chinese poems.

Twenty-Two Centuries of Nostalgia in Classical Chinese Poetry

A burgeoning literature on nostalgia has identified the construct’s features, affective content, triggers, and psychological benefits across cultures. It has been argued that nostalgia is a fundamental human emotion. If so, these properties of nostalgia ought to be detected historically. We tested this possibility by relying on classical Chinese poetry, a unique vehicle given its historical relevance to ancient life and ability to express emotion. Content analyses of 600 poems revealed that, across dynasties, nostalgia was perceived and experienced similarly to today. In particular, the central (and also peripheral) features of the construct “nostalgia” were similar, the affective tone of nostalgia was mostly positive, its triggers paralleled contemporary ones (with visual stimuli and close others being most salient), and its psychological benefits were the same (with social connectedness being most prominent). The findings point to nostalgia as fundamental human emotion and open up promising directions of inquiry.

Research on the Translation of Du Fu's Poetry in the BBC Documentary "Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet" from the Perspective of Variational Translation Theory

Poetry is rich in cultural imagery and complex rhetoric, making cross-cultural translation extremely challenging. The BBC documentary "Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet" introduces Du's poetry into the Western cultural perspective, aiming to discuss how classical Chinese poetry can be disseminated and reconstructed in cross-cultural contexts, so that the world can have a deeper understanding of the poet and Chinese culture from Du Fu's original intention, thoughts and other aspects. Based on Professor Huang Zhonglian's "Variational Translation Theory", this paper analyzes the linguistic characteristics of Du Fu's poetry in the documentary, explores the translator's linguistic transformation, the subtleties of diction, and cultural recreation in the translation process, and discusses the role of the three elements of translation in Du Fu's poetry in terms of the connotation and emotion, the translator's subjectivity, and the translator's fidelity. We discuss the role of the three elements of translation in the connotation and emotion of the original work, the subjectivity of the translator and the diversity of faithfulness in Du's poetry, and explore the effective dissemination of Du's poetry in a cross-cultural context.

Эстетические свойства жанра классической китайской поэзии цы и духовно-нравственная основа их становления с точки зрения «красоты слабости как добродетели»

The article analyzes the aesthetic properties of the genre of classical Chinese poetry Сi and the spiritual-moral basis of their formation from the point of view of the concept “The beauty of weakness as virtue”, put forward by the famous specialist in the field of classical Chinese poetry Ye Jiaying. The relevance of the topic is determined by the fact that, although many classical Chinese Ci poems have been translated into Russian, there is little research on the aesthetic properties of the genre itself, especially from the point of view of modern Chinese poetic theory. The article uses methods of description, interpretation, historical-cultural and contextual analysis. The article aims is to explain the aesthetic properties and the reason for their formation from the point of view of the concept “The beauty of weakness as a virtue”. It is ahown that the aesthetic properties of the Ci lie in the presence of a deeply hidden, inexhaustible understatement in poetry. Formally, this is created by alternating long and short verses; at the semantic level, the understatement in poetry appeared as a result of the forced transformation of the inexpressible feelings and emotions of the poet, who was in a weak position, but at the same time showed the quality of endurance, restraint and commitment to something good. The influence of the ideas of Confucianism on the formation of the aesthetic properties of Ci poetry allows us to speak not only about its artistic-aesthetic, but also its spiritual-moral significance. Altogether, it allows us to give a decent assessment of the Ci genre, which for a long time was perceived as a genre less valuable than the Shi genre.

An Analysis of Chinese Narrative Poems from the Perspective of the Narrator, the Case Study of Han Yuefu Poems

This paper explores the narrative techniques in Han Dynasty Yuefu poetry, with particular attention to how the narrator’s perspective enhances both storytelling and emotional depth. Through the analysis of selected poems, it highlights how shifts between omniscient and limited perspectives enrich character portrayal and convey complex emotions. By placing Yuefu poetry within the broader tradition of Chinese literature, the study challenges the common perception that classical Chinese poetry is purely lyrical, suggesting instead that narrative elements play a crucial role. It argues for a re-evaluation of these poems, emphasising the interplay between narration and emotion, and how this contributes to the development of Chinese narrative art. Additionally, the paper considers how Yuefu poetry, with its distinct narrative strategies, laid important groundwork for later developments in Chinese literary traditions. This study underscores the importance of looking at ancient Chinese poetry from a narrative perspective, recognising its contribution to the evolution of storytelling in Chinese literature.

Research on Natural Imagery and Emotional Expression in Classical Chinese Poetry

Classical Chinese poetry, with its rich natural imagery and profound emotional expression, is regarded as a treasure of Chinese culture. Natural imagery not only plays a significant artistic role in classical poetry but also serves as a unique vehicle for poets to express their emotions. This paper systematically reviews the origins and development of natural imagery in classical Chinese poetry, analyzes the intrinsic connection between its symbolic meaning and emotional expression, and explores its value and implications in contemporary poetry creation, cross-cultural communication, and literary education. The study finds that natural imagery in classical Chinese poetry has multiple symbolic functions and serves as an essential tool for emotional expression by poets. As time progresses, the characteristics of these expressions have also evolved. In the contemporary context, inheriting and innovating these natural images holds great significance for literary creation and cultural inheritance.

Stylistic codification of traditional forms of poetic text (based on the material of the ancient Chinese theoretical study of poetry “Shi-Ping” (诗品, “Categories of Poems”)

Abstract The study of the main works that codified the classical forms of the Chinese text is important for analysing the ways of development of poetic works and determining the formation of their stylistic norms, mechanisms, and thematic concepts. The research aims to analyse the peculiarities of the stylistic codification of ancient Chinese traditional verse forms based on the theoretical material of Zhong Rong’s “Shi-Ping” (诗品). The following methods were used: deductive, content analysis, and comparative. The research results determined that ancient Chinese poetry is known for its unique depth, sophistication, and richness of images. Zhong Rong’s treatise “Shi-Ping” influenced the formation of stylistic features of classical Chinese five-line poetry. The analysis of its textual data has shown that this anthology emphasises the importance of the poetic form, especially rhythm and melody, and provides specific recommendations for the use of iambic pentameter, which contributed to its popularisation and development. The practical significance lies in the use of the information by scholars in the fields of philology, linguistics, cultural studies, linguistics, as well as specialists who study the traditional forms of Chinese poetic text.

A relational background knowledge boosting based topic model for Chinese poems

Classical Chinese poetry has been increasingly popular in recent years, and modeling its topic is quite a promising area of research. Chinese poems have the characteristic of short in length, but traditional topic models perform poorly when faced with short texts due to the text sparsity. Therefore, topic model should be improved to satisfy the scenario of classical Chinese poems. In this paper, a relational background knowledge boosting based topic model (RBKBTM) was proposed to overcome the text sparsity of Chinese poems. We incorporated background information into the model, which expanded the text content from the semantic perspective. The background knowledge was combined using word embedding and TextRank and was then fed into the core computing process. Subsequently, a new sampling formula was derived. Our proposed model was tested on three different tasks using three different datasets. The results demonstrate that the incorporated background knowledge can effectively overcomes text sparsity, improving the performance and effectiveness of the topic model.

The Artistic Characteristics and Singing Analysis of the Ancient Poetry Art Song Ru Meng Ling

Art songs based on classical Chinese poetry began to emerge in the 1920s and have since become a common and significant genre in contemporary Chinese vocal music. This genre uniquely combines Western compositional techniques with ancient Chinese poetry, resulting in songs that feature piano accompaniments and melodies that align with the emotional trajectory of the lyrics while also embedding the deep cultural heritage of China. These songs embody the enduring beauty of Chinese culture, with long, melodious tunes and a timeless ancient charm. Whether in the process of tracing their origins, studying them, or performing them, people are invariably moved by their cultural significance, thereby enhancing cultural identity and confidence. This genre adds a vibrant hue to the development of modern music. This paper focuses on Li Qingzhao's poem "Like a Dream: Often Remembering the Sunset at the Creek Pavilion" and the art song "Like a Dream" composed by Wang Chao. Using literature research, score analysis, and inductive methods, the paper explores and reflects on the song from two perspectives: its artistic characteristics and vocal performance analysis.

Preserving ecological balance in the English translation of classical Chinese poetry: an eco-translatology approach

Preserving ecological balance in the English translation of classical Chinese poetry: an eco-translatology approach

On the Artistic Features of Venting Feelings with 500 Words in Going from Capital to County Fengxian

Venting Feelings with 500 Words in Going from Capital to County Fengxian is a renowned poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. Highly esteemed through the ages, it holds a significant place in the history of Chinese literature. This poem employs a unique narrative style and a rich array of expressive techniques, showcasing the poets profound and sincere emotions. It creates a melancholic poetic atmosphere, with a fluctuating plot that profoundly impacts the reader. It epitomizes the essence of "somber and forceful" style, conveying deep and complex ideological connotations, making it a treasure of classical Chinese poetry. This paper analyzes the artistic features of the poem from the perspectives of narrative characteristics, poetic style, and the integration of emotion and ambition.

Machine translation of Chinese classical poetry: a comparison among ChatGPT, Google Translate, and DeepL Translator

Recent studies have highlighted ChatGPT’s remarkable capabilities in machine translation. However, little attention has been paid to its application in literary translation, particularly within the realm of Chinese classical poetry. To explore the potential of ChatGPT’s abilities in poetry translation, we conducted a comparative analysis of poetry translation quality, contrasting ChatGPT (with two different prompts) with Google Translate and DeepL Translator regarding fidelity, fluency, language style, and machine translation style. The results revealed that ChatGPT outperformed Google Translate and DeepL Translator in all evaluation criteria, suggesting its exceptional ability in poetry translation. Furthermore, when employing a prompt that instructs ChatGPT to preserve the rhythm and rhyme of poems, ChatGPT demonstrated a remarkable ability to retain the beauty of the original poetic language, setting itself apart from conventional machine translation systems. Our analysis further elucidated ChatGPT’s proficiency in comprehending and translating some common symbols, imagery, and underlined semantic components which contributes to coherent and fluent translations. Our research opens up ChatGPT’s new possibilities in translating ancient literary texts into foreign languages.

Between Wine and Tea: A Discussion Based on Master Taixu’s Use of Dual Imagery

The imagery of wine and tea is important in classical and modern Chinese poetry, with an intricate relationship between the two especially evident in the work of Taixu 太虛 (1890–1947), a prominent poet–monk in 20th-century China. Taixu’s attitude toward wine—a drink that is deeply rooted in Chinese culture—evolves significantly over time, from initial approval to eventual condemnation due to its detrimental effects on both personal health and society. Nevertheless, it continues to feature prominently in his poetry. The same is true of tea, which Taixu often uses to evoke either Buddhist study or his own healthy lifestyle. This article explores this and other complex meanings in Taixu’s poems, such as his association of wine with knights and tea with hermits. It also discusses how he achieves a delicate balance between the two beverages, sometimes employing both types of imagery in a single poem—a literary innovation that helped to establish his reputation as a central figure in modern Chinese poetry.

The Comparative Study on the English Translations of Du Fu's Poems from the Perspective of Steiner's Hermeneutic Motion

Du Fu's influence in Chinese classical poetry is very far-reaching, and he is honored as the "Sage of Poetry" by later generations, and his poems are also known as the "History of Poetry". As a typical representative of traditional Chinese culture, Du fu's poems are loved by the public, and different translations have made the world better understand the culture of ancient Chinese poems. Based on the hermeneutic motion of George Steiner, this paper selects two English translations of Du Fu's poems by Mr. Xu Yuanchong, a domestic translator, and Mr. Watson, a foreign sinologist as the objects. Through the comparative study of the two translations, this paper explores how the four hermeneutic steps of “trust”, “aggression”, “incorporation” and “compensation” in Steiner’s hermeneutic motion are represented in their translations. It provides a new perspective for the study of Du Fu’s poetry translation into English and promotes the dissemination of ancient Chinese poems.

Xu Yuanchong’s Theory of “Three Beauties” and His Poetry Translation Practice

Xu Yuanchong is a master of English translation of ancient Chinese poetry. In the long translation practice, Xu Yuanchong has formed his own unique translation style. He applied Lu Xun’s theory of “three beauties” to English and French translation of classical Chinese poetry, and put forward the theory of “three beauties” in poetry translation, that is, translation of poetry should convey the beauty of meaning, beauty of sound and beauty of form of the original poem as far as possible. At the same time, he pointed out that among the three beauties, beauty of meaning is the most important, beauty of sound is the second, followed by beauty of the form. However, a general survey of Xu Yuanchong’s poetry translation practice showed that in the specific process of poetry translation, Xu started more from the beauty of form, and then to the beauty of sound and beauty of sense, and gradually achieved the perfect state of “three beauties” in poetry translation.

Cognitive Analysis of “Fog” Metaphor in Poetry of the Tang Dynasty

In the cognitive linguistic view, metaphor is not only a linguistic device but also a mode of thinking that people use to conceptualize and comprehend the world. Cconceptual metaphors are a set of mappings from a concrete source domain from an abstract target domain. The cognitive foundation of conceptual metaphor is a variety of human experience. Poetry of the Tang Dynasty abounds with metaphorical images. Fog is a regularly used image in poetry of the Tang Dynasty. Yet the research on fog from the perspective of conceptual metaphor remains as an under-explored area. Based on conceptual metaphor theory, the current research aims to sort out the classification of fog metaphors and the cognitive foundation as well as cultural motivation behind those fog metaphors in poetry of the Tang Dynasty. The cognitive analysis of fog can offer a new dimension to the exploration of both the image of fog and metaphor in poetry of the Tang Dynasty. In addition, the cognitive approach to fog metaphor in poetry of the Tang Dynasty can better reflect the unique cultural cognition of ancient China, and extend the research on classical Chinese poetry, which is a step forward in cognitive poetics, and offer implications for the appreciation, translation and teaching of poetry of the Tang Dynasty.

English Translation of Fuzzy Beauty of Classical Chinese Poetry

This paper attempts to probe into English translation of fuzzy beauty of classical Chinese poetry via imagery. Classical Chinese poetry is the cream of Chinese culture. It attracts millions of Chinese and western readers with its subtle and profound fuzzy beauty. The ultimate requirement of English translation of classical Chinese poetry lies in transferring its fuzzy beauty. Fuzzy beauty of classical Chinese poetry falls into three categories: fuzzy beauty in form, fuzzy beauty in imagery and fuzzy beauty in artistic conception. Imagery, being the soul of classical Chinese poetry, serves as a communicative and operational medium of transference of fuzzy beauty. The essence of fuzzy beauty consists in "gaps of indeterminacy" which conjures up the reader's unrestrained association. "Gaps of indeterminacy" constitute the "appealing structure" in a text which is subject to the reader's free interpretation according to his own "horizon of expectation". Fuzzy aesthetics sheds light on the aesthetic features of fuzzy beauty, and the hierarchical structure of fuzzy beauty in fuzzy aesthetics corresponds to different layers of fuzzy beauty of classical Chinese poetry. Therefore, both aesthetics of reception and fuzzy aesthetics are of instructive value to English translation of classical Chinese poetry. This paper is composed of five sections. The introductory section is concerned with the significance and purpose of the research. The second section reveals in detail fuzzy beauty in classical Chinese poetry. In the third section, the techniques and principle for translation of poetic fuzzy beauty are put forward in light of aesthetics of reception and fuzzy aesthetics and imagery is recommended as an ideal medium of transference of fuzzy beauty. The fourth section centers on how to transfer fuzzy beauty of classical Chinese poetry using imagery as a medium, analyses and proposals are given from such angles as fuzzy modifiers, syntax, juxtaposition, and cultural influences. A natural conclusion is drawn in the last section.

Ancient poetry generation based on bidirectional LSTM model neural network

Automatic generation of ancient poems has been a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence, which is of great significance in cultural inheritance and literary creation. Due to the strict tonal patterns and complex structural rules of classical Chinese poetry, generating classical Chinese poetry has been a challenging task for both human poets and computer programs. In this paper, we propose a neural network model based on the introduction of an attention mechanism, which combines a bidirectional LSTM model and an attention mechanism to solve some problems in the traditional automatic generation model of ancient poems. The model is trained using the dataset of ancient poems studied by previous researchers, and the performance of the model is evaluated and analyzed by evaluating the metrics BLEU, Perplexity, Generation Effect and Linguistic Coherence. The experimental results show that the model exhibits good performance and excellent results on the task of automatic generation of ancient poems.