Chinese Poems 嫦娥 (Cháng É) To the Moon Goddess

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嫦 娥(Cháng É) To the Moon Goddess

by 李商隐 (Lĭ Shāngyĭn) Li Shangyin

Yúnmŭ píngfēng zhúyĭng shēn, chánghé jiàn luò xiăoxīng chén.
云母       屏风       烛影      深,    长河     渐  落    晓星      沉。
Now that a candle-shadow stands on the screen of carven marble,and the River of Heaven slants and the morning stars are low。
Cháng É yīng huĭ tōu língyào, bìhăi qīngtiān yè yè xīn.
嫦      娥   应   悔  偷    灵药,碧海    青天    夜  夜 心。
Are you sorry for having stolen the potion that has set you, over jade seas and blue skies, to brood through the long nights?

生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary:

1. 嫦娥(Cháng É):n. the fairy in the moon
2. 屏风(píngfēng):n. the screen in the room to separate the space
3. 长河(chánghé):n. the galaxy
4. 拨(bō):v. to push aside
5. 晓星(xiăoxīng):n. stars at dawn

About the Poem:

This poem originated from the Mid-Autumn Festival by Li Shangyin, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty. 嫦娥(Cháng É), the fairy in the moon, is the main character. She had a happy family before she became a fairy, but after she stole the potion and became the moon goddess, she was separated from her husband and became lonely, and so regretted what she had done.

Further Reading:

“鹊桥仙” (Què qiáo xiān)- A Love Poem about Qi Xi
春晓 (Chūn xiăo) A Spring Morning

Chinese Culture
General Chinese (Beginner Level) 
General Chinese (Intermediate Level) 

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