Learn mandarin from a poem of love – To the Oak Tree
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To the Oak Tree
致橡树
By 舒婷 shū tíng
To learn mandarin from contemporary Chinese novels and poems should be an enjoyable process. If the genre of the novel does not trigger any interests of you, stop reading it. Go pick another one that you do feel like to know what’s going on between the covers.
Poems are the same. A poem that you don’t get at all will do nothing good to your language study. Even if you understand it, but you can’t actually see the beauty of it, it won’t help you at all. It will slide out of your long term memory sooner than you think.
Only the ones that did touch your heart one way or another could stay in your memory. Keep helping you, reminding you of what you’ve learned. Whenever you find one, cherish it.
Today, I’d like to introduce to you a popular contemporary Chinese poem, a poem that has been loved by many of my generation. You might like it, you might not. It’s your call. But at least you can listen to the professional recitation of the poem once, see how much you understand. Chinese, pinyin and English translation are provided below the audio player.
Give it a try …
ZHÌ XIÀNGSHÙ
致橡树
TO THE OAK TREE
wǒ rúguǒ ài nǐ——
我如果爱你——
If I love you —
juébù xiàng pānyuán de língxiāohuā
绝不像攀援的凌霄花
I will never be a clinging trumpet creeper
jiè nǐ de gāo zhī xuànyào zìjǐ
借你的高枝炫耀自己
Using your high boughs to show off my height
wǒ rúguǒ ài nǐ
我如果爱你 ——
If I love you —
juébù xué chīqíng de niǎor
绝不学痴情的鸟儿
I will never be a spoony bird
wéi lǜ yīn chóngfù dāndiào de gēqǔ
为绿荫重复单调的歌曲
Repeating a monotonous song for green shade
yě bùzhǐ xiàng quányuán
也不止像泉源
Or be a spring
chángnián sòng lái qīngliáng de wèijiè
常年送来清凉的慰藉
Bringing cool solace all year long
yě bùzhǐ xiàng xiǎnfēng
也不止像险峰
Or be a steep peak
zēngjiā nǐ de gāodù， chèntuō nǐ de wēiyí
增加你的高度，衬托你的威仪
Increasing your stature, reflecting your eminence
shènzhì rìguāng
甚至日光
Even the sunlight
shènzhì chūnyǔ
甚至春雨
Even the spring rain
bù， zhèxiē dōu hái bùgòu
不，这些都还不够
No, all these are not enough
wǒ bìxū shì nǐ jìn páng de yī zhū mùmián
我必须是你近旁的一株木棉
I must be a ceiba tree beside you
zuòwéi shù de xíngxiàng hé nǐ zhàn zàiyīqǐ
作为树的形象和你站在一起
Be the image of a tree standing together with you
gēn， jǐnwò zàidìxià
根，紧握在地下
Our roots, entwined underground
yè， xiāng chù zài yún lǐ
叶，相触在云里
Our leaves, touching in the clouds
měiyī zhènfēng guò
每一阵风过
With each gust of wind
wǒmen dōu hùxiāng zhìyì
我们都互相致意
We greet each other
dàn méiyǒu rén
但没有人
But nobody
tīngdǒng wǒmen de yányǔ
听懂我们的言语
Can understand our words
nǐ yǒu nǐ de tóng zhī tiě gàn
你有你的铜枝铁干
You’ll have your copper branches and iron trunk
xiàng dāo、 xiàng jiàn， yě xiàng jǐ
像刀、像剑，也像戟
Like knives, like swords, like halberds, too
wǒ yǒu wǒ de hóng shuò huāduǒ
我有我的红硕花朵
I’ll have my crimson flowers
xiàng chénzhòng de tànxī
像沉重的叹息
Like heavy sighs
yòu xiàng yīngyǒng de huǒjù
又像英勇的火炬
And valiant torches
wǒmen fēndān háncháo、 fēng léi、 pīlì
我们分担寒潮、风雷、霹雳
We’ll share cold spells, storms and thunder
wǒmen gòngxiǎng wù’ǎi、 liú lán、 hóng ní
我们共享雾霭、流岚、虹霓
We’ll share mists, hazes and rainbows
fǎngfú yǒngyuǎn fēnlí
仿佛永远分离
Seemingly always apart
què yòu zhōngshēn xiāngyī
却又终身相依
But also forever interdependent
zhè cái shì wěidà de àiqíng
这才是伟大的爱情
Only this can be great love
jiānzhēn jiù zài zhèlǐ
坚贞就在这里
The loyalty is here
ài——
爱——
Love —
bùjǐn ài nǐ wěi’àn de shēnqū
不仅爱你伟岸的身躯
I love not only your strapping stature
yě ài nǐ jiānchí de wèizhi， zúxià de tǔdì
也爱你坚持的位置，足下的土地
But also your firm stand, the earth beneath you
Hope you enjoyed the poem… thanks for listening, my friends!
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