*Editor’s Note: The following is a club spotlight on the Chinese Poetry Club written by Harry Zhu ’22, who serves as the president of the club, in anticipation of the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 12 this year. Read more about how Hill students celebrate the holiday here.

Members of the club discuss and translate Tang and Song poetry into English every time they meet. Each translator seems to have developed their own distinctive styles and there always are heated discussions over which translations read and sound the best. 

“First of all, I think it’s always fun to connect with students who share the same interest in Chinese poetry and Chinese culture. And I also think discussing poetry outside of the classroom and academic stress is more organic, freeing, and it gives me inspiration,” said Annie Li ’21 when reflecting on her experiences as a club member. “It’s a huge surprise that people in this club take it so seriously and everyone is so committed to it, which makes me value this club and the experience that it has brought me more.” 

As one of the senior translators, Jerry Li ’22 said, “I mostly enjoy listening to critiques of the translations by my fellow members. I think it gives as much or even more insight into their characters and thinking than reading their poems; both insights are important qualities for me to learn from.” 

The Chinese Poetry Club is proud to present two English translations of 元日, a festive poem written during the Song Dynasty, by Tina Wang ’22 and Jifan Zhu ’23:

元日                                                    

宋·王安石                                                 

(Simplified Chinese characters).                           

爆竹声中一岁除，                             

春风送暖入屠苏。                            

千门万户曈曈日，                              

总把新桃换旧符。                           

A New Year’s Day

Wang Anshi

Translated by Jifan Zhu ’23

The firecrackers signal the end of another year,

As the spring wind accompanies a toast of beer;

The sun of new year basks the houses of all,

As many replace decorations on a well-worn wall.

元日

宋·王安石

(Traditional Chinese characters)

爆竹聲中壹歲除，

春風送暖入屠蘇。

千門萬戶曈曈日,

總把新桃換舊符。

New Year’s Day

Wang Anshi

Translated by Tina Wang’22

Among crackling fireworks another year went by,

Gusts of vernal breeze grant warmth to Tu Su wine.

Rising sun sheds light on countless houses’ doors,

Old peachwood couplets are replaced by new lines.

The club has many translated works ready to share with the school via TOTH. It will keep doing what it has been doing–introducing Chinese culture to the campus through poetry.