Original text:
1. Vigorous: Use the outer fibula to make full use of the inner body. Anti-deficiency enters the turbid state, and accumulation of strength becomes strong. It possesses all things and transcends space. Desolate oil clouds, only a few winds. Beyond the image, you can get within the circle. If you hold on to your strength, you will have endless success.
2. Dilute: Use silence to reveal subtle ideas. Drink the harmony, and the crane will fly alone. The benevolent wind is still flowing on the clothes. Read the sound and repair the bamboo, and the beauty is said to be returned. The more serious the bandits you encounter, the more hopeless they become. Taking off the appearance is similar, shaking hands is already against the rules.
3. Xian_: Collect flowing water, fluffy and distant spring. In the graceful and deep valley, beauties are often seen. The trees are full of green peaches, and the wind and sunshine are on the waterside. The road in Liuyin is winding, with wandering orioles nearby. The further you go, the more true your knowledge becomes. If it will never be exhausted, it will be new from the past.
4. Calmness: Green fir house, clear sunset. Taking off my scarf and walking alone, I often hear the sound of birds. If the wild geese do not come, the son will travel far away. Thoughts are not far away, just like a lifetime. The sea breeze is clear and the clouds are clear, and the moon is bright at night. If there is a good word, the river lies ahead.
5. Gaogu: Abnormal people take advantage of the truth and hold hibiscus in their hands. Amid the catastrophe, there was no trace of it. The moon rises in the east and the good wind follows. The night in Taihua is green, and people hear the clear bell. The gods are standing in vain, and the borders are sealed. During the Huang and Tang Dynasties, Xuanzong fell into disgrace.
6. Elegance: Jade pots are used to buy spring, and rain-watching huts are used. Sitting in the middle is a good scholar, with bamboos on the left and right sides. The white clouds are beginning to clear, and the birds are chasing each other. Mianqin is green and shaded, with a waterfall on top. The fallen flowers are speechless, and the people are as pale as chrysanthemums. The age of the book means it can be read.
7. Refining: like gold from a mine, silver from lead. Refining with super heart, absolutely loving phosphorus. The empty pool is full of spring, and the ancient mirror shines upon the gods. The voxels are stored clean and return to their true state by the moon. Gaze at the stars and sing songs. The flowing water today is the predecessor of the bright moon.
8. Jinjian: The movement of spirit is like the sky, and the movement of Qi is like a rainbow. Wu Gorge is a thousand miles away, wandering through the clouds and connecting with the wind. Drinking Zhenru is strong, accumulating element and keeping it in the middle. To say that he is doing well is to say that he is strong. The heaven and the earth stand together, and the deification is the same. Expect it with reality, and control it with the end.
9. Gorgeous beauty: When God preserves wealth, he begins to light up gold. The thickest one will wither, the weak one will always become deep. By the riverside in the mist, red apricots are in the forest. The moon shines brightly on the house, and the painted bridge is green and shaded. The golden king is full of wine and plays the piano with the guests. Take what is self-sufficient, and the good and the beautiful will be lost.
10. Nature: find it wherever you find it, don’t take away your neighbors. It's time to go on the road, and spring will come when you start. It's like seeing flowers blooming, like looking forward to the new year. True and non-seizing, strong is easy to be poor. The secluded person is on the empty mountain, picking apples after the rain. Thin words and enlightenment, leisurely Tianjun.
11. Don’t be subtle and be romantic. If your words don't involve yourself, you won't be able to bear your worries. There is a true master who rises and falls with him. Like a bottle full of wine, the flowers turn into autumn. The dust is long and empty, and the sea is wet. The gathering and dispersing of shallow and deep, taking and receiving everything.
12. Bold and unrestrained: Watching flowers is forbidden, and swallowing the wilderness. If you rebel against the Tao, you will become crazy. The sky is windy and the mountains are green. Full of true power, everything is around. Move three chen in front and phoenix in the back. Xiao Ce Liu Ao, wash your feet and hibiscus.
13. Spirit: There is no end to the desire to return, but there is always hope. The bright ripples are at their lowest point, and the strange flowers are the first to be born. Youth Parrot, Willow Pond Terrace. When people from Bishan come, drink a deep glass of sake. The anger is far away, and it is not ashes. Wonderful creation of nature, who can control it?
14. Meticulous: It is authentic, if not known. The image is about to come to life, and the creation is amazing. The water flows and the flowers bloom, but the clear dew is not yet flowing. The farther the journey is, the slower the journey will be. You don’t want to offend when you speak, and you don’t want to be crazy when you think. It's still green in spring, with bright moon and snow.
15. Sparse wildness: The only way to live is by nature, and to be unruly. Control things to make yourself rich, and keep pace with the times. Build a house under the pine, take off your hat and read poetry. But I know the day and night, I don’t know when. If it is satisfactory, there is no need to do anything. If it is released by heaven, it will be obtained like this.
16. Qingqi: Juanjuan group of pines, with ripples flowing underneath. The clear snow is full of bamboos, and there are fishing boats across the stream. Pleasant people are like jade, looking for tranquility every step of the way. After looking at it for a long time, the sky is long and green, and the spirit is different from the ancient times, but it is too light to be taken away. Like the dawn of the moon, like the autumn of Qi.
17. Complaints: Climb to Taihang, green around the intestines. Flowing jade and lingering fragrance of flowers. Strength is to time, sound is to Qiang. It seems like the past has gone back, like a bandit hiding in a dark place. The water swirls and the wind soars. The Tao is not its own instrument, it is round and square with it.
18. Reality: The words are very straightforward and the planning is profound. Suddenly meeting a secluded person is like seeing the heart of the Tao. The song of the clear stream, the shadow of the green pines. One guest is a woodcutter, and the other is listening to the harp. Wherever your emotions lead you, you won't find the wonderful things yourself. When I encounter it, it comes from the sky, and the sound is calm and peaceful.
19. Sadness: The strong wind swept the water and destroyed the trees. It's so painful that you want to die, but you can't find rest. A hundred years old is like a stream, and wealth is cold and gray. If the great road is lost, it will be a great talent. A strong man flicks his sword, awe-inspiring and sad. The leaves are rustling and falling, and the moss is green from the rain.
20. Description: Absolutely inactive, never return to purity. It's like looking for water shadows, like writing about spring. The wind and clouds are changing, and the flowers and plants are in spirit. The waves of the sea are rugged. They are all like the great road, and the wonderful agreement is the same as the dust. They look very similar to each other, they are from the common people.
21. Super Achievements: The spirit of the bandit god, the bandits are as small as a few. Like the white clouds and the gentle breeze returning home. If you arrive from afar, you will be gone when you arrive. If there is little Taoist agreement, it will eventually go against the rules. The mountains and trees are in disorder, and the green moss is fragrant. The more you recite it and think about it, the better the sound becomes.
22. Elegant: Desire to go, correct and out of the ordinary. The crane on the mountain, the clouds on the top of the mountain. In the paintings of masters, the colors are dense. The leaves are flying in the wind, and the sky is boundless. If you can't hold on, you will hear it. Those who know it have already understood it, and the more they understand it, the more they understand it.
23. Broad-minded: The living person is a hundred years old, how different he is. Joy is short and sorrow is many. How to respect wine and smoke tobacco every day. The flowers cover the thatch eaves, and the rain passes by. After the wine is poured out, the stick and quinoa are singing. There is no such thing as ancient times, Nanshan E'e.
24. Flow: if water is received, it is like turning pill beads. How can I say it? A false body is like a fool. The desolate Kun axis, the long Tianshu. It must have its end, and it must be consistent with its character. Super super gods, return to the underworld. It's like going back and forth for thousands of years.
Twenty-Four Poems is a monograph on ancient poetry aesthetics and poetry theory compiled by Sikong Tu in the Tang Dynasty.
Translation:
1. Vigorous: Gorgeous words appear outside, and the real content is enriched. Only by returning to emptiness and tranquility can one achieve a state of totality, accumulate righteousness, and only then can one's writing power be shown to be heroic. The majestic poetry encompasses all things and stretches high across the vast space. Like the vast rolling flying clouds, like the mighty and churning long wind. Go beyond the superficial description of life and grasp the core content of the work. The pursuit of magnificence should not be forced together. If it comes naturally, it will have endless meaning.
2. Dilution: If a writer keeps thinking quietly, he will realize the subtlety of dilution. The poem is full of natural momentum, flying high like a lonely white crane. This state is like the warm spring breeze, gently caressing your plain clothes, and like the sound of green bamboo, softly calling you to return home together. It is not difficult to achieve dilution by accident, but if you pursue it reluctantly, you will rarely get what you want. If the work stays at the superficial description, it will be far away from the diluted style.
3. Xian_: The flashing water is bright and dazzling, and the boundless spring flowers are blooming. In the quiet valley, another beauty appeared. The green peach flowers were blooming all over the trees, swaying by the water with the gentle breeze. Under the shade of willows, the path is winding, and a group of orioles are whispering softly, one after another. The more deeply the work goes into such delicate scenes, the more realistic and natural it becomes. If you explore at the right time and never stop, you will be as fresh as the masterpieces of the past.
4. Calmness: There is a simple hut hidden deep in the green forest, and the slanting sunlight makes the sky clear and clear. The poet took off his turban and walked alone freely, hearing the chirping of birds from time to time. If letters don’t come, relatives will travel far away. The wanderer I miss is not far away. It seems that we still get along with each other and comfort each other for the rest of our lives. The sea breeze is blowing the blue clouds, and the bright moon is shining on the sandbank. If the writer can write good sentences at this time, he will reveal the wonderful state of calmness.
5. Gaogu: The wise man rides on the wind, holding a bunch of hibiscus in his hand. After experiencing the catastrophe of the world, only a vague and empty trace is left. The moon rises from the east, and the gentle breeze is accompanying it. The night sky in Huashan is blue and quiet, and people listen to the fresh bells. The writer maintains such simple feelings and transcends the worldly and outdated habits. Yearning for the distant past to express its elegant taste, and arrogantly admiring the ancient poetic style.
6. Elegance: Use jade pots to carry wine for spring outings, and enjoy the rain in thatched huts to entertain yourself. There are elegant celebrities sitting in the middle, and there are beautiful green bamboos on the left and right. On a clear day, white clouds are floating, and birds in the deep valley are chasing each other. Lying quietly under the green shade, listening to the waterfall and flying beads on the top of the mountain. The flowers fall gently, silently, and tranquil, just like autumn chrysanthemums. Such a beautiful scene may be written into poetry, which may be worth appreciating and reading.
7. Refining: like refining gold from ore, like extracting silver from lead. Extract carefully and remove all impurities. The spring water flowing in the deep pool is so clear and pure, and the objects reflected in the ancient mirror are so vivid. Observe simple principles, maintain high moral character, face the clear moonlight, and seek purity of mind. Looking up at the light of the stars, singing about the reclusive person. The work is like clear running water, and the crystal moonlight is its incarnation.
8. Jin Jian: The poet's mind is as open as the vast sky, and his momentum is as full as the rainbow crossing. Wu Gorge is towering, and flying clouds accompany the gentle breeze. The works are full of innocence, cultivate strength, accumulate simple moral character, and maintain a clear mind. It seems that the celestial bodies are moving steadily and continuously, and your poems can be powerful and powerful. This kind of poetry exists with the heaven and earth, and is connected with the breath of nature. Let the true content enrich the work, and use strong momentum to rule the beginning.
9. Beautiful: Only when the spiritual world is rich can one despise gold. If the words are too colorful, the writing will be dry and dry, but if the writing is plain and simple, it will be deeper. The morning fog dissipates by the water's edge, and red apricots light up the woods. The moonlight illuminates the gorgeous pavilions, and the shadows of the magnificent bridges appear in the green shade. The golden cup is filled with fine wine, and I accompany my friends to play the piano. There is an endless supply of such materials, so you can express your mind freely.
10. Nature: Poems can be found everywhere in life. You don’t need to rack your brains to pursue them. Just write in accordance with reason and you can start to become a spring. The works are naturally like flowers that bloom at the right time, and seem to be renewed through the four seasons. The insights gained in life cannot be taken away from you. If you reluctantly collect information, you will be in embarrassment. Elegant people live in empty mountains and gather wild duckweeds after the rain. All this is real and natural, just like the heavenly bodies moving silently.
11. Implicit: It can show the beauty of life without explicit expression in words. Although the text does not mention the suffering, it makes people very sad when reading it. There is real reason in things, and the work rises, rises and breathes with it. Reserved, just like the wine juice leaking out when the wine is filtered, and like the frost in the sky when the flowers are blooming. The sand and dust in the air are wandering, and the foam in the sea is floating and flowing. All things are constantly changing and gathering and dispersing, and poetry needs to be collected from a wide range of sources.
12. Bold and unrestrained: Enjoy the flowers without restraint, and travel the universe as far as you want. Poets cultivate heroic spirit from the way of nature, and only then can their creations be high-spirited. The momentum is like the mighty wind in space, and it is like the vast sea and mountains. The spiritual vitality is always full, and everything can be controlled as if it is by your side. Moving forward, you can summon the sun, moon and stars; from behind, you can wave your hand to attract the phoenix. At dawn, ride the Liuao and fly away. At night, wash your feet in the fusang as the sun rises.
13. Spirit: It is difficult to fully reflect the human spirit, and it will appear at the appropriate moment. Good poetry is like clear water that can reach the bottom, and like a strange flower that is about to bloom. In the spring light, parrots are singing, willows cover the towers in the water, elegant scholars from the green mountains are floating in the sky, and I drink sake to soothe my feelings.
The works show vitality and are not rigid or dull. It is written so subtly that it is assimilated with nature, who can criticize it?
14. Meticulousness: There is indeed a real description in the work, and it reads carefully without leaving any trace. The images of the poem emerge layer by layer, and nature has become magical. Meticulous poetry is like water flowing and flowers blooming, and like dewdrops dripping under the sun. The longer the main idea is, the more leisurely the writing should be. The wording should not be cumbersome and the intention should not be rigid. The work is like a piece of green in spring, and like the interaction between moonlight and white snow.
15. Wilderness: Give full play to your temperament and show your true self without restraint. If you have everything in mind, you will have a rich source of materials, and you will be able to draw freely with candid descriptions. A hut is built under the green pine trees, and I read poems leisurely and calmly. All I know is that day and night change, no matter what time it is. If you express your feelings freely, why bother to be pretentious? Only by complying with the poet's natural temperament can we understand the true meaning of wilderness.
16. Qingqi: In the middle of the green and beautiful pine forest, a rippled stream appears. The weather was sunny, light snow covered the beach, and a fishing boat was moored on the other side of the river. A handsome man is as noble as white jade. He steps forward to explore the quiet beauty. He walks and stops, looking up at the blue sky. His expression is so elegant and unique, and his demeanor is so calm that it's hard to describe. As clear as the moonlight before dawn, as delicate as the weather in early autumn.
17. Embarrassment: Climbing to the peak of Taihang Mountain, the winding path winds around the green hills. Look at the winding water under the mist and mist, and smell the fresh and distant fragrance of flowers. The writing power should be timely and accurate, and the rhythm should rise and fall like the sound of a flute. It seems to come and go with endless twists and turns, and there are hidden euphemisms and diversity. It is like the ripples of water turning and leaping, and like a roc flying upward in the wind. There should be no fixed procedure for changes in the rules and regulations. They should be rounded or squared according to the needs of the content.
18. Reality: The choice of words is extremely simple, and the concept of the work is not difficult. Just like suddenly meeting an elegant person, you immediately understand the spirit of that Tao. The winding mountain stream reflects the sunshine, and the green pine forest is full of shade. A woodcutter passed by carrying a load of firewood, and the poet was listening to the piano alone. The beauty of creating artistic conception based on true feelings is not to force yourself to find it. Real feelings come from nature, this is the beautiful voice of the heart.
19. Sadness: The strong wind stirred up waves and the trees were destroyed. The pain of my thoughts was unbearable, and my call to my friends never came. Hundreds of years have passed by like water, and all wealth and power have turned into dust. The world is getting worse and worse. Who are the heroes today? The strong man drew his sword and sighed to himself, expressing his sorrow. The fallen leaves rustle helplessly, and I listen to the lingering raindrops on the green moss.
20. Description: Concentrate, accumulate pure emotions, reflect the scene, and it will be fresh and lifelike. It's like depicting the reflection in the water, or describing the youthful spring under the bright sun. The wind and clouds are changing and colorful, and the flowers and grass are luxuriant and spiritual. The sea is rough and the mountains are steep and deep. These must be written in a way that makes sense in life and subtly blends in with all things in the world. A poet who is truly good at describing can be able to achieve spiritual resemblance regardless of appearance.
21. Superachievement: It is not due to a clever mind or innate intelligence. The poet seems to be traveling with the white clouds and the breeze. Traveling forward, it seems that we are about to face a wonderful place, but when we get there, we feel that we are not satisfied. The author has long had Taoist qualities, and only when he writes poetry can he transcend the world. The trees tower high among the chaotic mountains, and the green moss shines with the brilliance of the spring sun. When I conceive the chant in this kind of scene, I feel that I forget everything and it is full of charm.
22. Elegant: The poet walks away proudly and elegantly, detached, independent and different from the others. Like the cranes flying on Mount Gu, like the white clouds swimming on the top of Huashan Mountain. Elegant celebrities are intelligent at heart, beautiful and graceful in appearance. Take a self-guided boat ride on the wind and swim towards the boundless sea. This realm seems elusive, but sometimes it can be understood. Only by understanding this kind of situation can we understand it. If we try hard to be elegant, we will find it nowhere.
23. Broad-minded: A person's life is only a hundred years, how long does it take from birth to death? The happy days are too short, and the sad years are too many. It is better to carry fine wine every day and roam around the place surrounded by smoke and vines. Flowers cover the thatched eaves, and a gentle drizzle passes by. When the wine is gone, he holds his staff and walks and sings. No one dies in life, only Nanshan is always majestic.
24. Flow: The flow of poetry is like a waterwheel rotating, and like a ball sliding freely. How can the beauty of this poetic style be described, and it is difficult to fully express it with the help of metaphors. The vast earth and the distant sky all seem to move around an axis. Only by following their fundamental laws can works correspond to the changes of nature. The principles of all things are mysterious and strange, and the universe and heaven and earth cycle endlessly. They come and go over thousands of years, which is the essence of flow.
Extended information
"Twenty-Four Poems" inherits the aesthetic thoughts of Taoism and metaphysics, takes Taoist philosophy as the main idea, and takes natural indifference as the aesthetic foundation, covering Many poetic artistic styles and aesthetic conceptions classify the styles and realms created by poetry. The whole article is filled with the flavor of Taoism. Tao is the essence and life of the universe, giving rise to all things in the world. The twenty-four poems are also the twenty-four aesthetic realms derived from Tao.
It is a theoretical work that discusses poetry creation, especially the aesthetic style of poetry. It not only vividly summarizes and depicts the characteristics of various poetry styles, but also deeply explores the formation of various artistic styles from a creative perspective, making considerable contributions to poetry creation, criticism and appreciation.
This made it not only valued by the poetry circle at that time, but also had a great influence on later generations, becoming a classic in the history of Chinese literary criticism.
The biggest feature of the discussion of style in "Twenty-Four Poems" is that it focuses on the artistic conception of various styles without paying attention to the elements and methods of their formation. The author uses the language of poetry to describe various artistic conceptions for various styles, and gives a little bit of advice on the creation methods of this style in the writing.
After the publication of "Twenty-Four Poems", it had a profound impact on the history of Chinese literature. It has been compiled in various series of books in the past dynasties. The two important schools of "Shen Yun" both find their own theoretical basis from it. Modern scholars studying the history of Chinese literary criticism and Chinese aesthetics also regard "Twenty-Four Poems" as a model of artistic conception interpretation.
Baidu Encyclopedia--Twenty-Four Poems