Reflections on Reading I
A half-acre square pond opens like a mirror;
Light from the sky and shadows of clouds wander together in it.
Ask how it stays so clear:
Because fresh water comes from its living source.
Notes
Jiàn is a mirror. Pái huái suggests movement back and forth. Qú means “it,” the pond; nà dé asks how. Wèi means “because.” The final line describes fresh water continuing to flow from a source.
Meaning
A small pond resembles an open mirror, reflecting sky and clouds. Asked why it remains clear, the poem answers that fresh water keeps flowing from its source.
Appreciation
A pond and its reflections lead to a question and answer. The title also invites readers to connect the scene with learning.
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The mirror-like surface holds light and moving clouds, giving a still pond a changing image.
The answer is fresh water flowing from a source. In the context of reading, this can suggest continuing to encounter new ideas.
Look for reflections in water and share something new you have learned.
About the poet
Zhu Xi (1130–1200) was a Southern Song thinker, teacher and writer, born in present-day Youxi, Fujian.
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He commented on the Four Books and also wrote poetry; this is the first of two poems titled Reflections on Reading.
Sources
Poem and reading reference: Shicile · Poet biography reference · poems-db
Translation and explanations by Poetry Buds; review ongoing.