Poetry Buds · 听古诗

OPEN POETRY LIBRARY · S01 / 041

Passing Anren by Boat

舟过安仁 · Yang Wanli · Song dynasty

一yí叶yè渔yú船chuán两liǎng小xiǎo童tóng

Two children sit in a little fishing boat;

收shōu篙gāo停tíng棹zhào坐zuò船chuán中zhōng

They put away their pole and stop the oars.

怪guài生shēng无wú雨yǔ都dōu张zhāng伞sǎn

Why open an umbrella when there is no rain?

不bú是shì遮zhē头tóu是shì使shǐ风fēng

They use it to catch the wind, not shield their heads.

What the poem means

Two children stop poling and rowing their boat, then open an umbrella although it is not raining. They are using the wind to help the boat move. Explore the idea with a safe tabletop model.

Meet the poet

Yang Wanli was a Song poet who found lively details in plants, birds and small changes in nature.

Yang Wanli · More poems →