Chen Zhixin: 5-Element Couplet 陳子升: 五行偏旁聯 煙鎖池塘柳 燈垂錦檻波 Poem by Frank Yue

A UNIQUE 'FIVE-ELEMENT' COUPLET
-by CHEN ZHIXIN (1614-1692)
-Translated by Frank C Yue

'Round the pond, rising Mist locks upthe Willows in his sway;
Lanterns shed faint light on painted railings and rippling waves.


This is a v special type of Chinese couplet in which the 'five elements' -of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water -re contained in each of the characters in both the first and second halves of the couplet. Though the order of the 5 elements as shown in the second-half couplet does not match that in the first, the two related phrases together make poetic sense and paint a beautiful picture! Quite an achievement!


(2013.09.12)


明 • 陈子升五行偏旁聯


烟锁池塘柳，灯垂锦槛波。




明 • 陳子升五行偏旁聯


煙鎖池塘柳，燈垂錦檻波



這對 對聯 之形式是 '五行偏旁聯'：
即 '木、火、土、金、水' 各行嵌入以上 '五言' 每字之偏旁。