五言律诗 Five-Characters Poem
五言律诗， 有八句，每句有五个字。 第三及四句，第五及六句要对仗，押韵上要求是一、三、五句不论，二、四、六句分明，分明即必须押韵。
五言律诗 (Wu Yan Lu Shi), also known as “Five-Characters Poem”, is a calligraphy style that consists of eight lines, each with five characters. The third and fourth lines, as well as the fifth and sixth lines, are required to be parallel in structure (matching in sense and sound, often contrasting). In terms of rhyming, the first, third, and fifth lines do not have any specific requirements, while the second, fourth, and sixth lines must have clear (distinct and apparent) rhyming patterns.
Further below are some examples calligraphed by Su Demao.
Do take note that in Chinese Calligraphy, words are read from right to left.
昔闻洞庭水，
今上岳阳楼。
吴楚东南坼，
乾坤日夜浮。
亲朋无一字，
老病有孤舟。
戎马关山北，
凭轩涕泗流。
杜甫登岳阳楼
In ages past, I'd heard of a wondrous lake,
And today, from atop Yueyang Tower, I did partake
A view of Wu and Chu, once united, now severed by divides.
In the lake's embrace, the sky, earth, and stars seem to float,
A magical scene that leaves me with a lump in my throat.
No word from kin or friends reach me,
And I find myself alone, with just my boat, aged and sick.
To the north, the fires of war still rage and burn,
As I lean against the door of my boat, my heart does yearn
To return to the comfort of my hearth and home.
With tears streaming down my face and a running nose,
I find myself overcome by an unrelenting dose
Of homesickness and longing, too much to bear,
As I float upon the lake, with only my despair.
Du Fu, “Climbing Yueyang Tower"
素练风霜起,
苍鹰画作殊。
㩳身思狡兔，
侧目似愁胡。
绦镟光堪摘，
轩楹势可乎。
何当击凡鸟，
毛血漓平芜。
杜甫画鹰
On the pristine silk scroll,
the eagle drawn is fierce and bold.
Its body tenses to seize the cunning prey,
deep blue eyes sharp in every way.
Untie the silk and iron ring,
the painted eagle would soar to the sky.
When it strikes down its mundane prey,
Feathers and blood in the fields will splay.
Du Fu, “Drawing an Eagle”
太乙近天都，
连山到海隅。
白云回望合，
青霭入看无。
分野中峰变，
阴晴众壑殊。
欲投人处宿，
隔水问樵夫。
王维终南山
High in the heavens, lofty Zhongnan Mountain stands,
Near the home of the Heavenly Emperor's commands.
Endless ranges stretch far, reaching the distant seas,
While white clouds swirl below, dancing with ease.
Lush greenery appears and disappears from sight,
Veiled by misty clouds that shift and unite.
Split by valleys and peaks, realms unique and rare,
Each weathered differently, with nature's flair.
In search of shelter for the night's embrace,
Across the riverway, I ask the woodcutter for a place.
Wang Wei, "Climbing the Endless Mountains"
禹廟空山里，
秋风落日斜。
荒庭垂桔柚，
古屋画龙蛇。
云气嘘青壁，
江声走白沙。
早知乘四载，
疏凿控三巴。
杜甫禹廟
In a desolate mountain valley, stands the Temple of Da Yu,
Autumn winds blow, and the setting sun casts a slanting hue.
In a barren courtyard, trees laden with oranges and pomelos,
Ancient walls depict tamed dragons and snakes, painted long ago.
On the cliffs carved by Da Yu, clouds and mist swirl,
Brushing against the moss-covered stony face.
The river roars and white sand swept away
Heard since long, legend of Da Yu with four modes of transport,
Waterways cleared and cliffs cleaved,
The mighty Yellow River flow to the sea,
Once flooded areas, morph into dry safe lands.
Du Fu, “At the Temple of Yu the Great"
