Introduction to Li Bai Quiet Night Thoughts | Generated by AI
Question: Introduction to Li Bai’s poem “Quiet Night Thoughts” (《静夜思》)
Answer:
《静夜思》 (Jìng Yè Sī) – Quiet Night Thoughts is one of the most famous and most memorized classical Chinese poems in history. It was written by Li Bai (李白, 701–762), the greatest romantic poet of the Tang Dynasty, often called the “Immortal Poet” or “Poet Transcendent”.
Original Text (Tang Dynasty Chinese)
床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。
Modern Chinese (simplified characters, with punctuation)
床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。
Common English Translations
Literal translation
Before my bed the moonlight glows,
It seems like frost upon the floor.
I raise my head to watch the bright moon,
Then bow my head and miss my home.
A very popular poetic translation (by many English textbooks)
Before my bed a pool of moonlight —
Oh, is it frost upon the ground?
I lift my eyes to see the moon,
I bend my head and think of home.
Why it is so famous and loved
- Extreme simplicity — only 20 characters, uses very basic vocabulary
- Perfect structure — four lines, each with five syllables (五言绝句), very balanced rhythm
- Clear emotional progression
- see moonlight → mistake for frost → look up at moon → homesickness
- Universal feeling — homesickness (思乡) when seeing the moon is something almost every Chinese person can relate to, even today
- Taught to almost every Chinese child — usually the first or second classical poem children learn in school (often at age 6–7)
Quick Context
- Written during the High Tang period (~8th century), golden age of Chinese poetry
- Li Bai was famous for writing about nature, wine, the moon, immortality, and freedom
- The moon is one of his favorite images — it appears in many of his most famous works
- This poem was probably written when he was traveling far from home (he spent much of his life wandering)
Cultural Status Today (2026)
- Still appears in every Chinese language textbook
- Frequently quoted in daily life, songs, advertisements, Mid-Autumn Festival greetings
- Many people still recite it automatically when they see moonlight at night
- Considered one of the “four most famous Tang poems” by the general public (along with poems by Du Fu, Wang Zhihuan, and Meng Haoran)
In short: 《静夜思》 is not the most philosophically deep or technically complex poem by Li Bai, but it is probably the most emotionally direct and universally loved poem in the entire Chinese language.
References:
- None (this is well-established literary knowledge; no specific external source needed)