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Best Famous Du Fu Poems

Here is a collection of the all-time best famous Du Fu poems. This is a select list of the best famous Du Fu poetry. Reading, writing, and enjoying famous Du Fu poetry (as well as classical and contemporary poems) is a great past time. These top poems are the best examples of du fu poems.

Search and read the best famous Du Fu poems, articles about Du Fu poems, poetry blogs, or anything else Du Fu poem related using the PoetrySoup search engine at the top of the page.

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Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Travelling Again

Temple remember once travel place
Bridge remember again cross time
River mountain like waiting
Flower willow become selfless
Country vivid mist shine thin
Sand soft sun colour late
Traveller sorrow all become decrease
Stay here again what this


I remember the temple, this route I've travelled before,
I recall the bridge as I cross it again.
It seems the hills and rivers have been waiting,
The flowers and willows all are selfless now.
The field is sleek and vivid, thin mist shines,
On soft sand, the sunlight's colour shows it's late.
All the traveller's sorrow fades away,
What better place to rest than this?


Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Qiang Village (1)

Towering red cloud west
Sun base down level ground
Wicker gate bird sparrow chirp
Return traveller thousand li to
Wife children surprised I be present
Shock calm more wipe tears
Life disorder meet float swing
Return alive chance succeed
Neighbour satisfied top of wall
Sigh also sob
Night late more grasp candle
Opposite like dream


Red clouds tower in the west,
The sun is sinking on the plain.
A sparrow chirps on the wicker gate,
I return from a thousand li away.
My wife and children are shocked to see me,
Then calm themselves and wipe their tears.
I floated through this disordered life,
By chance I have managed to return alive.
The neighbours all lean over the wall,
And they as well are sighing and sobbing.
Late at night we bring out candles,
And face each other as in a dream.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Clearing Rain

Heaven water autumn cloud thin
From west 10,000 li wind
This morning good fine landscape
Long rain not harm farming
Full willow row little green
Hill pear flower little red
Reed pipe upstairs emit
One goose into high sky


The sky's water has fallen, and autumn clouds are thin,
The western wind has blown ten thousand li.
This morning's scene is good and fine,
Long rain has not harmed the land.
The row of willows begins to show green,
The pear tree on the hill has little red flowers.
A hujia pipe begins to play upstairs,
One goose flies high into the sky.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Autumn Meditations (4)

Hear say Chang'an resemble Chinese chess
Hundred years world affairs not bear sorrow
Nobility degree dwelling all new master
Civil military clothes cap different former time
Straight north pass mountain gold drum arouse
Invade west cart horse feather document hurry
Fish dragon still silent autumn river cold
Motherland peace live have thing think


I've heard them say that Chang'an seems like in a game of chess,
A hundred years of world events have caused unbearable pain.
The palaces of the noblemen all have their new masters,
Civil and military dress and caps are not like those before.
Straight north over mountain passes, gongs and drums ring out,
Conquering the west, carts and horses, feather-hurried dispatches.
The fish and dragons are still and silent, the autumn river cold,
A peaceful life in my homeland always in my thoughts.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Qiang Village (2)

Late years approach drag out
Return home little happy interest
Darling son not leave knee
Fear I again but go
Remember past very pursue cool
Therefore round pool beside tree
Whistling north wind strong
Think of things trouble hundred worry
Rely know grain millet harvest
Already perceive grain press pour
Now enough pour and drink
Short time use comfort late in life


I'm late in years, and only marking time,
Returning home, I find but little joy.
My darling son now will not leave my knee,
He's scared that I will go away again.
I remember when we used to seek the coolth,
And wound between the trees beside the pool.
The soughing and sighing of the north wind's strong,
I'm thinking of a hundred different worries.
At least I know the millet harvest's good,
Already I hear the grain press trickle.
For now I have enough to pour and drink,
I use it to get comfort near the end.


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Autumn Meditations (7)

Kunming lake water Han time achievement
Martial emperor banners flags at eye in
Weaver girl loom thread empty moon night
Stone whale scale armour move autumn wind
Wave toss wild rice seed sink cloud black
Dew cold lotus pod fall powder red
Pass fortified limit sky but bird road
River lake fill earth one fisher old man


The waters of the Kunming Lake were made in the time of Han,
Banners and flags of the martial emperor are still in my mind's eye.
The weaver girl's loom and thread are idle beneath the night's moon,
The stone whale's scales and armour move in the autumn wind.
Waves toss the wild rice seeds, black clouds sink,
Dew chills the lotus pod, red powder falls.
Between the passes at the end of the sky only birds can travel,
Rivers and lakes fill this land; there's one old fisherman.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Facing Snow

Battle cry many new ghosts
Worry and grieve alone old man
Disorder cloud low dusk
Rapid snow dance return wind
Gourd ladle discard cup without green
Stove remain fire like red
Many place news broken
Worry sit straight book empty


After the battle, many new ghosts cry,
The solitary old man worries and grieves.
Ragged clouds are low amid the dusk,
Snow dances quickly in the whirling wind.
The ladle's cast aside, the cup not green,
The stove still looks as if a fiery red.
To many places, communications are broken,
I sit, but cannot read my books for grief.
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Winding River (2)

Court return every day pawn spring clothes
Every day river area utmost drunk return
Wine debt common go place have
Life seventy always rare
Through flowers vanessa butterfly deep deep see
Drop water dragonfly leisurely fly
Pass on speech time all be on move
Brief time mutual recognise not mutual separate


I come back from the court each day and pawn some spring clothing,
Every day I return to the river as drunk as I can be.
I have many debts for wine all over the place,
For men to live to seventy has always been unusual.
I see the butterflies go deeper and deeper between the flowers,
And dragonflies in leisured flight between drops of water.
As we're told, passing time is always on the move,
So little time to know each other: we should not be apart.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

In Abbot Zan's Room at Dayun Temple: Four Poems (1)

Heart at water essence land
Clothes wet spring rain time
Penetrate gate utmost walk slowly
Large court really tranquil appointment
Reach door open again close
Hit bell vegetarian meal at here
Cream enhance develop nature
Diet give support decline
Hold arm be many days
Open heart without shame evasion
Golden oriole pass structure
Purple dove descend lattice screen
Humble think reach place suit
Flower beside go self slow
Tangxiu raise me sickness
Smile ask write poem


My heart is in a world of water and crystal,
My clothes are damp in this time of spring rains.
Through the gates I slowly walk to the end,
The great court the appointed tranquil space.
I reach the doors- they open and shut again,
Now strikes the bell- the meal time has arrived.
This cream will help one's nature strengthen and grow,
The diet gives support in my decline.
We've grasped each other's arms so many days,
And opened our hearts without shame or evasion.
Golden orioles flit across the beams,
Purple doves descend from lattice screens.
Myself, I think I've found a place that suits,
I walk by flowers at my own slow pace.
Tangxiu lifts me from my sickly state,
And smiling, asks me to write a poem.
Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

Autumn Meditations (1)

Jade dew wither wound maple forest
Wu mountain wu gorge air desolate and dreary
River on wave meet sky surge
Pass on wind cloud join earth dark
Shrub chrysanthemum two open it day tear
Single boat one link hometown heart
Cold clothes place place urge knife measure
Baidicheng high urgent evening flat stone


Jade dew withers and wounds the groves of maple trees,
On Wu mountain, in Wu gorge, the air is dull and drear.
On the river surging waves rise to meet the sky,
Above the pass wind and cloud join the earth with darkness.
Chrysanthemum bushes open twice, weeping for their days,
A lonely boat, a single line, my heart is full of home.
Winter clothes everywhere are urgently cut and measured,
Baidicheng above, the evening's driven by beating on stones.

Book: Shattered Sighs