I have maintained a regular practice of translating Chinese poetry, Taoist philosophy, and Buddhist tidbits into English. One of the great pleasures of studying Chinese is the poetry. Due to the visually beautiful calligraphic aesthetic of written characters and multi-layered meanings in each character, Chinese poetry functions at a sublime level. When I translate poems, I try first and foremost strive to create a poem that succeeds in english as it honors the spirit and meaning of the original. My illustrations try to put the poems in a contemporary context.
Here is my most recent translation and the original poem.
Cen Shen 岑参 Reading Hall Monk Sutra Inscription 题僧读经堂
Three treasures revealed upon entrance.
A mountain, an old monk,, incense burning.
Sitting alone among the clouds,
Simply facing the pines.
结室开三藏，
焚香老一峰。
云间独坐卧，
只是对杉松。