Classic Chinese Poems are exemplary representations of Chinese culture; They can offer timeless wisdom and insight. Despite thousands of years of horrendous warfare and historic uncertainties, Classic Chinese Poems have survived through generations. Such an inheritance should be shared not only by the Chinese diaspora but also by all of those who are interested in poetry.
Classic Chinese Poems are often rather brief and abstract. With extraordinary efforts, many well-known Chinese translators around the globe, devote their skills to translate these poems into various languages. In our case, each poem, while faithful to its original message, our task was to explicate and make it enjoyable in English. The true life of a poem is when it achieves an inner connection with the reader.
All the poems translated here are the cooperative work of Dr. Hong Zhou and Shirly Davis. We hope our joint efforts provide a clearer understanding of Classic Chinese Poems.
古诗词（唐诗宋词）是中国文化的典型代表，是中华儿女最宝贵的精神财富，是保存最好的最完美的精神遗产，是永远闪烁的, 璀璨的东方明珠。虽然历经千年，期间不乏许多战乱和动荡，虽然我们已经进入高科技时代，时事境迁，但许多古诗词依旧能唤起我们内心深处的共鸣，如影随形地陪伴着，激励着许多当代中华儿女的生命， 从出生，长大，一直到慢慢变老。这样宝贵而丰富的精神遗产，不应当只属于中华儿女的， 也应该属于世界的，属于全人类的。
古诗词语言非常简练，甚至抽象。为此许多海内外翻译家曾付出许多艰辛努力，唐诗宋词也被翻译成许多语言，无疑他们对介绍传播文化遗产起到了不可磨灭的贡献，也为我们未来进一步的学习和研究铺平了道路。我们翻译的特点是在尊重创作原意的前提下，力求意境和享受。一首诗能与读者内心沟通才有真正的生命。我们遵循内容第一， 形式第二为基本原则。
在此发表的所有经典诗词的英文翻译都是我和雪莉老师合作的作品。希望通过我们的努力，能让古诗词作为一个双向的桥梁或者窗口，引起人们对东西方文化交流的兴趣，以此增加超越时代，地域和民族的，对人性本身的沟通和理解。
Shirley Davis (雪莉.戴维斯)
B.A.， Dip. Ed.， M.A., Speaker of Other Languages Adults Certificate. Shirley was born in England and immigrated to Australia in 1960s. She had 25 years of English teaching experience. Her major interests include Literature (embracing especially major Western countries, Greece and Sub-Continent), Art and Art History, World History, Philosophy, and Languages.
雪莉.戴维斯早年在60年代随父母从英国移民到澳洲，艺术学士和硕士毕业，并有教育和第二语言方面的文凭和专业培训，有25年丰富的英文教学经验。她对西方和希腊文学，艺术历史，世界历史，哲学和语言等方面有浓厚的兴趣。
