咏鹅詠鵝

Written by a seven-year-old: a goose curving its neck to sing at the sky — a first poem for many learners.

é鹅é鹅é鹅，

qū曲xiàng项xiàng向tiān天gē歌。

bái máo白毛fú浮lǜ shuǐ绿水，

gōng红zhǎng掌bō拨qīng清bō波。

Line by line

鹅鹅鹅，鵝鵝鵝， Goose, goose, goose,
曲项向天歌。曲項向天歌。 neck curved, singing to the sky.
白毛浮绿水，白毛浮綠水， White feathers float on green water,
红掌拨清波。紅掌撥清波。 red feet push the clear ripples.

The poet & the story

Luo Binwang (c. 640–684) reportedly composed this at the age of seven, which is why it opens countless children’s anthologies. He grew up to be one of the “Four Greats of Early Tang” and ended his life dramatically — drafting a famous denunciation of Empress Wu Zetian and vanishing after the rebellion failed.

Interpretation

Goose, goose, goose — the triple cry mimics a child pointing in delight. The bird curves its neck and sings at the sky; white feathers float on green water, red feet paddle clear waves. The poem is a colour study: white on green, red under clear, taught to beginners as a lesson in observation.