Chūn Xiǎo (春晓) – A Chinese Poem Explained for Learners
Spring Dawn
By Mèng Hàorán (孟浩然) • Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE)
Chūn Xiǎo (春晓) is one of the most beloved Chinese poems, capturing the peaceful moment of waking up on a spring morning.
In this guide, you'll learn its meaning, cultural significance, and the key Chinese characters used in the poem.
"In spring sleep, I don't notice the dawn."
"Everywhere I hear birds singing."
All unique characters in the poem, sorted by appearance. Click any character to learn its stroke order.
Some sounds in this poem can be tricky for English speakers. Here are tips for the hardest characters:
The 'ian' final sounds like 'ee-en'. Keep the tone rising (2nd tone) throughout.
The 'ch' is retroflex — curl your tongue back. The 'u' is a pure 'oo' sound with falling tone.
Simple 'tee' sound with rising tone (2nd tone). Practice going from low to high pitch.
The 'x' is like 'sh' but with teeth together. 'iao' sounds like 'ee-ow'. Third tone dips then rises.
Meng Haoran
孟浩然 (Mèng Hàorán) • 689–740 CE
"Poet of Nature (山水田园诗人)"
- One of the greatest nature poets of the Tang Dynasty
- Close friend of Li Bai, who wrote poems praising him
- Never held an official government position despite his talent
- Known for his simple, natural style depicting rural life
- His poems often feature mountains, rivers, and countryside scenes
Early 8th century CE, during the height of the Tang Dynasty
Likely in Xiangyang (襄阳), his hometown in Hubei Province
Written to capture the simple pleasure of waking up on a spring morning after a night of rain
This poem exemplifies the Tang Dynasty's appreciation for nature and simple pleasures. It's one of the first poems Chinese children learn in school.
Spring in Chinese Culture
In Chinese culture, spring symbolizes:
- New beginnings
Spring represents renewal, hope, and fresh starts — the Chinese New Year falls in early spring.
- Nature's awakening
The return of birdsong, blooming flowers, and warm breezes after winter's silence.
- Fleeting beauty
Spring flowers bloom briefly, reminding us to appreciate beautiful moments before they pass.
The fallen flowers in this poem remind us that even while we sleep peacefully, time passes and beautiful things change. This bittersweet awareness is central to Chinese poetry's appreciation of nature.
Practice Writing These Characters
Generate a free printable worksheet with all 19 unique characters from this poem. Practice stroke order with our guided worksheets.
Generate Worksheet (19 Characters)Or explore each character individually:
What is the meaning of Chūn Xiǎo (春晓)?
Who wrote the poem 春晓?
Why is Chūn Xiǎo so famous in China?
What season does the poem describe?
How do you pronounce Chūn Xiǎo?
What is the deeper meaning of the poem?
Final Thoughts
This poem shows how powerful simplicity can be. With just twenty characters, Meng Haoran creates a complete sensory world.
If you are learning Chinese characters, exploring poems like this can help you see how characters live beyond dictionaries — inside real emotions and real moments.