A quiet night, a bright moon.
POEM READING · WARM-UP3 min
Moonlight from over a thousand years ago still shines on us
Quiet Night Thoughts — Li Bai
Before my bed lies a pool of moonlight, I could imagine it was frost on the ground. I lift my head to watch the moon, then bow it down, thinking of my hometown.
🗣️ Read🖼️ Picture💡 Understand📖 Recite
STOP 1 · THE POET5 min
Li Bai was a great Tang poet, called the Poet Immortal
This night, Li Bai was far from home, alone.
In an inn, not his own home.
He missed his faraway hometown.
Have you ever been away from home and missed it very much?
STOP 2 · READ ALOUD6 min
Read slowly, as natural as talking
Read line by line with your teacher.
床前 / 明月光，疑是 / 地上霜。举头 / 望明月，低头 / 思故乡。
What does "霜" (frost) mean?
STOP 3 · SEE THE PICTURE6 min
The moonlight is so white it looks like frost
"Before my bed lies moonlight, I imagine it is frost"—what do you see?
White moonlight spills on the floor before the bed.
He thinks it is frost on the ground.
Why frost? Because frost feels cold and lonely.
STOP 4 · UNDERSTAND6 min
Looking up and down hide a longing
"I lift my head to watch the moon, then bow it down"—what is he doing?
Looking up at the bright moon.
Bowing down, thinking of home.
Why does looking at the moon make him think of home?
STOP 5 · FEEL IT6 min
Just twenty characters say all of homesickness
The poem never says "miss", yet it is all about missing home.
A messenger between the poet and home.
The quietest night makes home feel farthest.
Tell a partner: if you illustrated this poem, what would you draw?
STOP 6 · RECITE5 min
Recite by the order of the scenes
Follow four pictures and try to recite it.
1️⃣ Moonlight by the bed2️⃣ Mistakes it for frost3️⃣ Looks up at the moon4️⃣ Bows down, homesick
Challenge: close your eyes and recite the whole poem to your partner.
FINISH · SHARE3 min
🌙
You can read, picture, and recite a poem
Poems are easy: read the sounds, see the pictures, feel the mood.
Turn words into a movie in my head.
Know what the poet feels.
Tonight, recite "Quiet Night Thoughts" to your parents.