白日依山尽 (bái rì yī shān jìn, the white sun sinks behind the mountains) opens 登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu), Climbing Stork Tower, by the Tang poet Wang Zhihuan. From the top of the tower he watches the sun go down and the Yellow River run to the sea, then ends with one of the best-known lines in Chinese: 欲穷千里目，更上一层楼 (yù qióng qiān lǐ mù, gèng shàng yì céng lóu), to see a thousand li farther, climb one more floor. People still quote it today to mean "keep improving". This worksheet gives each of the four lines a row of grids with pinyin for copying, then space to write the poem from memory. The translation and notes explain 依 (yī, to lean against), 穷 (qióng, to reach the end of) and 更 (gèng, even more). It suits kids, heritage learners and adults who want a famous saying in their own handwriting. Print it free or save the PDF.
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) with pinyin and English
- 白日依山尽， bái rì yī shān jìn: The white sun sinks behind the mountains;
- 黄河入海流。 huáng hé rù hǎi liú: the Yellow River flows into the sea.
- 欲穷千里目， yù qióng qiān lǐ mù: To see a thousand li farther,
- 更上一层楼。 gèng shàng yì céng lóu: climb one more floor.
About the poem
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu), Climbing Stork Tower: by 王之涣 (Wáng Zhīhuàn), Tang dynasty (618-907).
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Frequently asked questions
What does 登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) mean?
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) means 'Climbing Stork Tower'. From the tower the poet watches the sun set behind the mountains and the Yellow River flow to the sea, then decides to climb one more floor to see a thousand li farther.
Who wrote 登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu)?
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) was written by 王之涣 (Wáng Zhīhuàn), a Tang poet of whom only six poems survive. Wang Zhihuan wrote it in the Tang dynasty.
How long is 登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu)?
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) has four lines of five characters, 20 characters in all. 鹳 (guàn, stork) is the only complex one. The worksheet gives each line its own row of grids with pinyin above.
What does 更上一层楼 (gèng shàng yì céng lóu) mean?
更上一层楼 (gèng shàng yì céng lóu) means 'climb one more floor'. With the line before it, 欲穷千里目 (yù qióng qiān lǐ mù), it says: to see a thousand li farther, go up one more level. People quote it today to mean 'keep improving'.
Is this worksheet free to print?
Yes. The 登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu) worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed, and you can print as many copies as you like for a class. Choose A4 or US Letter before you press Print or Save PDF.