花影 Flower Shadow

Flower Shadow

Chinese original: Su Shi (11th AC, social name 'Zizhan', art name 'Dongpo')

English translation & annotation: Julia Min (Aug. 2024)

Shadow came in tiers on the blooming terrace.

I had servants sweep them away, but in vain.

Thank goodness the setting sun took them off.

Yet, they are sent back by the moon again!

Appreciation:

Imagine Dongpo is with friends in a gracious garden in its fullest bloom. After a few cups of wine, he drifted into a tipsy mood. The place was bathed in shimmering golden light—except for the shadow, which swells and stretches as the sun set, as if attempting to overrule the flowers it relied on for its existence.

The greater value of this short poem is the implied message under the simple lines. It was written in 1076, shortly after Wang Anshi returned as Prime Minister to reimpose his New Law—a law that had already crushed the commoners once before. As a leader of the conservative party, Su Shi could only sigh: Here we go again!

花影

原作: 苏轼（字子瞻, 号东坡居士; 11世纪北宋）

英译及赏析: 闵晓红(2024.08)

重重叠叠上瑶台，

几度呼童扫不开。

刚被太阳收拾去，

又教明月送将来。（‘又教’有版本作‘却教’）

Reference:

1. picture from dongya.com    

2. gushiwen.cn