饮湖上初晴后雨 A moment from shine to rain on West Lake

饮湖上初晴后雨

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(2023)

水光潋滟晴方好，

山色空蒙雨亦奇。

欲把西湖比西子，

淡妆浓抹总相宜。

A moment from shine to rain on West Lake

Chinese original by Su Shi (11th Century, social name 'Dongpo')

English version by Julia Min ( Feb. 2023)

A sea of sparkling ripples when it shines,

A mystic place with misty hills in rain.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Can barely touch the nameless grace.

A toast to West Lake for her rare beauty

Like Xishi, and her values, shine or rain.

Notes:

1.     West Lake: a most beautiful lake in Hangzhou, near Shanghai (still a popular tourist destination today);

2.     “‘One shade the more, one ray the less,/had half impaired the nameless grace.’”: borrowed from Byron’s famous poem “She Walks in Beauty” for imaginative association;

3.     Xishi (西施/西子): one of the four most admired beauties in ancient China, namely, Xishi, Wang Zhaojun, Diaochan and Yang Yuhuan. Xishi lived in the State of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC).

Appreciation:

This famous poem was written while Su Shi served as the Magistrate of Hangzhou (1071–1074). It was a happy time for him, filled with beautiful memories shared with family and friends. Even today, the people of Hangzhou think of him fondly, calling him "The Legendary Mayor Su Shi" for everything he did for their city.

This short, four-line poem (known as 7-Jue verse) is loved all over China. It’s so catchy and sweet that it’s often sung to children to cheer them up. Like all great art, it uses simple words that everyone can understand, but it also has a deeper meaning for those who look closer. To Su Shi, the lake was more than just water; it represented a person’s inner strength. No matter how many hard times his political rivals put him through, he stayed true to himself—beautiful and steady, "come rain or shine".

The English version can be regarded as a recreation that can stand on its own, capturing the lake’s "nameless grace" through a warm tone. First, the use of the word "values" in the final line perfectly connects the lake’s beauty with Su Shi’s spirit. Second, by setting the poem as a "toast" to the lake, it avoids dry, literal styles and instead revives the poet’s "heroic and romantic quality", making a 1,000-year-old masterpiece feel fresh for a modern audience.

Reference:

1. Blooming Alone in Winter by Gordon Osing, Julia Min and Huang Haipeng，published by the People's Publication House Henan Province in 1990 (《寒心未肯随春态》戈登.奥赛茵，闵晓红，黄海鹏) ("Drinking Wine by West Lake After Rain: The waters gleam and ripple freshly after a good rain;/She’s no less rare or lovely among the misting hills./I see her captivating as Xi Zi of ancient song,/Changing pale colors for bright, and always the more beautiful.”)

2. “One shade the more, one ray the less,/had half impaired the nameless grace.” : borrowed from Byron’s famous poem “She Walks in Beauty” for an associating imagination;

3. painting from Google；