English Rendering
I cast off the whole of my worldly care;
In the mirror my life I come to know.
With only the snow-white temple hair
I will face the autumn wind tomorrow.
Looking into Mirror One Day Before Beginning of Autumn
Poetry of Li Yi
《立秋前一日览镜》
Original Text (中文原文)
万事销身外，生涯在镜中。
惟将满鬓雪，明日对秋风。
Meaning & Analysis
By Li Yi
Related Themes
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Reading Between the Lines
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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