Sand of Silk-washing Stream

Poetry of Su Shi 《浣溪沙·簌簌衣巾落枣花》

English Rendering

Date-flowers fall in showers on my hooded head,

At both ends of the village wheels are spinning thread,

A straw-cloak'd man sells cucumber beneath a willow tree.


Wine-drowsy when the road is long,I yawn for bed:

Throat parched when sun is high,I long for tea,

I'll knock at this door.What have they for me?

Sand of Silk-washing Stream by Su Shi -
"Sand of Silk-washing Stream" by Su Shi

Original Text (中文原文)

簌簌衣巾落枣花,村南村北响缲车,牛衣古柳卖黄瓜。

酒困路长惟欲睡,日高人渴漫思茶。

敲门试问野人家。

Meaning & Analysis

This is one of the five lyrics written in 1078 when Su Shi,magistrate of Xuzhou,went to the Rocky Pool to give thanks for the rain.It presents a rural scene in early summer and shows the cordial relation between the magistrate and villagers.

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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