Flowers are endless, willows beyond count;
They share my feelings, I dare vow.
Drain a boat-shaped cup of wine at one draught!
Where can we not meet somehow?
Red strings are mute,
Few are the connoisseurs.
If Heaven had a heart, it would turn old.
Look at the fame-and-gain world, I’m told:
A dream both past and present, dim and cold.
花不尽，柳无穷。
应与我情同。
觥船一棹百分空。
何处不相逢。
朱弦悄。知音少。
天若有情应老。
劝君看取利名场。
今古梦茫茫。
This lyric was composed during the mid-Northern Song Dynasty when Yan Shu held high office. Renowned for his literary talent since childhood, Yan passed the imperial examination at a young age and rose smoothly to the position of prime minister. However, the political climate of his time was far from clear - factional strife and power struggles made the officialdom a battlefield. Though framed as a farewell poem, the work reveals clear-eyed insight into life's realities and subtle weariness. Its tone stands out among Yan's works for its rare world-weariness and melancholy, subtly conveying his profound reflections on political turmoil and life's impermanent reunions.
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.
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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