Together we officials climbed vermilion steps,
To be parted by the purple walls....
Our procession, which entered the palace at dawn,
Leaves fragrant now at dusk with imperial incense.
...Grey heads may grieve for a fallen flower,
Or blue clouds envy a lilting bird;
But this reign is of heaven, nothing goes wrong,
There have been almost no petitions.
-- Poem translator: Kiang Kanghu
联步趋丹陛，分曹限紫微。
晓随天仗入，暮惹御香归。
白发悲花落，青云羡鸟飞。
圣朝无阙事，自觉谏书稀。
Five-character-regular-verse
In the second year of the Zhide reign (757) during the reign of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty, Cen Shen (岑参) was appointed Right Remonstrator (右补阙) upon Du Fu’s recommendation, a position responsible for advising the emperor and offering remonstrance. At the time, Du Fu served as Left Remonstrator (左拾遗), under the Secretariat, while Cen Shen’s position was under the Chancellery. Both were officials tasked with giving counsel, and they were also close friends. This poem is a poetic exchange between Cen Shen and Du Fu. While it seemingly describes the scene of attending court together, it actually expresses the poet’s deep disillusionment with the tediousness of court life and the hypocrisy of officialdom. Using evocative imagery and refined language, the poem conceals the poet’s inner frustration and disappointment, vividly portraying the awkward position of remonstrators—an office with little real influence. It also subtly conveys the poet’s helplessness and resentment toward the emperor’s refusal to heed advice.
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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