English Rendering
Viewed from afar, the hill's paved with brocade in piles;
The palace doors on hilltops opened one by one.
A steed which raised red dust won the fair mistress' smiles.
How many steeds which brought her fruit died on the run!
The Spring Palace I
- Poetry of Du Mu
《过华清宫绝句 · 其一》
Original Text (中文原文)
长安回望绣成堆，山顶千门次第开。
一骑红尘妃子笑，无人知是荔枝来。
Analysis & Context
This poem was written by Du Mu near the Huaqing Palace in Chang'an, describing the luxurious life of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and his concubine Yang Guifei. The Huaqing Palace was built during the Kaiyuan era by Emperor Xuanzong and became a place where the emperor and Yang Guifei indulged in pleasures. Through the depiction of the court life at the time, the poet portrays the emperor's boundless indulgence and extravagance.
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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