English Rendering
Covet not a gold-threaded robe,
Cherish only your young days!
If a bud open, gather it --
Lest you but wait for an empty bough.
The Gold-threaded Robe
- Poetry of Du Qiuniang
《金缕衣》#Vibrant
Original Text (中文原文)
劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君惜取少年时。
花开堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝。
Analysis & Context
Folk-song-styled-verse
Du Qiuniang wrote this poem, not to women in general, as did Herrick, but to the Emperor Xianzong (r. 805 – 820).
This poem carries a didactic message wrapped in tender yet emotionally charged language. With its vibrant rhythm, luminous diction, and profound allegory, it has been widely circulated both as literary masterpiece and life admonition through the centuries.
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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- Invitation to Wine
- Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Cold sheet
- Coming Home ( Returning Home )
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