English Rendering
In light rain, Heaven Street is moist like butter,
The grass is green from afar, but not nearby.
The spring is best this time every year,
The mist of willow blossom fills the capital.
Light Rain Early in Spring
Poetry of Han Yu
《初春小雨》
Original Text (中文原文)
天街小雨润如酥，草色遥看近却无。
最是一年春好处，绝胜烟柳满皇都。
Meaning & Analysis
By Han Yu
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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