Eunuchs and Cock-Fighters
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
The dust which eur u chs'carriages raise
Darkens at noon the public ways.
Of their gold the eunuchs are proud；
Their mansions rise to scrape the cloud.
I meet those who can make cocks fight,
With caps and cabs， so fair and bright.
Into rainbows they blow their breath,
Passers-by are frightened to death.
There is no connoisseur in this age.
Who can tell a thief from as age?
The poet criticizes the rich and influential eunuchs and cock-fighters.
This poem was written by Li Bai during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, a time when the influence of eunuchs and the popularity of cockfighting were widespread in the court. Set in Chang'an, the poem criticizes the corrupt political atmosphere and the moral decay of society, particularly targeting the eunuchs and the powerbrokers who indulged in cockfighting. The poem was likely written around the eighteenth year of the Kaiyuan era (730), reflecting Li Bai's deep insight and criticism of the social issues of his time.
大车扬飞尘。亭午暗阡陌。
中贵多黄金。连云开甲宅。
路逢斗鸡者。冠盖何辉赫。
鼻息干虹霓。行人皆怵惕。
世无洗耳翁。谁知尧与跖。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.