When the Emperor sought guidance from wise men, from exiles,
He found no calmer wisdom than that of young Jia
And assigned him the foremost council-seat at midnight,
Yet asked him about gods, instead of about people.
Poem translator: Kiang Kanghu
宣室求贤访逐臣，贾生才调更无伦。
可怜夜半虚前席，不问苍生问鬼神。
Seven-character-quatrain
Through the lens of history, this poem recounts the historical allusion of Emperor Wen of Han and Jia Yi, serving as the poet's scathing indictment of feudal rulers' hypocritical posturing as talent-seekers, while lamenting his own unrecognized genius. Jia Yi - that brilliant political mind of early Western Han - was exiled to Changsha due to court intrigues, and though eventually recalled, never received substantial appointment. The poet wields this historical episode to expose rulers who neglected governance for superstitious pursuits, channeling his profound disillusionment with contemporary statecraft.
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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