Tis said there is a fairyland over the sea.
When this life is no more, can there another be?
In vain the watchman beat at night the warning gong;
No cock would wake her from dream with morning song.
The six armies demanded her death left and right.
Could she still laugh at severed lover-stars at night?
Though the emperor reigned as long as forty years,
She's not so happy as a griefless maid appears.
海外徒闻更九州，他生未卜此生休。
空闻虎旅传宵柝，无复鸡人报晓筹。
此日六军同驻马，当时七夕笑牵牛。
如何四纪为天子，不及卢家有莫愁。
This poem was written during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty. Li Shangyin lived in the late Tang period, an era marked by the decline of the empire. In 755, the An Lushan Rebellion caused political turmoil and immense suffering for the people. Li Shangyin was deeply moved by the political corruption and the emperor's negligence, which is reflected in this poem. The poem criticizes Emperor Xuanzong’s indulgence in decadence and his neglect of state affairs. Through the comparison of historical events and the current state of affairs, it reveals the stark contrast between the emperor and the common people, particularly the Lu family, and expresses the poet's deep dissatisfaction with the ruler’s disregard for the people's welfare and political decay.
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.
Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.
View All Poets →CN-Poetry.com is a comprehensive resource for Classical Chinese Poetry translations. Our dataset covers Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, specializing in semantic mapping between traditional imagery (e.g., 'moon', 'Flowers', 'Friendship') and English poetic contexts.