The Palace of the Sui Emperor
- Poetry of Li Shangyin

《隋宫》

English Rendering

His Palace of Purple Spring has been taken by mist and cloud,

As he would have taken all Yangzhou to be his private domain

But for the seal of imperial jade being seized by the first Tang Emperor,

He would have bounded with his silken sails the limits of the world.

Fire-flies are gone now, have left the weathered grasses,

But still among the weeping-willows crows perch at twilight.

...If he meets, there underground, the Later Chen Emperor,

Do you think that they will mention a Song of Courtyard Flowers?

The Palace of the Sui Emperor by Li Shangyin
The Palace of the Sui Emperor by Li Shangyin

Original Text (中文原文)

紫泉宫殿锁烟霞,欲取芜城作帝家。

玉玺不缘归日角,锦帆应是到天涯。

于今腐草无萤火,终古垂杨有暮鸦。

地下若逢陈后主,岂宜重问后庭花。

Analysis & Context

Seven-character-regular-verse

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