The tide overwhelms the forge's site,
The tower drowned in slanting sunlight.
The islet covered with grass green,
And hills are veiled by a smoke screen.
Man decides a state's rise and fall,
Hills and streams can do nothing at all.
O hear the captive ruler's song!
How can you bear his grief for long?
潮满冶城渚，日斜征虏亭。
蔡洲新草绿，幕府旧烟青。
兴废由人事，山川空地形。
后庭花一曲，幽怨不堪听。
This poem was written in the third year of the Baoli era (827) during the Tang Dynasty when Liu Yuxi, returning from Hezhou to Luoyang, passed through Jinling. He wrote this poem there, describing the spring scenery of Jinling while reflecting on the rise and fall of the Six Dynasties, triggered by historical relics. The poet not only reviews the past history but also hints at his concerns over the political corruption of the Tang Dynasty.
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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