English Rendering
River rains clear—I long to roam,
Westward to Yu Creek alone I come.
At the crossing, fallen waters show village lanes,
Chaotic rafts stranded in trees' domains.
After Rain at the River Crossing
- Poetry of Liu Zongyuan
《雨晴至江渡》
Original Text (中文原文)
江雨初晴思远步，日西独向愚溪渡。
渡头水落村径成，撩乱浮槎在高树。
Analysis & Context
Composed during Liu Zongyuan's Yongzhou exile (circa 811 CE), this poem documents both ecological catastrophe and philosophical reckoning. Following torrential rains that devastated his self-designed "Eight Follies" garden complex—including the washed-away Fool's Pavilion (愚亭)—the work transforms flood debris into metaphysical coordinates. The floating timber lodged in treetops becomes a stark measure of nature's indifference to human aspiration, reflecting Liu's deepening meditation on futility and resilience during his decade-long banishment.
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
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.
Reading Between the Lines
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.
- Early Summer: Seeking Yu Creek After Rain
- Midnight Vigil in West Garden
- Villager's Song I
- Villager's Song II
- Villager's Song III
- After Rain at the River Crossing
- The Summit Temple
- <Prelude to Water Melody> Sent to Ziyou on Mid-autumn Festival
- Invitation to Wine
- Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Cold sheet
- Coming Home ( Returning Home )
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