To the Bee
- Poetry of Luo Yin
《蜂》
English Translation
On the plain or atop the hill,
Of beauty you enjoy your fill.
You gather honey from flowers sweet.
For whom are you busy and fleet?
Composed around 859 AD during Emperor Xuanzong's reign, this poem was written when Luo Yin, repeatedly failing the imperial examinations, witnessed a corrupt society where eunuchs and nobles monopolized power while commoners toiled in vain. Using bees as metaphor, he critiques social injustice and expresses sympathy for laborers.
中文原文( Chinese )
不论平地与山尖，无限风光尽被占。
采得百花成蜜后，为谁辛苦为谁甜？
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- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.