English Rendering
The flower in east wind exhales a tender light
And spreads a fragrant mist when the moon turns away.
I am afraid she'd fall asleep at dead of night;
A candle's lit to make her look fair as by day.
Crab-Apple Flower
- Poetry of Su Shi
《海棠》
Original Text (中文原文)
东风袅袅泛崇光，香雾空蒙月转廊。
只恐夜深花睡去，故烧高烛照红妆。
Analysis & Context
1083
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.
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