English Rendering
Shadow came in tiers on the blooming terrace.
I had servants sweep them away but in vain.
Thank goodness the setting sun took them off.
Yet, they are sent back by the moon again.
Flower Shadow
- Poetry of Su Shi
《花影》
Original Text (中文原文)
重重叠叠上瑶台，
几度呼童扫不开。
刚被太阳收拾去，
又教明月送将来。
Analysis & Context
Imagine Dongpo in a tipsy mood after drinking a few bowls of wine with friends in a gracious garden in its fullest bloom. The place was showered in shimmering golden light except for the shadow which was getting bigger and longer as the sun was setting, as if attempting to overrule the flowers it relied on for existence. The greater value of this short poem is the implied message under the simple lines. It was written in 1076, shortly after Wang Anshi became the Prime Minister again to carry on with his New Law which had brought disaster to the people when it was first enacted. As a leader of the conservative party, Su Shi sighed: Not again!
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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