Pass my regards to my pals by East Slope.
Tell them I’m close to the Throne, doing well.
Let me know if any friends to my Snow Hall,
And if the little bridge were buried in snow.
How I wish to return, back to East Slope,
To plough my spring field as river rain grows.
为向东坡传语：人在玉堂深处。
别后有谁来？雪压小桥无路。
归去，归去！江上一犁春雨。
This poem, composed with colloquial language, reads just like the tone of a short message to the Head of Prefecture. It reveals interesting vibes under the lines, where you can easily sense the bright and breezy spirit of Su Shi after he finally got pardoned by the Emperor and reclaimed his voice at the Court, working in Hanlin Academy (翰林院) which was the centre of administration comprised of Song’s most prestigious men in the gentlemen’s society. There is a change of sentiment in the last two lines, showing his longing to be away from the busy centre for a farming life in the country, which was a persistent longing throughout his official career. It makes you suspicious that his experience at the Royal Court was not without challenges. or, it could simply be a friendly message meant to warm the hearts of his friends at Huangzhou.
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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