Silk-Washing Stream: Rouge in Haste for the Governor
- Poetry of Su Shi

《浣溪沙 · 旋抹红妆看使君》
Silk-Washing Stream: Rouge in Haste for the Governor by Su Shi
English Translation

In rushed rouge, they flock to see,

Through bramble gates, giggling three by three.

Crimson skirts tear as they push—what glee!


Young and old to harvest rites proceed,

Crows whirl where village gods they plead.

At dusk, a drunk old man blocks the road—take heed!

Composed in 1078 during Su Shi's governorship of Xuzhou, this cí forms part of a quintet written after successful rain prayers at Stone Pond. Following a devastating drought, the poems document village jubilation with ethnographic precision—marking a watershed in Sòng cí's shift from courtly romance to social realism. The second installment captures three vignettes of rural ecstasy, revealing Su Shi's revolutionary ability to find lyricism in everyday folkways.

中文原文( Chinese )

旋抹红妆看使君，三三五五棘篱门。相排踏破蒨罗裙。

老幼扶携收麦社，乌鸢翔舞赛神村。道逢醉叟卧黄昏。

- Last updated: 2025-10-17 20:06:20
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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.

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