Spring Lament: Rain on Southern Trees
- Poetry of Wang Anshi
Rain drums on southern trees all night—
By dawn, blossoms erupt in sight.
Leaves weave ever-thickening veils,
Hiding paths of past travels.
Where we met, who could foresee
Spring would near its elegy?
Toast the east wind with this plea:
Don't rush! Don't flee!
This ci poem was composed during Wang Anshi's retirement in Zhongshan, Jiangning. Though no longer engaged in political affairs, his reflections on time and worldly matters remained profound. Through its depiction of Jiangnan's spring scenery and lament for the season's passing, the poem conveys the poet's deep sensitivity to life's transience and the fragility of beauty. It expresses both his emotional connection to nature and his philosophical musings on life, serving as a spiritual refuge. Stylistically akin to his other late works like Pride of the Fisherman and Song of the Southern Country, it embodies the serene restraint and emotional depth characteristic of his later years.
雨打江南树。一夜花开无数。
绿叶渐成阴，下有游人归路。
与君相逢处。不道春将暮。
把酒祝东风，且莫恁、匆匆去。
- 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.
- A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake
- Night at Longxing Temple
- The Abbot’s Hut
- Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage
- Farewell to Magistrate Jia Heng
- Winter Night at My Lodging: To Imperial Archivist Chu
- Night in the Taoist Cosmos
- The Temple in Crimson Mist
- Inscription at Zhao Yin Temple: Elder Xuan’s Chamber
- Yiai Temple