Looking Down in a Spring-rain on the Course From Fairy-mountain Palace to the Pavilion of Increase Harmonizing the Emperor's Poem
- Poetry of Wang Wei

《奉和圣制从蓬莱向兴庆阁道中留春雨中春望之作应制》

English Rendering

Round a turn of the Qin Fortress winds the Wei River,

And Yellow Mountain foot-hills enclose the Court of China;

Past the South Gate willows comes the Car of Many Bells

On the upper Palace-Garden Road-a solid length of blossom;

A Forbidden City roof holds two phoenixes in cloud;

The foliage of spring shelters multitudes from rain;

And now, when the heavens are propitious for action,

Here is our Emperor ready-no wasteful wanderer.

Looking Down in a Spring-rain on the Course From Fairy-mountain Palace to the Pavilion of Increase Harmonizing the Emperor's Poem by Wang Wei
Looking Down in a Spring-rain on the Course From Fairy-mountain Palace to the Pavilion of Increase Harmonizing the Emperor's Poem by Wang Wei

Original Text (中文原文)

渭水自萦秦塞曲,黄山旧绕汉宫斜。

銮舆迥出千门柳,阁道回看上苑花。

云里帝城双凤阙,雨中春树万人家。

为乘阳气行时令,不是宸游玩物华。

Analysis & Context

Seven-character-regular-verse

Composed during Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao era while Wang Wei resided in Chang'an, this poem captures the capital's spring grandeur during an imperial procession. Viewed from elevated palace corridors, the Wei River, Mount Huang, imperial gardens and phoenix towers emerge through misty rain—a majestic tableau where natural splendor mirrors virtuous governance through subtle "praise-as-admonition" artistry.

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