English Rendering
The moon wanders over the spring garden's grace,
The bamboo hall opens as night invades the space.
Startled birds sweep through the woods in flight,
Blossoms on breeze come across water's light.
Spring Night
- Poetry of Yu Shinan
《春夜》
Original Text (中文原文)
春苑月裴回，竹堂侵夜开。
惊鸟排林度，风花隔水来。
Analysis & Context
This poem was composed in the year 637 AD (the 11th year of the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang) during the Dingyou New Year. At that time, Yu Shinan was favored by Emperor Taizong and granted an estate in Yongxing, where he spent the New Year in Gaoling City. While strolling through a garden on a moonlit night, amidst bamboo shadows and the moonlight, the poet keenly captured the liveliness and freshness of a spring night, leading to the creation of this poem. Though short, this five-character quatrain uses an extremely concise brush to depict the bright and beautiful mood of a spring night garden, reflecting the poet’s tranquil, leisurely state of mind and aesthetic pursuit.
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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