Wednesday, January 9, 2008

A Spring Dayc春日 [Zhu Xi](Song Dynasty)

shèng rì xún fāng sì shuǐ bīnwú biān guāng jǐng yì shí xīn


děng xián shí dé dōng fēng miànwàn zǐ qiān hóng zǒng shì chūn


Zhu Xi (Song)

When along the River Si I seek blooms of the brilliant day,
Before my eyes stretches away a boundless scene of beauty.
A glance at the visage of vernal breeze, and I know,
A thousand flowers of purple and red set spring aglow.
Comment

On a spring outing along the river, the poet discovers to his delight that everything in sight has taken on an entirely new look. How come? The vernal wind is blowing across the land. It has opened a thousand of spring flowers which, in turn, has presented a riot of color to man, thereby the poet eulogizes the luminous beauty of spring with the vernal wind as the mother of all charms in spring. Hence, "I glance at the visage of vernal breeze, and I know a thousand flowers of purple and red set spring aglow" has all along been popular as a line of lasting beauty.

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