Sunny twilight
- Poetry of Li Shangyin

Although “The Fine Evening” describes the simple transition from spring to summer, Li Shangyin incorporates his unique emotions and imagery to elegantly illustrate his experience with the fine evening weather. Li Shangyin sets the scenery with the first term, 深 (deep), signifying his isolated location. In this peculiar place, people and nature often go unnoticed. However, 天意(Providence) pities the secluded grass and replaces the gloomy spring rain with the glowing summer sunshine, allowing both nature and the poet to become awestruck by the wonderful summer evening weather. Li Shangyin’s decision to incorporate Providence into the reason behind the transition from spring to summer raises the significance of this natural phenomena to another level; in essence, every aspect of creation is adorned by God. His reference to religion is not surprising; in fact, Li Shangyin studied Daoism during his youthful days. Daoists favor the simple and the natural, believing that “dao” is the Way of Nature. As such, his reference to the spontaneous passing of spring and the grass’ relief can be interpreted as Daoist references.