The song in the later Spring
- Poetry of Liu Yuxi

《和乐天春词》

English Rendering

Decorating as a princess,

the spring is locked in my little hut.

Hundreds of tulips bloom under my feet,

over my head,lonely stars and dragonflies.

The song in the later Spring by Liu Yuxi
The song in the later Spring by Liu Yuxi

Original Text (中文原文)

新妆宜面下朱楼,深锁春光一院愁。

行到中庭数花朵,蜻蜓飞上玉搔头。

Analysis & Context

Composed during Liu Yuxi's poetic exchange with Bai Juyi, this work forms a dialogic counterpart to Bai's "Spring Lyrics" which depicted a young wife gazing wistfully from her chamber. While Bai captured her upstairs melancholy with subtle restraint, Liu's response portrays the same woman descending to admire spring scenery, offering complementary psychological insight. Their paired verses on spring longing not only demonstrate Tang literati's profound poetic camaraderie but also showcase the era's artistic pursuit of lyrical subtlety and emotional depth.

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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