Eating Lychee at Huizhou
- Poetry of Su Shi

《食荔枝》
Eating Lychee at Huizhou by Su Shi
中文原文( Chinese )

罗浮山下四时春，卢橘杨梅次第新。

日啖荔枝三百颗，不辞长作岭南人。

English Translation

Here is a world of spring for all seasons,

Where loquat and bayberries swell in turn.

I could eat hundreds of lichees as day food,

And live in the south at Mt Luofu for good.

Su Shi was banished even further to Huizhou near the southern border in 1094. Such a penalty was generally regarded as a death sentence. Yet, the 57-year-old Dongpo revived again, enjoying fresh local produce that could make some people in the capital jealous. Lychee fruit had been a popular hint of royal luxury ever since the story about the royal consort Yang, Yuhuan of the Tang Dynasty was exposed in poetry.

- Last updated: 2025-03-05 17:06:16
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Why Chinese poems is so special?
The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
How to read a Chinese poem?
Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.

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