Why this Hustle and Bustle for a Bubble Fame
- Poetry of Su Shi

《满庭芳·蜗角虚名》
Why this Hustle and Bustle for a Bubble Fame by Su Shi
中文原文( Chinese )

蜗角虚名，蝇头微利，算来著甚干忙。

事皆前定，谁弱又谁强。

且趁闲身未老，须放我、些子疏狂。

百年里，浑教是醉，三万六千场。

思量，能几许？

忧愁风雨，一半相妨。

又何须抵死，说短论长。

幸对清风皓月，苔茵展、云幕高张。

江南好，千钟美酒，一曲满庭芳。

English Translation

Why this hustle and bustle for a bubble fame

That’s mighty like a fly’s eyes, tiny as snail’s brain?

Your fate had been already set before you came.

Why are you still so obsessed with loss or success?

For a life span of one hundred years, if I may,

I’d set free this soul, let it be, breezy and gay,    

With thirty six thousand rounds of nice wines,

and thirty six thousand nights of sweet dreams.


Just think again, list out all the good, and bad days,

You’ll find half shadowed in sorrow, in wind and rain.

It’s such a wonderful place at River South here,

So why should I spend my life to complain for pain?

I’d party with friends at the moss lawn with flowers,

Gleaming moon as the light, white clouds as the cover.

Together we’d share countless cups of fine drinks.

Together we’d sing to the tune the Vibrant Garden.

It is unknown what year Su Shi composed this poem. It could either be around 1073 or around 1089 when he was governor of Hangzhou.  Judging from the deep philosophical understanding about fame and fate,  critics concluded that it could be likely the latter when he had experienced the banishment to Huangzhou, the series of promotion up to the post of Secretary General to the Emperor, and taking a post away from the Royal Court.

- Last updated: 2024-10-23 09:56:25
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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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