From My Study At The Mouth Of The Valley. A Message To Censor Yang

At a little grass-hut in the valley of the river,
Where a cloud seems born from a viney wall,
You will love the bamboos new with rain,
And mountains tender in the sunset. 
Cranes drift early here to rest
And autumn flowers are slow to fade...
I have bidden my pupil to sweep the grassy path
For the coming of my friend. 

Original Poem:

《谷口书斋寄杨补阙》
泉壑带茅茨，云霞生薜帷。
竹怜新雨后，山爱夕阳时。
闲鹭栖常早，秋花落更迟。
家僮扫萝径，昨与故人期。

Interpretation:

This is a poem inviting a friend to an appointment. The poet focuses on the quiet elegance of his study, and expresses his affection for Yang Jianque, expecting him to visit as scheduled, which is mainly achieved through the accurate and delicate depiction of the scenery around the study.

First of all, the poet’s hut is surrounded by mountain springs and gullies, and the floating clouds seem to rise up from the small courtyard. This couplet is the beginning of the poem, a distant view of the study, surrounded by mountains and water, clouds, such as enjoying the fairyland on earth.

Then describe the scenery around the study, first highlighting the bamboo forest and mountains are lovable, and then decorated with “after the new rain” “sunset”, pointing out that they are lovable because of the new green after the rain, sunset rendering, so the wording, not only let these scenery into the human The phrasing of the poem not only gives these scenes a sense of human emotion, but also gives them a strong sense of color, thus expressing the beauty of the bamboo forest and mountains.

The early resting of the egrets, because of the word “leisure”, fully illustrates the quietness of the place: the birds can live a leisurely and comfortable life with few people to disturb them. The autumn flowers are slow to fall, which only means that the environment here is suitable for them to grow, so they can stay on the branches for a long time. The birds and flowers are meant to highlight the quiet and elegant, fresh and livable environment of the study.

The poet has asked his family to clean up the paths decorated with green lilies because of the promise made with Yang Jianque yesterday. The poet has already asked his family to clean the path decorated with green lilies because of the promise he made yesterday with Yang. The poet has strongly praised the environment of the study in the above, which is intended to bring out the promise, hoping that the friend will come as promised.

The most important feature of this poem is that the water, clouds, bamboo, mountains, herons and flowers are personalized and written with great affection. The language of the poem is clear, sincere and sincere, and the style is fresh, strange and light, with beautiful rhyme and strong artistic influence.

About Author:

Qian Qi (钱起, 722-780 A.D.)was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, Han nationality, and a native of Wuxing (now Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province), who was one of the “Ten Talents of the Dali” and the “Champion of the Ten Talents of the Dali”. In his early years, he was unsuccessful in several examinations, but finally he was admitted as a scholar in 751 AD.

Poem translator:

Kiang Kanghu