Who is lovelier than she?
Yet she lives alone in an empty valley.
She tells me she came from a good family
Which is humbled now into the dust.
…When trouble arose in the Kuan district,
Her brothers and close kin were killed.
What use were their high offices,
Not even shielding their own lives? --
The world has but scorn for adversity;
Hope goes out, like the light of a candle.
Her husband, with a vagrant heart,
Seeks a new face like a new piece of jade;
And when morning-glories furl at night
And mandarin-ducks lie side by side,
All he can see is the smile of the new love,
While the old love weeps unheard.
The brook was pure in its mountain source,
But away from the mountain its waters darken.
…Waiting for her maid to come from selling pearls
For straw to cover the roof again,
She picks a few flowers, no longer for her hair,
And lets pine-needles fall through her fingers,
And, forgetting her thin silk sleeve and the cold,
She leans in the sunset by a tall bamboo.
Original Poem
「佳人」
杜甫
绝代有佳人， 幽居在空谷。
自云良家子， 零落依草木。
关中昔丧乱， 兄弟遭杀戮。
官高何足论， 不得收骨肉。
世情恶衰歇， 万事随转烛。
夫婿轻薄儿， 新人美如玉。
合昏尚知时， 鸳鸯不独宿。
但见新人笑， 那闻旧人哭。
在山泉水清， 出山泉水浊。
侍婢卖珠回， 牵萝补茅屋。
摘花不插发， 采柏动盈掬。
天寒翠袖薄， 日暮倚修竹。
Interpretation
This poem was composed in the autumn of the second year of the Qianyuan era of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty (759 AD), shortly after Du Fu resigned from his position as a military advisor in Huazhou. He and his family crossed the Long Mountains and settled in Qinzhou (present-day Tianshui, Gansu). At the time, the nation was in turmoil, with the aftermath of the An Lushan Rebellion still unresolved. Deeply concerned about the state of the country and feeling the impermanence of life, Du Fu used the tragic fate of a "beautiful lady" to express his own feelings of unrecognized talent and his profound concern for the nation and its people.
First Couplet: "绝代有佳人，幽居在空谷。"
Juédài yǒu jiārén, yōu jū zài kōng gǔ.
There is a peerless beauty in the world, living alone in a secluded valley.
The opening lines captivate with the image of a "peerless beauty," highlighting her extraordinary nature while also foreshadowing the loneliness that permeates the poem.
Second Couplet: "自云良家子，零落依草木。"
Zì yún liáng jiā zǐ, língluò yī cǎomù.
She claims to be from a respectable family, but now, displaced by war, she lives among the plants and trees.
These lines reveal the lady's background and her plight, with "displaced" conveying her helpless and isolated situation.
Third Couplet: "关中昔丧乱，兄弟遭杀戮。"
Guānzhōng xī sāngluàn, xiōngdì zāo shālù.
In the past, chaos ravaged the Guanzhong region, and her brothers were slaughtered.
With a heavy hand, the poet sketches the tragedy of war, revealing the lady's grief over the loss of her family.
Fourth Couplet: "官高何足论，不得收骨肉。"
Guān gāo hé zú lùn, bùdé shōu gǔròu.
Though her family once held high office, they could not even recover the remains of their loved ones.
"The futility of high office" reflects the impermanence of worldly status, while "could not recover the remains" poignantly conveys the pain of losing family members without proper burial.
Fifth Couplet: "世情恶衰歇，万事随转烛。"
Shì qíng è shuāi xiē, wànshì suí zhuǎn zhú.
The world despises those who fall from grace; all things are as fleeting as the flicker of a candle.
This couplet exposes the fickleness of human relationships and the transience of life, offering a profound reflection on the nature of the world.
Sixth Couplet: "夫婿轻薄儿，新人美如玉。"
Fū xù qīngbó ér, xīnrén měi rú yù.
Her husband, a frivolous man, has taken a new wife as beautiful as jade.
Here, the reason for the lady's abandonment is revealed, with "frivolous man" expressing disdain for the unfaithful husband.
Seventh Couplet: "合昏尚知时，鸳鸯不独宿。"
Hé hūn shàng zhī shí, yuānyāng bù dú sù.
Even the evening primrose knows to bloom at dusk, and mandarin ducks never sleep alone.
Using the imagery of flowers and birds that remain faithful, the poet contrasts the unfaithfulness of humans, implicitly lamenting the coldness of the world.
Eighth Couplet: "但见新人笑，那闻旧人哭。"
Dàn jiàn xīnrén xiào, nà wén jiù rén kū.
All we see is the new wife's laughter; who hears the old wife's cries?
This line uses stark contrast to express the lady's sorrow and anger at being abandoned, conveying raw and profound emotion.
Ninth Couplet: "在山泉水清，出山泉水浊。"
Zài shān quánshuǐ qīng, chū shān quánshuǐ zhuó.
The spring water is clear in the mountains, but turns muddy once it flows out.
The poet uses the spring water as a metaphor, symbolizing the lady's purity in adversity, while the outside world is tainted and corrupt.
Tenth Couplet: "侍婢卖珠回，牵萝补茅屋。"
Shì bì mài zhū huí, qiān luó bǔ máowū.
Her maid returns from selling pearls, and they use vines to mend their thatched hut.
These lines depict the lady's impoverished life after her fall from grace. "Selling pearls" shows her desperate efforts to survive, while "mending the hut" reflects her dignified acceptance of her circumstances.
Eleventh Couplet: "摘花不插发，采柏动盈掬。"
Zhāi huā bù chā fà, cǎi bǎi dòng yíng jū.
She picks flowers but does not adorn herself; instead, she gathers cypress seeds to fill her hands.
The lady no longer adorns herself but lives simply, demonstrating her rejection of vanity and her commitment to a life of integrity.
Twelfth Couplet: "天寒翠袖薄，日暮倚修竹。"
Tiān hán cuì xiù báo, rì mù yǐ xiū zhú.
In the cold weather, she wears only a thin green sleeve; at dusk, she leans against the tall bamboo.
This scene is vividly depicted, emphasizing the lady's凄凉 (desolate) situation. Alone and steadfast, she resembles the tall bamboo—noble and resilient, full of symbolic meaning.
Overall Appreciation
The poem combines the lady's own account with the poet's observations, gradually deepening the emotional intensity. Through the lady's tragic background, her hardships, and her unwavering integrity, Du Fu subtly expresses his own feelings of displacement and unfulfilled ambitions. Phrases like "frivolous man" and "new wife's laughter" not only criticize the unfaithful husband but also reflect the poet's indignation at the injustice of the world and the neglect of virtuous individuals.
Writing Characteristics
- Appropriate Metaphors, Profound Imagery: The poet uses "clear spring water in the mountains" to symbolize the lady's purity, "evening primrose" and "mandarin ducks" to represent loyalty, and "tall bamboo" to signify her noble character, creating a layered and profound narrative.
- Vivid Contrasts, Intense Emotion: The contrast between "new wife's laughter" and "old wife's cries," as well as "clear spring water" versus "muddy water," highlights the fickleness of human relationships and the coldness of the world.
- Sincere Emotion, Delicate Details: From "mending the hut with vines" to "wearing only a thin green sleeve," the poet uses detailed descriptions to portray the lady's hardships, revealing her resilient and noble inner world.
Insights
This poem not only portrays the tragic yet steadfast life of a beautiful lady but also reflects the coldness and impermanence of human relationships during a time of war. Through the lady's voice, Du Fu expresses his own determination to maintain integrity and nobility despite adversity and unfulfilled ambitions. This reminds us that, in the face of life's hardships and the fickleness of human relationships, maintaining inner clarity and steadfastness is the true source of spiritual strength.
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet
Du Fu (杜甫), 712 - 770 AD, was a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, known as the "Sage of Poetry". Born into a declining bureaucratic family, Du Fu had a rough life, and his turbulent and dislocated life made him keenly aware of the plight of the masses. Therefore, his poems were always closely related to the current affairs, reflecting the social life of that era in a more comprehensive way, with profound thoughts and a broad realm. In his poetic art, he was able to combine many styles, forming a unique style of "profound and thick", and becoming a great realist poet in the history of China.
