Mist veils the cold stream, and moonlight the sand,
As I moor in the shadow of a river-tavern,
Where girls, with no thought of a perished kingdom,
Gaily echo A Song of Courtyard Flowers.
Original Poem:
「泊秦淮」
杜牧
烟笼寒水月笼沙，夜泊秦淮近酒家。
商女不知亡国恨，隔江犹唱后庭花。
Interpretation:
This poem was written by the poet when he was moored at the Qinhuai River at night, taking the history of Lord Chen Houzhu's pursuit of lustful pleasures that led to the downfall of his country to satirize those rulers who did not learn a lesson from it but got intoxicated with life and dreamed of death.
In the first two lines, the moonlight and light smoke cover the cold water and white sand, and the boats are moored at the Qinhuai River at night, close to the restaurants on the bank.
These two lines paint a picture of an elegant waterside night scene. It is soft and quiet, but the ripples are slightly floating, the ink is light and there is a hazy and cold atmosphere, and at the same time, it indicates the time and place where the poem takes place.
The last two lines: the singing girl does not know what is the hatred of the dead country, and she is still singing “Jade Tree Backyard Flowers” across the river.
The merchant girl is a waiter's maid of honor, singing what all depends on the listener's interest, see the poet's third line is a kind of song, to say “do not know the hatred of the dead country” is that the playful people here - the aristocrats and the gentry.
The businesswoman was serving others as a songstress, singing what all depends on the listener's interest, the songstress is singing “Houting Hua”, but the creation of “Houting Hua” of the Southern Dynasty Chen Houzhu, has long since died, however, now there are people in this decadent time, not to the country's affairs as a matter of importance, but to use such a dead music to find music to look for fun, how can not let the poet from this and give birth to a historical tragedy will be repeated the feeling?
This poem is a famous poem for its ingenious conception, blending of scenes, appropriate use of diction, implicit meaning, and condensed language.
About the poet:
Du Mu (杜牧), 803-853 AD, was a native of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Among the poets of the Late Tang Dynasty, he was one of those who had his own characteristics, and later people called Li Shangyin and Du Mu as "Little Li and Du". His poems are bright and colorful.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
