The red-capped Cock-Man has just announced morning;
The Keeper of the Robes brings Jade-Cloud Furs;
Heaven's nine doors reveal the palace and its courtyards;
And the coats of many countries bow to the Pearl Crown.
Sunshine has entered the giants' carven palms;
Incense wreathes the Dragon Robe:
The audience adjourns-and the five-coloured edict
Sets girdle-beads clinking toward the Lake of the Phoenix.
Original Poem:
「和贾至舍人早朝大明宫之作」
王维
绛帻鸡人送晓筹， 尚衣方进翠云裘。
九天阊阖开宫殿， 万国衣冠拜冕旒。
日色才临仙掌动， 香烟欲傍衮龙浮。
朝罢须裁五色诏， 佩声归向凤池头。
Interpretation:
This poem was written in the spring of 738 A.D. Wang Wei wrote this poem with the same title as Cen Sen, both of which are choral poems describing the solemnity and splendor of the pilgrimage. The poem is written in chronological order, and through detailed descriptions and scene rendering, it is divided into three levels: before, during, and after the morning court, depicting the emperor’s majesty and the solemn and luxurious atmosphere of the Daming Palace during the morning court.
The first and second sentences are about the scene before the morning court. In the ancient palace, when the sky will be bright, there are red scarf guards, shouting outside the gate to warn the officials, take the meaning of the rooster crowing, so the name of the chicken people. Shangyi Bureau is specializing in the department in charge of the emperor’s clothes. CuiYunQiu, decorated with green cloud pattern of leather, here refers to the son of heaven clothing.
The middle describes the scene of the morning court from the front. In the first two lines, a sacred background is set for the morning court, and the dignity of the Son of Heaven is further emphasized by the pilgrimage of ambassadors from all countries. Here the poet shows us a magnificent scene. The last two lines focus on details, writing about the sunshade of the barricade fan moving forward under the morning sun; the incense burner smoke lingers, and the dragon embroidered in the emperor’s robe seems to be floating in the smoke.
The last part of the poem focuses on the fact that after the pilgrimage, Jia Sheren drafted the imperial edict on five-colored paper, but he had already returned to the central ministry by the time he heard the sound of the dresses clanging.
This poem does not rhyme with its rhyme, but only with its meaning; the language is grand, the phrases are magnificent, and the tone is harmonious, which is unique in art.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Wang Wei (王维), 701-761 A.D., was a native of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. Wang Wei was a poet of landscape and idylls. His poems of landscape and idylls, with far-reaching images and mysterious meanings, were widely loved by readers in later generations, but Wang Wei never really became a man of landscape and idylls.
