In soughing western wind you blossom far and nigh;
Your fragrance is too cold to invite butterfly.
Some day if I as Lord of Spring come into power,
I'd order you to bloom together with peach flower.
Original Poem:
「题菊花」
黄巢
讽讽西风满院栽，蕊寒香冷蝶难来。
他年我若为青帝，报与桃花一处开。
Interpretation:
This poem utilizes the technique of picaresque to express the poet's (the leader of the peasant revolt) heroic idea of trying to dominate society.
The first two lines: the autumn wind shakes the chrysanthemums, the stamens and flowers are full of cold, and it is difficult for butterflies to fly to collect honey.
In the poet's mind, chrysanthemum is a symbol of the toiling masses, and the word “lonely” has no relation. Chrysanthemum open to the wind and frost, certainly shows its vitality, but when the cold autumn is a great pity, in the soughing autumn wind, chrysanthemum seems to be with the cold, exudes a cold and subtle aroma, unlike in the wind and sunshine in the spring of the opening of the flowers, so the butterflies are also difficult to fly to pick up the chrysanthemum's fragrance.
The last two lines: If one day I become the god of spring, I will make sure that chrysanthemums and peach blossoms bloom together in spring.
The last two lines are the natural development of the author's feelings. The author imagines that he will let the chrysanthemums and peach blossoms bloom together in the spring when he becomes the god of spring. This imagination, full of strong romanticism, concentrates on the author's grand ambition. The chrysanthemums in the poem were the embodiment of millions of working people at the bottom of the society at that time, and the author appreciated their tenacious vitality to face the wind and frost and open up, and was deeply indignant for the environment they were in and the destiny they encountered, and was determined to change them completely. The author imagines the day when the masses of toilers can live in the warmth of spring. It is worth noting that here also reflects the farmer's simple concept of equality, because in the author's view, chrysanthemums and peach blossoms with one of the hundred flowers, should enjoy the same treatment, chrysanthemums alone in the cold autumn, the stamens cold incense cold, is really the Lord of heaven's great injustice. Therefore, he is determined to let chrysanthemums and peach blossoms enjoy the warmth of spring.
The thoughts and feelings expressed in this poem are very magnificent, and it shows the nature of a man with a great ambition, but it does not flow into boldness, and still does not lose its content.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
About the poet:
Huang Chao (黄巢), 820 - 884 A.D., a native of Heze, Shandong Province, was a leader of peasant revolts at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Huang Chao came from a family of salt merchants, good at horseback riding and shooting, with a rough knowledge of writing and ink, and little poetic talent. Huang Chao could read poems at the age of five, but as an adult, he failed to pass the exams. In 884 AD, Huang Chao was defeated and died in Wolf Tiger Valley.
