The eyebrow-like cool moon hangs over Willow Bay,
The southern mountains seem in the mirror to sway.
Three days rain's fallen with peach petals on the stream;
At midnight on the beach leap the fish, carp and bream.
Original Poem:
「题稚川山水」
戴叔伦
松下茅亭五月凉，汀沙云树晚苍苍。
行人无限秋风思，隔水青山似故乡。
Interpretation:
This poem was written by Dai Shulun during one of his official travels. As he passed through the mountains and rivers of Zhi Chuan, he stopped to rest in a thatched hut under the pine trees. The coolness and beauty of the landscape in May brought him a sense of relief from the fatigue of his journey, and he expressed his deep homesickness as he was moved by the surroundings.
First Line: “松下茅亭五月凉，汀沙云树晚苍苍。”
(In May, under the cool shade of pine trees at the thatched hut, a small island of white sand in the river is surrounded by mist-covered trees, casting a vast, dim shadow in the evening.)
These lines depict the poet's surroundings as he rests in the thatched hut during the evening. Through subtle imagery, Dai Shulun conveys the coolness and tranquility of the Zhi Chuan landscape. The contrast between the coolness of the hut and the distant, desolate landscape creates a serene and quiet picture of the evening, highlighting the harmony and beauty of nature.
Second Line: “行人无限秋风思，隔水青山似故乡。”
(The traveler is filled with boundless homesickness, and the distant green mountains across the river resemble his homeland.)
The poet uses the metaphor of "autumn wind" to represent his homesickness and evokes the distant green mountains of Zhi Chuan as symbols of his deep longing for home. The beautiful landscape not only pleases the eye but also evokes an emotional resonance, making the distant mountains feel like part of his homeland.
Features of the Poem
- Fusion of Landscape and Emotion:
The poem skillfully blends the coolness and tranquility of nature with the poet's emotional experience during his journey. The beauty of nature and the homesickness complement each other, creating an artistic effect where the scene and emotions merge. - Contrast and Gradual Development:
From the coolness of the hut to the desolate distant landscape, from praising nature to expressing homesickness, the poem unfolds in stages, conveying emotions with delicate depth. - Conciseness and Subtlety:
With just four lines, the poem concisely and vividly describes the journey's landscape and the poet's complex feelings, showcasing his profound artistic skill.
Overall Analysis
Dai Shulun successfully merges the secluded beauty of his journey with his deep homesickness. Beginning with the cool, refreshing nature of May, the poet hints at his longing for home through the metaphor of the "autumn wind," and clearly reveals the source of these feelings in the lines "the distant mountains across the river resemble my homeland." The landscape of Zhi Chuan provides not only visual pleasure but also becomes an important medium for stirring the poet's emotions. The blending of scenery and feelings flows as the landscape changes, leaving a lasting impression.
Insight
Through this poem, Dai Shulun teaches us that even when far from home, we should learn to appreciate the beauty of nature with a sensitive and attentive heart, and find ways to express our emotions through it. The deep homesickness expressed in the poem resonates with contemporary readers who are also far from their homelands.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
About the Poet:
Dai Shulun (戴叔伦), 732 - 789 AD, was a native of Jintan, Jiangsu Province. During the Anshi Rebellion, he lived in Poyang and studied behind closed doors, and was later recruited by Liu Yan to serve in the Transit House. Dai Shulun's poems mostly express the leisure of a secluded life, and there are also some poems exposing social contradictions and reflecting the people's hardships, with a broader content, and his poetic style is elegant and clear.
