For Han Wo, Poet Prodigy I Li Shang-yin

You wrote a verse with highest speed at ten years old;
We would not part though candle ashes turned cold.
The flowery mountain path extends for miles long;
The young surpass the old in singing phoenix's song.

Original Poem:

「韩冬郎二首 · 其一」
十岁裁诗走马成，冷灰残烛动离情。
桐花万里丹山路，雏凤清于老凤声。

李商隐

Interpretation:

This poem was written in the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (851) during Li Shangyin's journey from the capital to Sichuan, where he served as an assistant to the military governor of Dongchuan. At a farewell banquet, the ten-year-old Han Wei, a prodigy, composed a poem spontaneously, astounding the guests with his talent. Several years later, after returning to the capital, Li Shangyin recited the poem from that year and, moved by the memories, composed two responses. This is the first of those two, particularly famous for the line “桐花万里丹山路，雏凤清于老凤声,” which has been widely circulated.

First Couplet: “十岁裁诗走马成，冷灰残烛动离情。”
(The ten-year-old boy composes poetry as quickly as a running horse, and the cold ash of the leftover candle stirs feelings of parting.)
The first couplet highlights Han Wei’s early talent, composing poetry quickly and with depth of feeling at just ten years old. The imagery of cold ash and a dying candle evokes the melancholic atmosphere of a farewell banquet, conveying both the speed of his composition and the emotional depth of the occasion.

Second Couplet: “桐花万里丹山路，雏凤清于老凤声。”
(The road to Dan Mountain stretches for miles, with tung flowers in full bloom, and the cry of a young phoenix is clearer and more melodious than that of the old phoenix.)
The second couplet uses the metaphor of a phoenix to praise Han Wei, comparing his poetic talent to the pure, melodic cry of a young phoenix, in contrast to the older phoenix symbolizing older poets. The setting of the tung flowers and Dan Mountain creates a natural backdrop, emphasizing the theme that the young phoenix’s voice is purer than that of the old, expressing high praise for Han Wei and a recognition of the vigor and promise of new generations.

Writing Features:

1. Vivid Metaphors, Beautiful Imagery:
   The metaphor of the “young phoenix” and “old phoenix” is profound, not only praising Han Wei’s talent but also humbling the older poet, creating a contrast between generations.
2. Blending Reality with Imagination, Merging Emotions and Scenes:
   The realistic imagery of the cold ash and dying candle, combined with the imaginative depiction of the blooming tung flowers and Dan Mountain, enhances the poem’s emotional impact.
3. Philosophical Meaning Within the Poetic Imagery:
   The line “The cry of a young phoenix is clearer than that of the old” not only praises Han Wei but also metaphorically suggests that new things are full of vitality and have great potential for growth.

Overall Appreciation:

The poem centers on praising Han Wei’s talent, using the metaphor of the phoenix’s cry to represent the fresh vitality of the new generation of poets. While delicately portraying the farewell scene, the poet blends the natural imagery of the young phoenix with Han Wei’s talent, expressing joy in the rising stars and anticipation for the future. The cold ash and dying candle symbolize the sorrow of parting but also highlight the emotional depth in Han Wei’s work; the blooming tung flowers and Dan Mountain elevate this emotion to a sense of comfort and encouragement for the new generation. The poem conveys philosophical meaning through metaphor and emotions through its imagery, making it timeless and ever fresh.

Insights:

This poem conveys the dialectical idea that new things are full of vitality and potential, encouraging the younger generation to strive and surpass their predecessors. It also serves as a reminder to accept and appreciate new talent, giving them space to grow. This forward-thinking and supportive attitude towards the future is an open and progressive mindset, one that is worth reflecting on and learning from.

Poem translator:

Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)

About the poet:

Li Shangyin (李商隐), 813-858 AD, was a great poet of the late Tang Dynasty. His poems were on a par with those of Du Mu, and he was known as "Little Li Du". Li Shangyin was a native of Qinyang, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province. When he was a teenager, he lost his father at the age of nine, and was called "Zheshui East and West, half a century of wandering".