Orchid eyes raise slanting paths in view,
Warbler lips mirror flowers aging through.
The golden dragon leaks its water full,
Jade wells break ice early, refreshing and cool.
Original Poem
「子夜四时歌 · 夏」
陆龟蒙
兰眼抬路斜，莺唇映花老。
金龙倾漏尽，玉井敲冰早。
Interpretation
Originally a Yuefu (乐府) title from the Southern Dynasties, belonging to the "Songs of Wu" (吴声歌曲) tradition, Midnight Song of the Four Seasons traditionally uses spring, summer, autumn, and winter scenery to reflect folk life, emotions, and seasonal rhythms. Lu Guimeng inherited this theme and composed his own set of poems, infusing them with a literati’s elegance and refined imagery. This "Summer Song" is one of them, focusing on summer scenery and seasonal atmosphere while subtly conveying the poet’s state of mind. Living in the turbulent late Tang, Lu retreated to Jiangnan, expressing his feelings through poetry. He excelled at finding depth in minor details, and this poem is a typical example.
First Couplet: "兰眼抬露斜，莺唇映花老。"
Lán yǎn tái lù xié, yīng chún yìng huā lǎo.
Orchid eyes lift to the slanting dew;
Warbler lips mirror aging flowers.
The couplet begins with plants and birds, using personification to endow orchids and warblers with human traits. "Orchid eyes" (兰眼 lán yǎn) and "warbler lips" (莺唇 yīng chún) are highly imaginative, making the imagery vivid and lively. "Slanting dew" (露斜 lù xié) and "aging flowers" (花老 huā lǎo) hint that summer is advancing and flora is beginning to fade.
Second Couplet: "金龙倾漏尽，玉井敲冰早。"
Jīn lóng qīng lòu jìn, yù jǐng qiāo bīng zǎo.
The golden dragon clepsydra empties its last drop;
The jade well’s ice is struck early.
This couplet shifts to human affairs and objects. "Golden dragon clepsydra" (金龙倾漏 jīn lóng qīng lòu) refers to a dragon-shaped water clock timing the night’s end; "jade well’s ice struck" (玉井敲冰 yù jǐng qiāo bīng) describes the custom of fetching ice from noble households to combat summer heat, implying intense temperatures. The former suggests time’s passage, the latter the season’s heat—together, they evoke summer’s unique rhythm and atmosphere.
Holistic Appreciation
In just twenty characters, the poem constructs a scene blending motion and stillness, reality and suggestion: the first couplet depicts nature—orchids, warblers, dew, and fading flowers—showing summer’s delicate beauty and decay; the second couplet portrays human activities—palace timekeeping and ice-drawing—reflecting seasonal summer life.
The poem combines fresh, elegant natural charm with aristocratic ambiance, revealing that while Lu Guimeng sought solace in landscapes, he remained attentive to courtly objects. More than a "summer snapshot," it uses "aging flowers" and "early ice" to imply the passage of time and the transience of prosperity.
Artistic Merits
- Yuefu inheritance, literati refinement: Lu Guimeng builds on the traditional Yuefu theme but moves beyond folk simplicity, adorning the work with refined diction and symbolism, giving it a new literati character.
- Personification and metaphor, novel imagery: "Orchid eyes" and "warbler lips" are highly original personifications, transforming natural elements into vivid images that are both realistic and poetic, reflecting the late Tang’s ingenious style.
- Dynamic-static interplay, clear temporality: The first couplet depicts static natural scenes; the second portrays dynamic human activities—complementing each other to form a layered summer picture rich in visuality.
- Refined crafting, concise subtlety: Twenty characters encompass nature, birds, flowers, clepsydra, and well ice—extremely succinct yet deeply meaningful, showcasing Lu’s skill in honing words and phrases.
- Profound implication, emotion within scenery: "Aging" flowers and "early" ice hint at themes of prosperity declining and time fleeting; the poet may be conveying personal reflections through scenery, revealing late Tang literati’s sensitivity.
Insights
This poem reminds us that true poetry often lies in life’s minor details. Orchids, warblers, clepsydras, and ice wells—ordinary sights and objects—can, under the poet’s brush, reflect time’s flow and life’s sentiments. It teaches us not to wait for grand occasions; even small things can carry poetry and philosophy.
About the poet
Lu Guimeng (陆龟蒙 ？– c. 881 CE), a native of Suzhou, Jiangsu, was a Late Tang dynasty writer and agronomist. After failing the imperial examinations, he retreated to a reclusive life in Puli, Songjiang. He formed a famous literary partnership with the poet Pi Rixiu, and the pair are often referred to collectively as "Pi-Lu." His poetry is known for its social satire and a style that is incisive yet subtly restrained. His inclusion in the Biographies of Talents of the Tangunderscores his significance. The modern writer Lu Xun famously praised his essays, noting that they provided "a sharp radiance piercing through a world of muddle". Lu Guimeng is regarded as a uniquely distinctive voice in the literary scene of the late Tang.
