With twilight shadows in my heart
I have driven up among the Lo-yu Tombs
To see the sun, for all his glory,
Buried by the coming night.
Original Poem
「乐游原」
李商隐
向晚意不适，驱车登古原。
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。
Interpretation
This poem was likely composed during Li Shangyin's later years when his official career was fraught with difficulties and his mood was depressed. One evening, troubled by melancholy thoughts, the poet drove his carriage up Leyou Plateau, hoping to dispel his sorrows by gazing into the distance. However, the beautiful sunset scenery before him instead triggered reflections on life's transience, ultimately prompting his famous sigh: "The setting sun appears sublime, But oh, 'tis near its dying time." While ostensibly depicting scenery, the poem actually conveys the poet's helplessness toward the fleeting nature of glorious times.
First Couplet: "向晚意不适，驱车登古原。"
Xiàng wǎn yì bù shì, qū chē dēng gǔ yuán.
At dusk my heart was filled with gloom; So I rode up to ancient plateau's height.
The opening immediately establishes the time and reason for the ascent. "Approaching evening" refers to sunset, while "discomfort of heart" reveals the poet's inner melancholy. Faced with these emotions, he chooses to climb high, hoping distant views might relieve his depression. Yet this very act suggests his loneliness and desolation - climbing for a view often invites endless contemplation.
Second Couplet: "夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。"
Xī yáng wú xiàn hǎo, zhǐ shì jìn huáng hūn.
The setting sun appears sublime, But oh, 'tis near its dying time.
Witnessing the sunset's glow spread across the land, the poet feels admiration for this beauty. Yet the magnificent sunset also foretells its imminent disappearance. These seemingly simple lines contain profound meaning - expressing not only love for natural beauty but also life's impermanence, reflecting the poet's regret toward passing glory.
Writing Characteristics
- Simple Language with Profound Meaning
The poem uses plain language yet achieves deep artistic conception. Particularly the line "The setting sun appears sublime, But oh, 'tis near its dying time" contains rich philosophy in minimal words - functioning both as natural description and metaphor for life's brevity and inevitable decline. - Emotion Embedded in Scenery
Though only four lines, the poem progresses layer by layer - from melancholy to ascent, then from sunset to life reflections. Scenic description and emotional expression merge seamlessly, deepening the poetic meaning. - Concise yet Suggestive
The poem's restrained, profound tone condenses emotion within brief lines. The final couplet especially serves both as exclamation and metaphor, carrying philosophical depth that invites contemplation.
Overall Appreciation
Using the ascent for a view as catalyst, this poem ostensibly depicts the beautiful sunset over Leyou Plateau while actually conveying profound emotion. The poet climbs to dispel melancholy through scenery, yet the glorious but fading sunset instead heightens his awareness of time's swift passage. This turn from scene to emotion makes the poem feel both natural and thought-provoking. Though brief, its artistic conception is far-reaching - using scenery to express emotion with enduring significance. The final couplet in particular has become an immortal line recited through the ages.
Insights
This poem makes us keenly feel time's passage and life's brevity. Beautiful things often vanish quickly, just as the sublime sunset must eventually set. The poet uses concise language to express deep life philosophy, reminding us to cherish the present and seize each beautiful moment without squandering our years. Simultaneously, the poem inspires us in creative work - how to convey profound thought through simple language, making our works more impactful and enduring.
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
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".
