Cock-crow, the Purple Road cold in the dawn;
Linnet songs, court roofs tinted with April;
At the Golden Gate morning bell, countless doors open,
And up the jade steps float a thousand officials
With flowery scabbards... Stars have gone down;
Willows are brushing the dew from the flags --
And, alone on the Lake of the Phoenix, a guest
Is chanting too well The Song of Bright Spring.
Original Poem:
「奉和中书舍人贾至早朝大明宫」
岑参
鸡鸣紫陌曙光寒， 莺啭皇州春色阑。
金阙晓钟开万户， 玉阶仙仗拥千官。
花迎剑佩星初落， 柳拂旌旗露未乾。
独有凤凰池上客， 阳春一曲和皆难。
Interpretation:
This is a chorus poem with the title of “morning meeting”, which is centered on the word “morning meeting”.
The poem starts from a grand place, fully displaying the richness and splendor of the imperial palace, and at the same time implying the prosperity and prosperity of the world’s great rule. At the beginning of the dawn, the weather is still cold, on the way to the court, I heard the rooster crowing at dawn; at the end of the spring, the yellow warbler chirping in the sky over Chang’an. Spring has descended, a rising peace, reflecting the poet’s desire for the rise of the Tang Dynasty. The scene is a reflection of the poet’s desire for the rise of the Tang dynasty.
Next, the scene of the morning court is rendered. These two lines show people a prosperous morning meeting. It is as if people can see all kinds of talents gathering together, discussing politics together in the court, and the weather of Tang Dynasty is vivid on the paper. The last couplet points out the theme of the reward and, expresses humility, compliments each other without losing the etiquette and elegance, twists and turns, hidden, with a deep meaning.
This poem is a work of court harmony, the content is bland, no unique features. Artistically, however, it has a unique aesthetic value because of its neat counterpoints, beautiful diction, and melodious rhythms, and it is widely and indiscriminately used in the Sheng Tang Dynasty.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Cen Shen(岑参), 715-770 AD, was a native of Jingzhou, Hubei Province. He studied at Mt. Songshan when he was young, and later traveled to Beijing, Luoyang and Shuohe. Cen Shen was famous for his border poems, in which he wrote about the border scenery and the life of generals in a majestic and unrestrained manner, and together with Gao Shi, he was an outstanding representative of the border poetry school of the Sheng Tang Dynasty.
