At a little grass-hut in the valley of the river, Where a cloud seems born from a viney wall, You will love the bamboos new with rain, And mountains tender in the sunset. Cranes drift early here to rest And autumn flowers are slow to fade... I have bidden my pupil to sweep the grassy path For the coming of my friend.
Original Poem
谷口书斋寄杨补阙
泉壑带茅茨，云霞生薜帷。
竹怜新雨后，山爱夕阳时。
闲鹭栖常早，秋花落更迟。
家僮扫萝径，昨与故人期。
Interpretation
Composed during Qian Qi's seclusion in Wangchuan Valley of Lantian, this poem depicts the scenic entrance to the valley where the poet retreated for reading and receiving friends. While portraying the landscape surrounding his study, it also expresses sincere anticipation for his friend Yang Buque's promised visit, blending natural beauty with human affection.
First Couplet: "泉壑带茅茨，云霞生薜帷。"
Quán hè dài máo cí, yún xiá shēng bì wéi.
"Spring-fed gullies gird my thatched abode; Mists rise through ivy's woven code."
The opening establishes a hermitic atmosphere where architecture merges with nature, reflecting the poet's serene and unpretentious lifestyle through organic imagery.
Second Couplet: "竹怜新雨后，山爱夕阳时。"
Zhú lián xīn yǔ hòu, shān ài xī yáng shí.
"Bamboo glows freshest after rain; Mountains blush at day's refrain."
Capturing nature's ephemeral beauty, these personified landscapes reveal the poet's delicate perception, where weather and time become artistic collaborators.
Third Couplet: "闲鹭栖常早，秋花落更迟。"
Xián lù qī cháng zǎo, qiū huā luò gèng chí.
"Leisurely egrets roost with haste; Autumn blooms cling in good taste."
The contrast between early-retiring birds and lingering flowers constructs a suspended temporality, mirroring the poet's unhurried existence.
Fourth Couplet: "家僮扫萝径，昨与故人期。"
Jiā tóng sǎo luó jìng, zuó yǔ gù rén qī.
"My page sweeps the mossy way—For my friend's promised stay."
The human element emerges as preparations formalize yesterday's casual promise into today's ceremonial expectation, revealing Tang dynasty friendship etiquette.
Holistic Appreciation
The poem masterfully interweaves scenic depiction with emotional undercurrents. The first three couplets progressively frame the retreat's environment—from macro watercourses to micro floral persistence—constructing an aestheticized reclusive space. The finale's social anticipation gathers these natural details into human significance, where landscape becomes hospitality's canvas. The work's restrained elegance and structural precision exemplify High Tang's subtle lyricism.
Artistic Merits
- Ecological Empathy: Natural elements (bamboo, egrets) reflect the poet's moral temperament
- Architectonic Harmony: Scenes progress panoramically (gullies→mountains→flora/fauna) before human resolution
- Linguistic Transparency: Deceptively simple diction conveys layered symbolism (e.g., ivy as natural curtain)
Insights
Beyond depicting an idyllic retreat, the poem models intellectual friendship's ritual significance—where environment curates connection. In our digital age of instantaneous but shallow interactions, Qian Qi's preparation of both physical and mental space for companionship offers profound meditation on intentional presence. The "swept mossy path" becomes metaphor for how we might clear distractions to truly receive others.
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
Qian Qi (钱起, 722-780 A.D.)was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, Han nationality, and a native of Wuxing (now Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province), who was one of the “Ten Talents of the Dali” and the “Champion of the Ten Talents of the Dali”. In his early years, he was unsuccessful in several examinations, but finally he was admitted as a scholar in 751 AD.
