The sun has gone slanting over a lordly roof And red-blossoming branches have leaned toward the dew Since the Emperor last night summoned a new favourite And Lady Yang's bright smile came through the curtains.
Original Poem:
「集灵台 一」
日光斜照集灵台，红树花迎晓露开。
昨夜上皇新授箓，太真含笑入帘来。
Interpretation:
This poem is divided into 1 and 2, both of which satirize the exclusive favor of Yang Yuhuan’s sisters. This poem satirizes the frivolity of Yang Yuhuan.
Yang Yuhuan was originally the concubine of King Xuanzong’s eighteenth son, Shouwang Mao, who was summoned by Xuanzong to work as a female official in the forbidden place, and was later favored and enlisted as a noble concubine. The poet pointed out that Emperor Xuanzong should not teach the secret rituals here. The poet also points out that your consort “smiles” at this time to enter, volunteering to be a female Taoist priest, cooperating tacitly to hide the ears of others, which shows its frivolous and flirtatious.
Zhang Hu
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Zhang Hu (张祜, 785-849 A.D.) was a poet from Qinghe in the Tang Dynasty, he wrote more than a thousand poems in total. In his early years, he lived in Gusu, but in the middle of Changqing, he was not recommended by Linghu Chu. He was rejected by Yuan Zhen, so he went to Huainan and lived in seclusion in Danyang Qu’a. During his life, Zhang Hu made remarkable achievements in poetry. Zhang Hu was named after his poem “Three thousand miles from his homeland, twenty years in the deep palace”, and his 349 poems are included in The Complete Tang Poems.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
