When the Emperor sought guidance from wise men, from exiles,
He found no calmer w i sdom than that of young Chia
And assigned him the foremost council-seat at midnight,
Yet asked him about gods, instead of about people.
Original Poem
「江南曲」
于鹄
偶向江边采白蘋，还随女伴赛江神。
众中不敢分明语，暗掷金钱卜远人。
Interpretation
This poem captures a young wife's clandestine longing during a communal river festival. Beneath the lively rituals to the river god flows her private tide of devotion—a tender portrait of love expressed through subtle gestures and silent prayers.
First Couplet: "偶向江边采白蘋，还随女伴赛江神。"
Ǒu xiàng jiāng biān cǎi bái pín, hái suí nǚ bàn sài jiāng shén.
Casually plucking duckweed by the shore,
Joining maidens' offerings to the River Lord—
The surface nonchalance of "casually" (偶向) belies deeper currents. Her participation in the ritual (赛江神) appears obligatory, the floating duckweed mirroring her adrift thoughts amidst the festive crowd.
Second Couplet: "众中不敢分明语，暗掷金钱卜远人。"
Zhòng zhōng bù gǎn fēnmíng yǔ, àn zhì jīnqián bǔ yuǎn rén.
Among the throng, no word of love confessed,
Only coins tossed secretly for his return.
The climax thrums with quiet intensity: the "secret toss" (暗掷) of divination coins becomes both a physical act and a metaphor for her heart's gamble. These copper circles—emblems of fortune and fidelity—arc through air like unspoken prayers.
Holistic Appreciation
An ordinary riverside scene becomes the canvas for portraying a wife's quiet devotion. Without rhetorical flourish, the poem uses economical strokes to etch her timidity and tenderness. Each observed detail—the covert coin toss, the hushed voice—becomes a window into her inner world, exemplifying how classical poetry elevates domestic intimacy into art. Here, the restrained aesthetic of boudoir poetry (闺情诗) finds perfect harmony with the textures of everyday existence.
Artistic Features
- Psychological Depth Through Detail
The woman's subtle gestures silently convey longing and resignation. "Happened to join" (偶向) and "still followed" (还随) reveal her reluctant participation, while "dared not speak clearly" (不敢分明语) captures her bashfulness. The act of "secretly tossing coins" (暗掷金钱) poignantly expresses both deep affection and hopeful anticipation for her distant beloved. Such meticulous detailing breathes life into the character with remarkable authenticity. - Fusion of Emotion and Vivid Realism
Folksy scenes—gathering duckweed by the river, offerings to the river god—ground emotional expression in tangible daily life. This organic blend of heartfelt sentiment and relatable activities lends the poem both visceral immediacy and enduring resonance. - Restrained Yet Profound Expression
Rather than stating the woman's longing outright, the poem implies it through behavior and demeanor. This nuanced approach deepens the lyrical impact and invites readers to inhabit the unspoken spaces between lines.
Insights
This work reminds us how profoundly moving emotions can emerge from life's simple gestures. By interweaving feeling with setting and magnifying the significance of small acts, writers amplify their work's emotional power. The poem stands as a testament to how understatement, when crafted with precision, resonates more deeply than declaration.
Poem translator
Xu Yuanchong (许渊冲)
About the poet
Yu Hu(于鹄), a Tang dynasty poet from the Hubei region, is known for verses that capture both the rhythms of urban life and the serenity of reclusion. His accessible, vernacular style bridges the populist approach of Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi (元白) and the crisp austerity of Yao He and Jia Dao (姚贾), carving out a distinctive niche amid Mid-Tang landscape poetry by grounding his work in everyday authenticity.
