"Giving Lotus" is a seven-character ancient poem written by Li Shangyin, a poet in the Tang Dynasty.
The first four sentences of this poem contrast the lotus with other flowers, highlighting the special beauty of the matching and complementing lotus leaves. The deeper meaning is to show that he and the woman are a match made in heaven;
The last two sentences express the poet's expectations and hidden worries. The whole poem is euphemistic and implicit, with an elegant style, profound thoughts and intriguing thoughts.
Giving lotus flowers
The flowers and leaves in the world are inconsistent1, and the flowers enter the golden pot and the leaves become dust2.
Only the green lotus and the red lotus 3, the rolls are open and closed, and there is innocence 4.
This flower and this leaf grow in harmony with each other, the green becomes redder and the red fades, the sadness kills 5!
Word and Sentence Comments
Incoherent: Not comparable. It means that everyone in the world attaches great importance to flowers but not to leaves. Lun means comparison, equality, and the same kind.
Golden basin: a basin made of copper, used for filling water for washing.
Only: only. Green lotus: refers to the green lotus leaves.菡萏(hàn dàn): refers to the unopened lotus.
Juan Shu: describes the posture of the lotus leaf. Roll, curl. Relax, stretch. Opening and closing: describes the posture of the lotus. Open, open. Close, close. Ren Tianzhen: It is natural. Innocence, nature, the way it is without any decoration.
The green color decreases and the red color declines: The green color is the leaves and the red color is the flowers. The green color is decreasing and the red color is declining. Cui refers to lotus leaves. Red refers to lotus. Worry about killing (shà) people: making people extremely miserable.
Vernacular translation
People in the world have different views on flowers and leaves. They plant flowers in beautiful golden pots, but ignore the flowers and leaves and let them fall into the soil and turn into dust.
Only the lotus has red flowers and green leaves. The lotus leaves are curled and relaxed, and the lotus flowers are open and closed. It is so perfect and natural.
Lotus and lotus leaves have always complemented each other. It is so sad when the lotus leaves fall and the lotus withers.