Cicada
Dynasty: Tang Dynasty
Author: Yu Shinan
The drooping scorpion drinks the clear dew, and the sound of the flowing water flows out of the sparse tung trees.
It is not to borrow the autumn wind to speak loudly and from a distance.
Translation:
The cicada lowered its tassel-like tentacles to suck the clear and sweet dew.
The sound came from the tall and sparse sycamore branches.
The reason why the sound of cicadas spread far is because they live in high trees,
rather than relying on the autumn wind.
The implication is that a person with noble character can become famous without external support.
This is a poem about cicada, praising the noble character of cicada. But it is also a matter of purpose.