"Wanglushan Waterfall"
From Li Bai's "Wanglushan Waterfall"
The incense burner in the sunshine produces purple smoke, and the waterfall can be seen in the distance.
Flying down three thousand feet, it is suspected that the Milky Way has fallen into the sky.
This is a landscape poem written by the poet Li Bai when he was living in seclusion in Mount Lushan when he was about fifty years old. This poem vividly depicts the majestic scenery of Lushan Waterfall and reflects the poet's infinite love for the great rivers and mountains of the motherland. The first sentence "The sun shines on the incense burner and produces purple smoke." "Xianglu" refers to Xianglu Peak in Lushan Mountain. This peak is located in the northwest of Lushan Mountain. It is pointed and round in shape, like an incense burner. As the waterfall cascades and the water vapor evaporates upward, under the bright sun, it seems as if there is an incense burner standing high in the sky and slowly rising clouds of purple smoke. The word "生" vividly depicts the scene of rising smoke and clouds. This sentence sets a majestic background for the waterfall, and also adds to the atmosphere for the direct description of the waterfall below.
The second sentence "Looking at the waterfall Kageqianchuan from a distance". The four words "looking at the waterfall from a distance" echo the title "Wanglu Mountain Waterfall". "Kakezengawa" means that the waterfall is like a huge white chain hanging straight from the cliff to the river in front. The word "hang" turns movement into stillness, and depicts the waterfall in the distance with a delicate texture.
The first two sentences of the poem are written from a broad perspective, summarizing the panoramic view: the purple smoke is lingering on the top of the mountain, the mountains are hanging white, and the rapids are rushing below the mountain, forming a gorgeous and magnificent picture.
The third sentence "Floating down three thousand feet" describes the waterfall in detail from close range. "Flying flow" expresses the waterfall shooting out of the sky, gushing and pouring down. "Straight down" not only expresses the steepness of the rock wall, but also expresses the rapidity of the water flow. "Three thousand feet" is an exaggeration to describe the height of the mountain.
Writing this way, the poet felt that the majestic momentum of the waterfall had not been fully expressed, so he then wrote another sentence: "It is suspected that the Milky Way has fallen from the sky." It is said that this "flowing down" waterfall makes people suspect that the Milky Way is pouring down from the sky. The word "suspicious" is used in an ethereal and lively way, as if it is true or illusory, attracting people's imagination and adding to the magical color of the waterfall.
This poem uses metaphor, exaggeration and imagination extremely successfully, with a unique conception and vivid, concise and bright language. Su Dongpo admired this poem very much and said, "The emperor sent the emperor to the Milky Way, and in ancient times there were only poems to banish immortals." The "exiled immortal" is Li Bai. "Wanglu Mountain Waterfall" is indeed an example of describing scenery and expressing emotions through objects.