Original work
Jade House Spring——[Song Dynasty] Song Qi
The scenery in the East City is gradually beautiful, and the wrinkled ripples welcome guests.
The dawn outside the green poplar smoke is light and cold, and the red apricot branches are full of spring.
I hate the lack of entertainment when I grow up, but I am willing to love a thousand gold and smile lightly.
I hold wine for you to welcome the setting sun, and leave the evening light among the flowers.
Notes
Yulou Chun: the name of the word brand.
Wrinkled ripples welcome guests: When the spring breeze blows, ripples appear on the water surface, as if to welcome the arrival of passenger ships. 縠 wrinkle, wrinkled yarn, here is a metaphor for the ripples of water. 湣, oar, refers to the boat.
The dawn outside the green poplar smoke is slightly cold: the willows are like smoke, and there is still a slight chill at dawn.
Noisy: lively, lively.
I often regret that I have too few happy moments in life. Floating life refers to an uncertain life.
Ken Ai Qianjin smiled lightly: Why are you so reluctant to part with money and wealth and despise a happy life? If you are willing to love, how can you be stingy? Light, contempt.
Holding wine to persuade you in the setting sun: Holding wine in hand to persuade you in the setting sun. Hold, hold. The setting sun, the evening sun.
Let us keep the setting sun among the flowers for the time being: life is short and happiness is fleeting. And, for now. Evening light, the afterglow of the setting sun.
Modern Translation of Ancient Poems
The scenery outside Dongcheng is becoming more and more beautiful. The spring breeze blows, and the waves like cotton yarn ripple on the lake, as if to welcome the arrival of passenger ships. The green poplars and willows are as dense as smoke. Only at dawn, there is still a slight chill. The red apricot branches are already buzzing with bees and butterflies. It is full of spring and very lively.
I often regret that there are too few happy times in a person's life, so why not spend a lot of money in exchange for a happy life. Pick up the filled wine glass and have a drink in front of the setting sun. I hope the setting sun can stay among the beautiful flowers for a while longer!
Appreciation
Song Qi (998-1061), named Zijing, was a native of Anlu during the Northern Song Dynasty. When he was young, his elder brother Song Xiang studied abroad with his father. When he was a little older, he left his father and returned home. In the second year of Tiansheng's reign (1024), Renzong of Song Dynasty and his brother Song Xiang were elected Jinshi together, ranking first, and his brother Song Xiang third. The Empress Dowager believed that her younger brother could not be ranked first before her older brother, so she changed the title to Song Xiang. Later, Qi Guan of the Song Dynasty became the Minister of the Ministry of Industry. Both brothers were already famous as writers and were called "Second Song Dynasty" at that time. Song Qi also studied "New Book of Tang" with Ouyang Xiu. "Complete Song Ci" contains six of his poems.
This song "Spring in the Jade House" sings about spring and is filled with the emotions of cherishing youth and loving life. In particular, the word "Nao" in the last sentence of Shangque brought spring to life, which had a great impact at the time. The author was in charge of writing letters at that time, so he was called the "Hongxing Letter".
Shangque: It describes the gorgeous scenery in early spring, showing people a vibrant, colorful and lively picture.
The beginning of the work is "I gradually feel that the scenery is good in Dongcheng" in a soothing narrative tone. On the surface, it seems very casual, but the "scenery is good" at the end of the sentence is full of meaning. The poet's heartfelt praise for spring serves as a general summary. What is so good about the scenery in the east of this city, and how good is it? The next three sentences give a specific description and display of "good scenery". The first thing that catches the poet's eyes is the nearby "wrinkled ripples welcoming guests". The poet directs the reader's attention to the calm spring water. The spring water lake surface looks like cotton gauze folds in the breeze, as if to greet the tourists. Waving to express welcome, people seem to hear the joyful laughter of people on the boat in the few words. "The dawn is cold outside the green poplar smoke, and the spring is bustling on the red apricot branches." The poet guides his sight from near to far from the lake to the "green poplar smoke outside" and "red apricot branches" in the distance. How about "Yang Yanwai"? It still carries a slight chill at dawn; what about the "red apricot branches"? What makes readers unexpected is that it turns out to be "spring is noisy". The word "no" brings a whole new realm. It not only describes the multitude and complexity of red apricots, but also makes the already wonderful spring scenery more vibrant. , full of grandeur and liveliness. It can be said that it is so "noisy" that "the ancients will never be seen in the past, and the newcomers will not be seen in the future."
Xia Que: It writes about the poet’s realistic inner feelings. The poet expressed that life is like a dream, time is fleeting and one should enjoy it in time. However, in terms of writing, it is intended to once again strongly highlight the beautiful spring scenery from a subjective and emotional perspective.
In the two sentences "I hate having fun when I grow up, but I am willing to love a thousand pieces of gold and smile lightly", the poet deliberately highlights the loveliness and value of spring from the two aspects of fame and wealth. The poet held an important position at that time and was busy with official duties. He rarely had the opportunity or the intention to deliberately seek the joy of life from spring, so he said, "When happiness grows, happiness grows, and happiness rarely grows." Therefore, there is a sentiment that I would rather give up "a thousand pieces of gold" than let go of getting a short "smile" from spring. Since spring is so precious and lovely, the poet can't help but have a strong desire to "hold wine for the king to persuade the setting sun" and sigh "to leave the evening light among the flowers." Although this wish is unrealistic and the sunset cannot stay for a while longer, it can more fully express the poet's cherishment of spring and his true love for time. It further highlights the beauty and longing of spring, which the two cherish.