Yuan Day
[Song Dynasty] Wang Anshi
The sound of firecrackers marks the end of the year,
The spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu.
Thousands of households always exchange old talismans for new peaches.
Translation:
In the sound of crackling firecrackers, we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. The spring breeze brings the warm breeze into Tusu Wine. At dawn, every household takes down the old peach charms (posted door gods) and replaces them with new peach charms to welcome the new year.
The first sentence is "One year is gone with the sound of firecrackers", bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new year in the sound of firecrackers. The starting sentence closely follows the title, exaggerating the lively and joyful atmosphere of the Spring Festival. The second sentence "The spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu" describes people facing the warm spring breeze and drinking Tusu wine happily. The third sentence, "Thousands of households are on the same day," writes that the brilliance of the rising sun shines on thousands of households. "戈戈" is used to express the brilliant scene at sunrise, symbolizing the infinite bright and beautiful prospects. The concluding sentence "always replace the old talisman with the new peach" not only describes the folk customs at that time, but also contains the meaning of removing the old and replacing it with the new. "Peach Talisman" is a kind of peach board painted with gods and hung on the door to ward off evil spirits. Every New Year's Day, the old peach charms are removed and replaced with new ones. "New peaches replace old symbols" closely echoes the first sentence of "Firecrackers send off the old year", which vividly expresses the scene of renewal of everything. Wang Anshi is both a politician and a poet. Many of his poems describing landscapes contain strong political content. This poem uses the description of the new atmosphere on New Year's Day to express his ambition and optimistic and confident mood of governing reforms, eradicating the old and bringing in the new, strengthening the country and enriching the people.
The whole poem has a brisk writing style, bright colors, and the foreground in the eyes and the emotions in the heart blend seamlessly. It is indeed a good poem that blends emotions into the scenery and has profound meaning. Yuan Day: the first day of the first lunar month.
Firecrackers: The popping sound made when ancient people burned bamboo. It was used to drive away ghosts and avoid evil spirits, and later evolved into setting off firecrackers.
One year apart: One year is over. Remove, go.
Tu Su: Medicine Shop. It is an ancient custom to ward off evil spirits and avoid plague in order to achieve longevity.
曈戈: The bright appearance at sunrise.
Peach: Peach charm. It is an ancient custom to write the names of two door gods on peach boards and hang them on the left and right sides of the door to drive away ghosts and suppress evil spirits. They are changed every year.
Modern translation of ancient poems
The sound of firecrackers has driven away the old year, and the spring breeze brings warm drinks to Tusu to avoid disaster and seek blessings.
Thousands of households welcome the rising sun of the first lunar month, and the old peach charms must be replaced with new door gods