Chishang
[Author] Bai Juyi
The little boy held a small boat and secretly picked white lotus.
If you don’t hide the traces, the duckweeds will bloom together.
Translation
The child held a boat and secretly picked white lotus flowers from the pond.
He did not know how to hide his whereabouts. The duckweed was swung away by the boat, leaving a long water line on the water.
Notes
Little baby: boy or girl.
Boat: boat.
White lotus: white lotus.
Trace: Refers to the duckweed scratched by the boat.
Duckweed: an aquatic plant with oval leaves floating on the water and fibrous roots under the leaves. It blooms white flowers in summer.
Appreciation
This poem is like a set of shots that capture a child secretly picking white lotus. From the time when the little protagonist of the poem enters the picture with his boat, until he leaves, only a piece of duckweed is left behind. There are scenery, color, action descriptions, and psychological portrayals, which are detailed, realistic, and full of interest; and the innocence and childishness of this little protagonist are , lively and naughty cute image, it is lifelike and vivid on the paper.
This is a poem describing children's life. The poet uses his unique popular style to describe the little doll in the poem as very cute and amiable. The whole poem is like vernacular, but it is full of charm, making people laugh and laugh after reading it. In the poem, the poet narrates a small incident in the life of a little baby, accurately captures the little baby's momentary mood, and outlines a picture of lotus picking.
In the summer when lotus flowers are in full bloom, innocent and lively children hold a small boat and secretly go to the pond to pick white lotus flowers to play with. I was so excited to collect lotus flowers that I had long forgotten that I had gone there quietly without telling the adults. I didn’t know how or didn’t think of hiding my traces, so I rowed back in a small boat with a swagger, and the boat gently shook the duckweeds on the water. A clear and obvious trace of the waterway was left behind. The poet uses his unique popular style to describe the little baby in the poem as very cute and amiable. The whole poem is like vernacular and full of charm.
Bai Juyi is a great poet who is good at writing narrative poems. His long narrative poems describe the narratives in a detailed and melodious way, full of the poet's own emotions. Similarly, the sketches in his poems are more popular and accessible.