"Xugongdian, Suxin City" by Yang Wanli of the Song Dynasty
The fence is sparse and one foot deep,
The flowers on the treetops have not yet formed shade.
The children hurriedly chased the yellow butterfly,
flying into the cauliflower and nowhere to be found.
Notes
1. Xinshi Xugongdian: Xinshi: place name. Today's Xinshi Town, Deqing County, Zhejiang Province. Xinshi was also the brewing center of the Song Dynasty. The government set up a liquor tax official in the new city, and Zhu Xi's son Zhu Shu served as the official. Yang Wanli is obsessed with the wines that line Xinshi Xihekou. Drink heavily and get drunk. Keep the Xugong store in Xinshi. Xu Gongdian, the name of the hotel opened by a family named Xu.
2． Fence: fence.
3. Path: trail.
4. Yin: shade of trees.
5. Rush: run quickly.
6. Gong: An ancient honorific title for men.
7. Yellow butterfly: a beautiful yellow-silver butterfly.
Brief Analysis
Yang Wanli (1127-1206), Han nationality, named Tingxiu and Chengzhai. A native of Jishui, Jizhou (now Jishui County). An outstanding poet in the Southern Song Dynasty. He became a Jinshi in the 24th year of Shaoxing (1154). He was granted the title of Sihu in Ganzhou and later transferred to the position of Prime Minister of Lingling County in Yongzhou. He met Zhang Jun who was relegated to Yongzhou and received much encouragement and instruction from him. After Xiaozong ascended the throne, Zhang Jun became prime minister and recommended Wanli as a professor in Lin'an Prefecture. Before taking office, his father died. After serving his term, he changed his name to Fengxin County. In the sixth year of Qiandao (1170), he was appointed Doctor of Guozi and began to serve as a capital official. Soon he moved to Taichang Cheng and became a young general. In the first year of Chunxi (1174), he was sent to Zhangzhou and changed to Changzhou. In the sixth year, he promoted tea salt in Changping, Guangdong, suppressed Shen Shi's uprising army, and was promoted to Tidian Prison in Guangdong. Soon after, his mother died and he left his post. He was called back to be a member of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Wai Lang, and was promoted to a doctor. In May of the twelfth year (1185), he responded to the imperial edict with an earthquake. He discussed ten current affairs, advised Xiao Zonggu to put aside urgent matters and concentrate on preparing for the enemy. He resolutely opposed some people's suggestions of abandoning the Huaihe River and retreating. Bao Yangjiang's suggestion of harming the country advocated the selection of talents and active preparation for war. The following year, he was appointed Privy Council Prosecutor and Prince's Attendant. In the fourteenth year (1187), he was moved to the post of Secretary Shaojian. After Emperor Gaozong died, Wanli argued that Zhang Jun should be worthy of temple sacrifices and accused Hong Mai of "referring to a deer as a horse", which angered Emperor Xiaozong and sent him to Junzhou (today's Gao'an, Jiangxi). Guangzong ascended the throne and was called secretary-supervisor. In the first year of Shaoxi (1190), he served as the envoy to the Kingdom of Jin and the reviewer of the Record Academy. In the end, Xiaozong was dissatisfied with him and became the deputy envoy to Jiangdong. The imperial court wanted to carry out iron money in the counties south of the Yangtze River, but Wanli thought it would be inconvenient for the people, so he refused to obey the edict, disobeyed the prime minister's wishes, and changed his name to Ganzhou. Wan Li saw that his ambition could not be realized, so he did not take up his post. He begged for a ancestral official position (he had no actual official position, only received a ancestral salary, which was equivalent to retirement) and returned. In the second year of Kaixi (1206), he died of grief and anger because he hated Han Kuanzhou for manipulating power and harming the country. He eventually became a scribe in Baomo Pavilion and was given the posthumous title of "Wenjie".
This is a poem describing the rural scenery in late spring. It paints us a picture of spring and lovely children. "Wei Cheng Yin" highlights the happy and innocent background of children catching butterflies. There is a sparse fence and a deep path. There are several trees beside the fence. The petals are falling from the branches, and the young leaves have not yet fluttered.
Cheng Yin: Fences and paths indicate that this is a rural area; "the flowers have not yet become shade" and the "cauliflower" in the concluding sentence both indicate that this is the late spring season.
The last two sentences, "Children hurriedly chased yellow butterflies, flying into cauliflowers and nowhere to be found." The colored pen was moved to the center of the picture, depicting the joyful scene of children catching butterflies. "Running fast" and "chasing" mean to run and chase quickly. These two verbs are very vivid and vivid, vividly portraying children's innocent, lively, curious and competitive demeanor and psychology. "Flying into the cauliflower and finding nowhere" suddenly turns the moving shot into stillness. The three words "Nowhere to be found" leave room for readers to imagine and reminisce, as if there is another child in front of us who is scratching his head and feeling at a loss in front of a field of golden cauliflower.
This poem uses line drawing techniques, which is easy, natural and vivid. Yang Wanli was an upright official, but he was once hated by his traitors. After being dismissed from office, he lived in the village for a long time. He was very familiar with rural life. His descriptions are naturally touching and interesting.
Translation
Beside the sparse fence, there is a path stretching into the distance. The flowers on the trees beside the road have fallen off, but the new leaves have just grown and have not yet bloomed. Create shade. The children ran and chased the fluttering yellow butterflies, but the yellow butterflies flew into the yellow cauliflower bushes, and the children could no longer distinguish or find them.