Poetic background
Picking Mulberry Seeds is a poem written by Ouyang Xiu after he left his wife. At that time, Ouyang Xiu was transferred to a place far away from home because of official needs and separated from his wife. In this poem, Ouyang Xiu compares herself to a mulberry-picking girl and expresses her thoughts for her wife. This poem not only expresses the author's personal feelings, but also reflects the pain of many men and women in society at that time because of the separation of official duties.
Poetry content
At the beginning of the poem, it is "a common sight of Qi Wang's family, but I have heard it several times before Cui Tangjiu." The "King of Qi" here refers to Zhao Kuangyin, King of Qi. He was a royal relative in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, and his mansion was very luxurious. Cui is the father-in-law of Ouyang Xiu. After Ouyang Xiu left his hometown, he visited his wife's house many times. These two sentences express the author's loneliness and yearning in a foreign land.
Next, the poem describes the scene of the author picking mulberry: "Don't hang, don't tie, pick mulberry flocs and drag them behind." The "nose" here refers to the bun, and the "tie" refers to the hair band. This sentence expresses the author's yearning for his wife. Then, the poem wrote: "And the next island, with duckweed in white, lovesickness and sorrow _ flowers." "Tingzhou" here refers to a water area in the south of the Yangtze River, and "glistening" refers to Bai Lianhua. This sentence expresses the author's yearning for the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan while missing his wife.
Finally, the poem is "Who sings when picking mulberry seeds?" There is still a long story in the empty mountains. "the end. This sentence expresses the author's longing for himself and his feeling of loneliness.
Mulberry picking operation steps
Mulberry picking is the traditional labor of women in ancient China, and it is also the scene described by Ouyang Xiu in his poems. The specific operation steps are as follows:
1. Prepare the tools for mulberry picking. Mulberry picking needs a basket, a bamboo basket and a pair of scissors.
2. Find the right mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves should be tender green, free from pests and diseases, and have sufficient size and quantity.
3. Pick mulberry leaves. Cut mulberry leaves with scissors and put them in a basket or bamboo basket.
4. Pay attention to safety. Pay attention to your own safety when picking mulberry to avoid being bitten by snakes or other dangerous creatures.
5. Wash mulberry leaves. The collected mulberry leaves were washed with clear water and dried to make mulberry silk.
final result
Ouyang Xiu's "Picking Mulberry Seeds" is a love poem full of longing, which reflects the author's longing for his wife and the pain of separation between men and women due to official affairs at that time. In modern society, mulberry picking has become a traditional culture, and Ouyang Xiu's poem has also become a classic of China's ancient love poems.