The literal meaning is: the flowers growing in the corners of the wall lack vigorous vitality because they cannot be fully bathed in sunlight and moistened by rain, and the flowers bloom yellow and thin.
This poem euphemistically mocks the self-admiration of the little flower in the corner, intending to warn people that they should be humble and not proud. The flower of life always blooms in a humble state of mind. Once you fall into self-admiration, you will wither and wither. From "Spring Water", a collection of poems by Bing Xin, consisting of 182 short poems, compiled and published in 1923.
Creative background
Bing Xin was deeply influenced by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore's "Theory of Pan-Love" and believed that "with love, there is everything." This collection of poems and "Stars" are both Similar to Rabindranath Tagore's poetry collections "The Gardener", "The New Moon" and "The Birds".
In 1923, "Spring Water" was published in "Morning News·Vice", which included 182 of Bing Xin's poems in one volume.