惠崇春江晚景
View of the Spring River in Early Evening (After Hui Chong's Painting)
Original
竹外桃花三两枝，
春江水暖鸭先知。
蒌蒿满地芦芽短，
正是河豚欲上时。
Translation
A few peach branches bloom beyond the bamboos;
Ducks are first to feel the spring river’s warm embrace;
Water parsley carpets the ground; reed shoots are still short;
Just when globefish are set to swim upstream.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
This poem is an inscribed verse dedicated to a landscape painting by Hui Chong, a celebrated Buddhist monk-painter of the early Song Dynasty. The translation captures the delicate, vibrant charm of an early spring riverside scene: peach blossoms peeking through bamboo groves, ducks testing the gradually warming river, tender water parsley and young reed shoots blanketing the shore, and the implicit anticipation of migratory globefish swimming upstream. Su Shi masterfully merges the static imagery of the painting with his keen observation of nature’s subtle signs, expressing profound appreciation for the quiet vitality of early spring and turning a silent artwork into a lively, immersive experience brimming with freshness.
About the Poet
苏轼
Sū Shì
Su Shi (1037–1101), a towering literatus of the Northern Song Dynasty, was one of the 'Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties'. A versatile genius excelling in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and prose, his poetic style blends bold, unconstrained grandeur with delicate, introspective subtlety. He explored diverse themes from natural landscapes to social realities and philosophical musings, leaving an enduring legacy in Chinese literary history.
Cultural & Historical Context
Historical Background: The Northern Song Dynasty saw a surge in literati art, where inscribing poems on paintings became a cherished practice, unifying literary and visual aesthetics. Cultural Background: This reflected the traditional Chinese ideal of 'poetry within painting and painting within poetry', emphasizing the harmonious fusion of verbal and visual expressions of beauty. Social Background: Urban prosperity nurtured vibrant artistic circles, with frequent interactions between scholars and Buddhist monks; Hui Chong’s serene landscape works were highly esteemed in these circles. Personal Experience: Su composed this poem after returning from exile in Huangzhou, his mellowed mindset allowing him to deeply connect with nature’s quiet nuances. Creative Purpose & Artistic Features: Su aimed to complement Hui Chong’s painting by adding dynamic, sensory details and imaginative extensions. He uses minute, overlooked spring signs to convey seasonal vitality, blending realism with poetic imagination, and his concise, vivid language transforms static visuals into a lively scene that celebrates the freshness of new beginnings.