逢雪宿芙蓉山主人
Staying at Hibiscus Mountain Inn on a Snowy Evening
Original
日暮苍山远，
天寒白屋贫。
柴门闻犬吠，
风雪夜归人。
Translation
At dusk, the blue mountains fade into the distance;
In bitter cold, the humble thatched hut looks desolate;
From the wicker gate, a dog's bark breaks the silence;
Through wind and snow, the host returns home late.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
This poem offers a vivid, intimate snapshot of a wintry night in rural Tang China. Set against the backdrop of heavy snowfall at twilight, it traces the poet’s journey seeking shelter and the quiet warmth found in a humble cottage. The opening lines paint a bleak, expansive landscape: distant mountains fading into dusk, a tiny thatched hut standing alone in biting cold, emphasizing the harshness of the winter environment. The latter two lines shift to a moment of gentle life: a dog’s bark from the wicker gate signals the host’s return through wind and snow, infusing the desolate scene with a touch of human connection and comfort. Written during a time of personal displacement, the poem conveys both the solitude of travel and the solace found in simple, rustic hospitality, reflecting the poet’s appreciation for ordinary beauty amid hardship.
About the Poet
刘长卿
Liú Chángqīng
Liu Changqing (c. 709–789) was a distinguished poet of the Middle Tang Dynasty in China, counted among the "Ten Talents of the Dali Era". Specializing in landscape and lyrical poetry, his works often carry a subtle melancholic undertone. With concise, refined language, he skillfully weaves natural scenes to mirror his inner calm, as well as his occasional disillusionment with the twists and turns of his official career.
Cultural & Historical Context
Historical Background: The Middle Tang Dynasty (766–836) was a period of slow recovery after the devastating An Lushan Rebellion, marked by weakened central authority and widespread rural poverty. Cultural Background: Landscape poetry was a dominant genre in Tang China, where poets used natural imagery to express emotions and philosophical insights; the theme of seeking shelter in travel resonated with traditional Chinese values of embracing simplicity and rural tranquility. Social Background: Many scholars and officials faced frequent displacement then, traveling for official duties or to escape regional unrest, making stays in rustic inns a common experience of hardship and small, unexpected comforts. Personal Experience: When writing this poem, Liu Changqing had endured two demotions and forced exiles due to political factional conflicts, wandering across regions and relying on rural hospitality during his journeys, which deepened his empathy for ordinary rural life. Artistically, the poem adopts the concise four-line jueju form, using stark contrasts between the bleak winter landscape and the warm human moment of the host’s return. It employs sensory details—dusk-draped mountains, the sharp bark of a dog, the bite of cold—to build an immersive scene. Its creation purpose was to capture the quiet beauty of rural existence and convey his own sense of solace found in simple human connections amid personal turmoil, with an understated, lyrical style that lingers in the reader’s mind.