长歌行
A Long Ballad
Original
青青园中葵，
朝露待日晞。
阳春布德泽，
万物生光辉。
常恐秋节至，
焜黄华叶衰。
百川东到海，
何时复西归？
少壮不努力，
老大徒伤悲！
Translation
The sunflowers in the garden are green and bright,
Morning dews await the sun to dry them light.
Warm spring spreads its gracious, nurturing glow,
All living things bloom with vibrant flow.
I often fear autumn’s cold reign will come,
When flowers fade and leaves turn pale and numb.
Hundreds of streams flow east to the sea,
When will they ever turn back to the west, we see?
If in youth and prime you refuse to strive,
In old age, only sorrow and regret will thrive!
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
A Long Ballad is a timeless Yuefu poem that uses vivid natural imagery to deliver a profound lesson about time and diligence. Set against the backdrop of ancient China’s agricultural society, where seasonal cycles dictated daily life, the poem opens with a vibrant spring scene: sunflowers glistening with morning dew, bathed in the warm glow of the season, symbolizing the boundless vitality of youth. It then transitions to the stark reality of autumn, when flowers wither and leaves turn yellow, mirroring the inevitable decline of life with age. The metaphor of hundreds of rivers flowing east to the sea, never to return, powerfully emphasizes the irreversibility of time. The poem’s core theme is an urgent warning: if one squanders their youthful years, they will only be left with regret and sorrow in old age. Its simple yet evocative language and universal message have made it an enduring classic, cherished for centuries as a reminder to seize every moment.
About the Poet
乐府诗集
Yuè Fǔ Shī Jí
Yuefu Poetry Collection is a diverse compilation of folk songs, ceremonial poems, and lyrical works gathered by the Yuefu, an imperial musical bureau founded in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 9 CE) and active throughout subsequent dynasties. It has no single author; instead, it encompasses creations from anonymous folk poets, court composers, and literati. The collection captures vivid slices of ancient social life, with a style that is authentic, emotionally resonant, and deeply rooted in popular culture, exerting a lasting influence on the development of Chinese classical poetry.
Cultural & Historical Context
Historically, "A Long Ballad" belongs to the Yuefu Poetry Collection, which originated from the Yuefu bureau established in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 9 CE). The bureau’s primary role was to collect folk songs and create ceremonial music, serving as a channel for the imperial court to gauge public opinion and preserve cultural traditions. Culturally, it embodies the ancient Chinese philosophical view of "unity of man and nature," where natural phenomena are closely linked to human life experiences. Seasonal cycles, central to agricultural societies of ancient China, were not just markers of time but symbols of life’s stages. Socially, the poem reflects the collective anxiety of people who understood that wasted time in youth would lead to hardship in old age, as agricultural work required consistent effort to secure livelihoods. Since the poem is anonymous, there is no specific personal experience of an individual author; instead, it distills the shared wisdom of generations of folk poets. Its creative purpose is to admonish young people to seize the day, using vivid natural metaphors—from spring’s vitality to autumn’s decay, and rivers flowing to the sea—to convey the irreversibility of time. Artistically, it features a smooth emotional arc, shifting from serene, vibrant imagery to urgent, cautionary tones, with parallel structures that enhance its rhythmic flow and memorable impact.