Three Character Classic Hundred Family Surnames Thousand Character Classic Thousand Family Poems Disciples' Rules

Author: Wang Yinglin (Song Dynasty) / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
Spring Dawn by Meng Haoran
Spring slumbered unaware of dawn,
Everywhere birds sing sweetly.
Last night’s wind and rain’s sound,
How many flowers have fallen?
[Translation]
In the spring night, one craves sleep,
Unknowingly, day has broken,
Birdsong fills the air all around.
Last night, in a hazy dream,
Wind and rain’s whispers were heard,
How many flowers have been scattered?
[Appreciation]
How lovely to sleep through the night,
Lying in bed, a whole night’s rest.
Had it not been for the birds outside,
The poet would still be unaware of the bright dawn.
Listen, the birds sing with great enthusiasm,
Chirping and chirping, tapping and trilling,
Various tunes, various pitches,
From near and far, from all directions,
They blend into a beautiful harmony,
A rich and vibrant morning symphony.
Without looking, without asking,
Just the birds’ clamor hints at a sunlit, flower-rich morning.
Suddenly, the poet remembers,
In a dream, the wind and rain were heard last night,
The whistling wind mixed with the rustling rain,
After such disturbances, how many flowers in bloom
Have been blown away, leaving the branches too early?
Alas, hopefully, not too many.
Here, the poet describes two sounds of spring through hearing and recollection: the morning chorus of birds and the night’s wind and rain. The emotions are complex and subtle. Upon waking, the poet hears the morning symphony of birds, and joy is unmistakable in his heart. But remembering the night’s wind and rain, he thinks of many flowers that may have perished, spoiling the scenery. Yes, life is never perfect, and what is called "ten springs of beauty" is merely an exaggeration, a wish. Generally speaking, there are both morning birds and falling flowers in the wind, so people experience both joy and inevitable sighs and sorrows.
However, spring is still spring. Even if flowers are scattered by the wind and rain, after the spring rain, it will be a morning of birds singing in joy. Will not the flowers on the earth be even more vibrant and colorful? Delving into the poetry, we seem to gain new insights into life.
P176