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Shǎng Mǔ DānAdmiring Peonies 赏牡丹
Liu Yuxi on the peony craze in the capital. Peonies bloom in late spring.
Original Chinese text with pinyin
庭前芍药妖无格
tíng qián sháo yào yāo wú gé
池上芙蕖净少情
chí shàng fú qú jìng shǎo qíng
唯有牡丹真国色
wéi yǒu mǔ dān zhēn guó sè
花开时节动京城
huā kāi shí jié dòng jīng chéng
Simplified characters; traditional title: 賞牡丹.
English translation
The herbaceous peonies in the courtyard are lovely but lack poise;
the lotus on the pond is pure but cold.
Only the tree peony has true national beauty —
when it blooms, it stirs the whole capital.
Original translation by Poetune — literal but poetic, written for this site.
Line by line
Meaning and imagery
Liu Yuxi on the peony craze in the capital. Peonies bloom in late spring. The scene stays with you.
Background
Liu Yuxi on the peony craze in the capital. Peonies bloom in late spring.
Key words
- 芙蕖 fú qú
- key word in the poem
- 庭前 tíng qián
- key word in the poem
- 芍药 sháo yào
- key word in the poem
About the poet: Liu Yuxi
Liu Yuxi, a close friend of Liu Zongyuan and Bai Juyi, spent over twenty years in exile after the failed reform of 805. Bai Juyi called him the "hero of poetry" for his resilient, witty spirit.
Lifetime: 772–842. Other famous works: Black Robe Lane (乌衣巷); Autumn Song (秋词); The Autumn Wind (秋风引); An Inscription for My Humble Room (陋室铭); Gazing at Dongting (望洞庭); Bamboo Branch Song (竹枝词); Waves Washing Sand (浪淘沙); Admiring Peonies (赏牡丹); Autumn Song II (秋词).
More by Liu Yuxi
- Black Robe Lane乌衣巷
- Autumn Song秋词
- The Autumn Wind秋风引
- Gazing at Dongting望洞庭
- Bamboo Branch Song竹枝词
- Waves Washing Sand浪淘沙
- Autumn Song II秋词