唐詩
望洞庭
Liu Yuxi
湖光秋月两相和，潭面无风镜未磨。
遥望洞庭山水翠，白银盘里一青螺。
翻訳
The light of the lake and the autumn moon blend in perfect harmony. With no wind on the deep water, the surface is like a mirror not yet polished. Looking far across Dongting, the mountains and waters are blue-green. In a white silver plate rests one small green spiral shell.
解説
"Viewing Dongting" describes Dongting Lake under an autumn moon. In only four lines, Liu Yuxi creates a scene of distance, stillness, clarity, and refined beauty. The first line joins lake light and autumn moonlight. They do not merely appear together; they harmonize. The word "harmony" is central. It suggests a quiet balance between water and sky, brightness and softness. The second line compares the windless lake surface to an unpolished mirror. This is more subtle than simply saying the lake is bright like a mirror. An unpolished mirror has a soft, muted sheen. The comparison gives the lake a smooth but gentle surface, luminous without harshness. The third line shifts to distant vision. From far away, the mountains and waters of Dongting appear as one blue-green whole. The poem does not describe detailed scenery. It gives a broad tonal impression. The final line is the poem's most memorable image. The moonlit lake becomes a silver plate, and Junshan Island within the lake becomes a small green spiral shell. This metaphor miniaturizes the vast landscape into something delicate and precious. The lake remains expansive, but it is also made elegant, pure, and almost ornamental. The poem's beauty lies in restraint. There are no boats, waves, people, or strong emotions. There is only lake, moon, stillness, distance, silver, and green. Liu Yuxi turns a grand landscape into a quiet, perfectly balanced image.
作者紹介
Liu Yuxi, courtesy name Mengde, was a Tang dynasty poet and essayist from Luoyang. He was involved with Liu Zongyuan in the Yongzhen Reform and, after its failure, endured long periods of demotion and exile. His poetry is known for clarity, vigor, sharpness, and resilience. He wrote historical poems, landscape poems, folk-song-inspired works such as the "Bamboo Branch Songs," and concise philosophical pieces. Bai Juyi praised him as a "hero of poetry." His representative works include "Inscription on My Humble Room," "Black Robe Lane," "Reply to Bai Juyi at Our First Meeting in Yangzhou," "Bamboo Branch Songs," and "Viewing Dongting."