Song Dynasty
蝶恋花·花褪残红青杏小
苏轼
花褪残红青杏小。
燕子飞时，绿水人家绕。
枝上柳绵吹又少。
天涯何处无芳草！
墙里秋千墙外道。
墙外行人，墙里佳人笑。
笑渐不闻声渐悄。
多情却被无情恼。
Translation
The blossoms have shed their last red petals; small green apricots have formed on the branches. As swallows fly by, green water winds around the homes. The willow catkins on the boughs grow fewer, scattered by the wind. Yet at the farthest edge of the world, where is there no fragrant grass? Inside the wall, someone plays on a swing; outside the wall runs a path. A passerby beyond the wall hears the laughter of a lovely woman within. The laughter slowly fades, and the sound grows quiet. The heart that feels too much is troubled by one who feels nothing at all.
Analysis
On the surface, this lyric describes late-spring scenery, but beneath it conveys a subtle yet lingering mood. The first stanza begins with "The blossoms have shed their last red petals; small green apricots have formed"—spring has turned from fullness toward decay. The scene is not tragic; it is even fresh and pleasant. Yet the awareness of fleeting time is already woven into it. The line "Yet at the farthest edge of the world, where is there no fragrant grass?" is easy to extract and read as a consolation, but in context it reads more like self-persuasion. Fragrant grass may grow everywhere, but the feeling—and the person before one's eyes—may not receive a response. The second stanza unfolds like a cinematic moment: inside the wall, a swing; outside, a passerby; laughter from within stirring feeling from without. One wall separates two worlds. The laughter fades, but the emotion stays. The closing is light yet precise—not a great grief, but the quiet ache of a feeling heart stirred by inadvertent laughter. What makes this poem remarkable is that it never burdens spring sorrow or longing with weight. Instead, it wraps a faint sense of loss in bright, lucid imagery. The result is something clean, natural, and deeply lingering.
About the Author
Su Shi, courtesy name Zizhan, also known as Dongpo Jushi, was a Northern Song literary giant and ink painter from Meishan, Meizhou. He is one of the most important figures in the history of Song literature, with extraordinary achievements in poetry, lyric, prose, calligraphy, and painting. Su Shi's ci poetry expanded the expressive range of the form. He could be heroic and expansive, or clear, tender, and delicate. He never confined himself to the conventional love themes of the wanyue tradition, but wove reflections on life, natural imagery, and philosophical insight into his lyrics. His masterpieces include "Charm of a Maiden Singer · Recalling Antiquity at Red Cliff," "Prelude to Water Melody · How Long Will the Full Moon Appear?" "Calming Wind and Waves · Listen Not to the Rain Pattering Against the Trees," and "Butterflies in Love with Flowers · Faded Pink, Apricot Small."