Song Dynasty
Xing Xiang Zi · Trees Encircle the Village
Qin Guan
树绕村庄
水满陂塘
倚东风、豪兴徜徉
小园几许
收尽春光
有桃花红
李花白
菜花黄
远远围墙
隐隐茅堂
飏青旗、流水桥旁
偶然乘兴、步过东冈
正莺儿啼
燕儿舞
蝶儿忙
Translation
Trees encircle the village; spring water fills the ponds and low fields. Leaning into the east wind, I wander at ease, my spirits high. The little garden is not large, yet it seems to gather all the light of spring. There are peach blossoms red, plum blossoms white, and rapeseed flowers yellow. Far away, walls stretch faintly; beyond them, thatched cottages appear dimly. Beside flowing water and a small bridge, a tavern's green flag flutters in the wind. On a sudden impulse, I stroll over the eastern ridge. Just then, orioles are singing, swallows are dancing, and butterflies are busy among the flowers.
Analysis
This lyric is one of Qin Guan's brighter and more relaxed works. Instead of sorrow, exile, or longing, it presents a spring walk through a rural village. Trees, ponds, east wind, gardens, blossoms, cottages, a wine flag, a bridge, orioles, swallows, and butterflies form a vivid countryside scene. The opening lines establish the setting with great simplicity. Spring is not described abstractly; it appears through actual growth, moisture, color, and movement. "The little garden is not large, yet it gathers all the light of spring" is the emotional center. The following line with red peach blossoms, white plum blossoms, and yellow rapeseed flowers is direct and almost painterly. The second stanza adds human life to the natural scene: walls, thatched cottages, a tavern flag, running water, and a bridge. The final three images animate the whole poem: orioles sing, swallows dance, butterflies are busy. The word "busy" gives the butterflies a charming liveliness. Compared with Qin Guan's more melancholic lyrics, this poem feels open, fresh, and warm, turning an ordinary village landscape into a complete world of spring.
About the Author
Qin Guan, courtesy name Shaoyou and also Taixu, styled himself Huaihai Jushi. He was a Northern Song dynasty poet and one of the "Four Scholars of the Su School" associated with Su Shi. Qin Guan is best known for his graceful and emotionally delicate ci poetry, often marked by refined imagery and deep melancholy. Many of his works express longing, displacement, and the frustrations of official life. "Xing Xiang Zi · Trees Encircle the Village," however, reveals a brighter side of his talent: plain language, clear colors, and a vivid sense of rural spring.