Song Dynasty
Partridge Sky · Where Woods Break Off, Mountains Shine Clear
Su Shi
林断山明竹隐墙。
乱蝉衰草小池塘。
翻空白鸟时时见，
照水红蕖细细香。
村舍外，古城旁。
杖藜徐步转斜阳。
殷勤昨夜三更雨，
又得浮生一日凉。
Translation
Where the woods break off, the mountains shine clear; behind the bamboo, a wall is half hidden. Cicadas cry in disorder among fading grasses; nearby lies a small pond. White birds wheel through the open sky, appearing now and then; red lotus flowers reflect on the water, sending out a faint, delicate fragrance. Outside the village houses, beside the ancient city wall, I walk slowly with my goosefoot staff, turning through the slanting sun. How considerate was last night's rain at the third watch; in this drifting life, I have gained one more day of coolness.
Analysis
This lyric describes a summer walk in the countryside during Su Shi's Huangzhou period. On the surface, it is a simple record of scenery after rain. Beneath that, it reveals one of Su Shi's defining attitudes: even in exile and frustration, he could find temporary relief and spiritual steadiness in the natural world. The first stanza is carefully layered. 'Where the woods break off, the mountains shine clear; behind the bamboo, a wall is half hidden' gives both openness and seclusion. 'Cicadas cry in disorder among fading grasses; nearby lies a small pond' places the poem in late summer. The couplet 'White birds wheel through the open sky; red lotus flowers reflect on the water' is the visual highlight, balancing motion and stillness, white and red, sky and water. The second stanza brings in the speaker. He walks outside village houses and beside an old city wall. 'I walk slowly with my goosefoot staff, turning through the slanting sun' gives the poem its unhurried rhythm. The final couplet is the emotional center: Su Shi personifies the rain as 'considerate,' as if it had kindly arrived to bring relief. 'Drifting life' suggests transience, yet the conclusion is not despair but gratitude for one cool day.
About the Author
Su Shi, courtesy name Zizhan and literary name Dongpo Jushi, was a major writer, statesman, calligrapher, painter, and poet of the Northern Song dynasty. Born in Meishan, Meizhou, he is one of the 'Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song.' His repeated exiles, especially his time in Huangzhou, profoundly shaped his writing and worldview. Su Shi greatly expanded the range of ci poetry, allowing it to include history, landscape, philosophy, politics, farming, travel, humor, and ordinary life. His style can be bold and expansive, but also fresh, intimate, and finely observant. Famous works include 'Nian Nu Jiao · Remembrance at Red Cliff,' 'Shui Diao Ge Tou · When Will the Moon Be Bright,' and 'Jiang Cheng Zi · Dream on the Twentieth Night of the First Month.'