Tang Dynasty
Quatrain
Du Fu
迟日江山丽，春风花草香。
泥融飞燕子，沙暖睡鸳鸯。
Translation
The spring day grows long; rivers and mountains shine beautifully. The spring wind blows, and flowers and grasses are fragrant. The mud has softened; swallows fly through the air. The sand is warm; mandarin ducks sleep upon it.
Analysis
This quatrain is one of Du Fu's clearest spring poems. In only twenty characters, it presents light, wind, fragrance, softened mud, flying swallows, warm sand, and sleeping mandarin ducks. The first line gives the broad scene. 'The spring day grows long' suggests the lengthening daylight of spring. Under that gentle light, rivers and mountains appear bright and beautiful. The second line adds fragrance. Spring is not only something seen; it is also something smelled. The spring wind carries the scent of flowers and grasses, making the scene more immediate and physical. The third line introduces movement. As the weather warms, the mud softens, and swallows fly about, likely gathering mud to build nests. This is not just a pretty image. It shows spring as a season of renewal and construction. The final line turns to stillness. Warm sand holds sleeping mandarin ducks. The flying swallows and sleeping ducks form a perfect contrast: motion and rest, air and earth, activity and peace. The poem's strength lies in compression. It moves from large landscape to small living creatures, from sight to scent, from movement to quiet. Du Fu does not need to state his joy in spring; the scene itself conveys it.
About the Author
Du Fu, courtesy name Zimei and self-styled Shaoling Yelao, was one of the greatest poets of the Tang dynasty, from Gong County in Henan. Living through the An Lushan Rebellion and the Tang dynasty's movement from prosperity into crisis, he wrote deeply about social suffering, political disorder, displacement, family, nature, and moral responsibility. Later generations honored him as the 'Poet Sage,' and his poetry has often been called a 'poetic history.' Alongside his grave historical works, Du Fu also wrote many delicate poems on nature and daily life. This quatrain shows his ability to capture spring's vitality and peace with extreme economy.