Tang Dynasty
Lanxi Boat Song
Dai Shulun
凉月如眉挂柳湾，越中山色镜中看。
兰溪三日桃花雨，半夜鲤鱼来上滩。
Translation
A cool moon, curved like an eyebrow, hangs above the willow-fringed bend. The mountains of Yue are seen as if in a mirror, reflected in the clear stream. For three days, Lanxi has had peach-blossom rain. At midnight, carp come swimming up onto the shallow shoals.
Analysis
This short poem describes a spring night on Lanxi. In only four lines, it gathers moonlight, willows, mountain reflections, spring rain, rising water, and fish into one clear and lively scene. The first line compares the moon to an eyebrow. This gives the night a delicate, feminine curve. The moon hangs above a willow-lined bend of the stream, combining coolness with softness. The word 'cool' sets the atmosphere: this is a fresh, clear night rather than a warm or heavy one. 'The mountains of Yue are seen as if in a mirror' shifts attention to reflection. The mountains are not described directly; they are seen in the water. This makes the stream itself central. Its clarity turns the landscape into a mirror. The third line introduces season and weather. 'Peach-blossom rain' means the spring rain that falls when peach blossoms bloom. After three days of rain, the stream has risen. The final line gives the poem its sudden life. At midnight, carp swim up onto the shoals. The earlier images are still and reflective: moon, willow bend, mountain shadow. But now the water is alive. The spring rain has changed the stream, and the fish respond. The poem's charm lies in this balance of stillness and movement. It begins as a quiet moonlit landscape and ends with the hidden life of the stream stirring in the night. Dai Shulun does not add overt emotion. The natural scene itself carries the freshness and vitality of spring.
About the Author
Dai Shulun, courtesy name Yougong, was a Tang dynasty poet from Jintan in Runzhou. He lived during the Middle Tang period after the An Lushan Rebellion and served in local official posts. His poetry often treats landscapes, rural life, travel, frontier experience, and concern for ordinary people. His style is clear, natural, and accessible, with a strong ability to capture small movements of life within scenery. 'Lanxi Boat Song' is one of his best-known short poems, admired for its fresh depiction of a spring night on the stream.