Yuan Dynasty
阳春曲 · 春景（三）
胡祗遹
一帘红雨桃花谢，
十里清阴柳影斜。
洛阳花酒一时别。
春去也，
闲煞旧蜂蝶。
Translation
Like a curtain of red rain, peach blossoms fall; for ten miles, cool shade spreads as willow shadows slant. The flower-viewing and wine-drinking pleasures of Luoyang must now be left behind for a while. Spring has gone, leaving the old bees and butterflies unbearably idle.
Analysis
This third "Spring Scene" describes the end of spring. The previous two songs present bright spring days and drowsy spring mornings; this one turns to falling blossoms, lengthening shade, and the dispersal of spring pleasures. "A curtain of red rain" is the central image. The peach blossoms fall like red rain. The image is beautiful, but it is beauty in decline: the moment of vivid color is also the moment of separation from the branch. "Ten miles of cool shade" shows the seasonal transition. The flowers are gone, but willow shade has grown. Spring shifts from blossoms to greenery, from brightness to cool shadow. "The flower-viewing and wine-drinking pleasures of Luoyang" links natural spring with human celebration. Luoyang, famous for flowers and spring outings, represents the social pleasures of the season. When the flowers fade, the banquets and excursions also come to an end. The final line is light but poignant. Bees and butterflies, once busy among flowers, are now idle. Their idleness means the flower season has passed. The line is playful in tone, but it leaves a sense of emptiness after festivity. The song does not mourn spring heavily. Instead, it lets spring depart through images: falling peach blossoms, slanting willow shade, farewell to flower wine, and bees and butterflies with nothing left to do. The result is gentle, elegant, and quietly wistful.
About the Author
Hu Zhiyu, courtesy name Shaokai, also recorded as Shaowen, and literary name Zishan, was a Yuan dynasty writer and official from Wu'an in Cizhou. He served under Kublai Khan in several posts, including Hanlin literary appointments, Taichang scholar-official, judicial commissioner, and regional administrative positions. He was known as a capable and upright official. His collected writings, Zishan Daquanji, preserve important materials for the study of Yuan literature and drama. His sanqu are clear, refined, and elegant, combining literati sensibility with the natural speech rhythm of Yuan song.