Analysis of "贺新郎·夏景" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

"贺新郎·夏景" (Hè Xīnláng·Xià Jǐng, "Congratulations to the Bridegroom · Summer Scenery") is a famous cí (lyric poetry) written by the Southern Song dynasty poet Su Shi (苏轼, 1037–1101), also known as Su Dongpo. Su Shi was a towering figure in Chinese literature, known for his versatility in poetry, prose, and calligraphy.

This poem is part of the cí genre, which was set to musical tunes and often expressed personal emotions or reflections on nature and life. "贺新郎·夏景" is celebrated for its vivid imagery of summer and its subtle exploration of love and longing.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

乳燕飞华屋，
Rǔ yàn fēi huá wū,
Young swallows flit around the splendid house,

悄无人、桐阴转午，
Qiǎo wú rén, tóng yīn zhuǎn wǔ,
Quiet and empty, the parasol tree's shade shifts past noon,

晚凉新浴。
Wǎn liáng xīn yù.
Evening coolness after a fresh bath.

手弄生绡白团扇，
Shǒu nòng shēng xiāo bái tuán shàn,
Fiddling with a raw silk round fan,

扇手一时似玉。
Shàn shǒu yīshí sì yù.
Fan and hand both jade-like fair.

渐困倚、孤眠清熟。
Jiàn kùn yǐ, gū mián qīng shú.
Gradually drowsy, she leans alone, sleeping light yet deep.

帘外谁来推绣户？
Lián wài shéi lái tuī xiù hù?
Who outside the curtain pushes the embroidered door?

枉教人、梦断瑶台曲。
Wǎng jiào rén, mèng duàn yáotái qǔ.
Vainly startling her from a dream of the Jade Terrace’s song.

又却是，风敲竹。
Yòu què shì, fēng qiāo zhú.
Only to find it’s the wind rustling the bamboos.

石榴半吐红巾蹙。
Shíliú bàn tǔ hóng jīn cù.
Pomegranates half-bloom, their red petals like crumpled silk.

待浮花、浪蕊都尽，
Dài fú huā, làng ruǐ dōu jìn,
Waiting till the floating blossoms and fickle stamens fade,

伴君幽独。
Bàn jūn yōu dú.
To accompany your solitude.

秾艳一枝细看取，
Nóng yàn yī zhī xì kàn qǔ,
Gaze closely at this lush, vibrant branch—

芳心千重似束。
Fāng xīn qiān chóng shì shù.
Its fragrant heart wrapped in layers.

又恐被、秋风惊绿。
Yòu kǒng bèi, qiūfēng jīng lǜ.
Yet fearing the autumn wind may startle its green away.

若待得君来向此，
Ruò dài dé jūn lái xiàng cǐ,
If only you would come to this place,

花前对酒不忍触。
Huā qián duì jiǔ bù rěn chù.
Before the flowers, with wine, I’d hesitate to touch them.

共粉泪，两簌簌。
Gòng fěn lèi, liǎng sù sù.
Tears and petals would fall together, softly.

Line-by-Line Analysis

1. "Young swallows flit around the splendid house" – The poem opens with a summer scene, where swallows symbolize fleeting youth and vitality. The "splendid house" suggests elegance but also emptiness.

2. "Quiet and empty, the parasol tree's shade shifts past noon" – The stillness and the shifting shadows evoke loneliness and the passage of time.

3. "Evening coolness after a fresh bath" – A sensual image of renewal, yet the solitude lingers.

4. "Fiddling with a raw silk round fan" – The fan is a classic symbol of feminine beauty and transience (as fans were often discarded after summer).

5. "Fan and hand both jade-like fair" – The comparison to jade suggests purity and unattainable beauty.

6. "Who outside the curtain pushes the embroidered door?" – A moment of hope, shattered by reality—just the wind. The dream of the "Jade Terrace" (a celestial paradise) is interrupted, deepening the melancholy.

7. "Pomegranates half-bloom" – The pomegranate, a symbol of fertility and passion, is only half-open, mirroring unfulfilled desire.

8. "Waiting till the floating blossoms fade" – The speaker waits for superficial beauty to pass, seeking something deeper.

9. "Tears and petals would fall together" – The final image merges human sorrow with nature’s fragility, a poignant climax.

Themes and Symbolism

• Transience and Longing: The poem contrasts summer’s vibrancy with the inevitability of autumn, reflecting on fleeting beauty and unfulfilled love.
• Solitude: The empty house and interrupted dream emphasize isolation.
• Nature as Emotion: The pomegranate and wind are not just scenery—they embody the speaker’s inner turmoil.

Cultural Context

Su Shi wrote during the Song dynasty, a time of artistic refinement but also political turmoil (he was exiled multiple times). This poem blends the wanyue (婉约, "graceful and restrained") style with deeper philosophical undertones.

The cí form allowed poets to express personal emotions more freely than rigid shi (classical poetry). Here, Su Shi uses summer imagery to explore universal human themes—love, time, and solitude—resonating with Confucian and Daoist ideals of harmony with nature.

Conclusion

"贺新郎·夏景" is a masterpiece of subtlety and emotional depth. Through exquisite imagery, Su Shi captures the tension between desire and reality, beauty and decay. For modern readers, the poem remains a timeless meditation on how we navigate longing and impermanence—an echo across centuries.

"Tears and petals would fall together, softly." In these lines, the human and natural worlds merge, reminding us that sorrow and beauty are inseparable.