Analysis of "缭绫" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

The poem "缭绫" (Liáo Líng) was written by the renowned Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi (白居易, 772–846). Bai Juyi was a leading figure in the New Yuefu Movement, which emphasized writing poetry that reflected social realities and the struggles of common people.

"缭绫" is a striking example of Bai Juyi’s socially conscious poetry, critiquing the extravagance of the imperial court while sympathizing with the laborers who produced luxurious textiles. The poem highlights the contrast between wealth and suffering, making it a powerful commentary on inequality in Tang Dynasty China.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

缭绫缭绫何所似？
Liáo líng liáo líng hé suǒ sì?
What can compare to this gauzy silk?

不似罗绡与纨绮。
Bù sì luó xiāo yǔ wán qǐ.
Not like plain gauze or embroidered satin.

应似天台山上月明前，
Yīng sì Tiāntái shān shàng yuè míng qián,
It must be like the moonlit night on Mount Tiantai,

四十五尺瀑布泉。
Sìshí wǔ chǐ pùbù quán.
Where a forty-five-foot waterfall cascades.

中有文章又奇绝，
Zhōng yǒu wénzhāng yòu qí jué,
Its patterns are wondrous and rare,

地铺白烟花簇雪。
Dì pū bái yān huā cù xuě.
Like mist spread on earth, flowers heaped in snow.

织者何人衣者谁？
Zhī zhě hé rén yī zhě shéi?
Who weaves this silk? Who wears it?

越溪寒女汉宫姬。
Yuè Xī hán nǚ Hàn gōng jī.
A poor girl from Yue Creek, a palace lady of Han.

去年中使宣口敕，
Qùnián zhōng shǐ xuān kǒu chì,
Last year, a palace envoy delivered an oral decree,

天上取样人间织。
Tiānshàng qǔ yàng rénjiān zhī.
"Take the celestial design and weave it on earth."

织为云外秋雁行，
Zhī wéi yún wài qiū yàn háng,
Woven with wild geese flying beyond clouds,

染作江南春水色。
Rǎn zuò Jiāngnán chūn shuǐ sè.
Dyed in the hues of Jiangnan’s spring waters.

广裁衫袖长制裙，
Guǎng cái shān xiù cháng zhì qún,
Cut wide for sleeves, long for skirts,

金斗熨波刀剪纹。
Jīn dǒu yùn bō dāo jiǎn wén.
Pressed with golden irons, trimmed with sharp knives.

异彩奇文相隐映，
Yì cǎi qí wén xiāng yǐn yìng,
Strange colors and rare patterns shimmer,

转侧看花花不定。
Zhuǎn cè kàn huā huā bù dìng.
Flowers shift when viewed from different angles.

昭阳舞人恩正深，
Zhāoyáng wǔ rén ēn zhèng shēn,
The dancer of Zhaoyang Palace basks in favor,

春衣一对直千金。
Chūn yī yī duì zhí qiān jīn.
A single spring robe costs a thousand gold coins.

汗沾粉污不再著，
Hàn zhān fěn wū bù zài zhuó,
Once stained with sweat and powder, it’s discarded,

曳土踏泥无惜心。
Yè tǔ tà ní wú xī xīn.
Dragged through dirt without a care.

缭绫织成费功绩，
Liáo líng zhī chéng fèi gōngjī,
Such silk takes immense labor to weave,

莫比寻常缯与帛。
Mò bǐ xúncháng zēng yǔ bó.
Unlike common silk or plain cloth.

丝细缲多女手疼，
Sī xì qiāo duō nǚ shǒu téng,
Fine threads, endless reeling—women’s hands ache,

扎扎千声不盈尺。
Zhā zhā qiān shēng bù yíng chǐ.
A thousand clacks of the loom, yet not a full foot woven.

昭阳殿里歌舞人，
Zhāoyáng diàn lǐ gēwǔ rén,
The songstresses of Zhaoyang Hall,

若见织时应也惜。
Ruò jiàn zhī shí yīng yě xī.
If they saw the weaving, surely they’d pity.

Line-by-Line Analysis

Opening Imagery (Lines 1-6)

Bai Juyi begins by describing the exquisite beauty of liáo líng silk, comparing it to a moonlit waterfall on Mount Tiantai, a sacred Daoist mountain. The silk’s patterns resemble mist and snow, emphasizing its ethereal quality.

Social Contrast (Lines 7-8)

The poet sharply contrasts the laborers (poor girls from Yue Creek) with the luxurious palace ladies who wear the silk. This highlights class disparity.

Imperial Decree (Lines 9-12)

The emperor’s demand for "celestial designs" forces weavers to create impossibly intricate patterns, symbolizing the exploitation of artisans for royal extravagance.

Luxury and Waste (Lines 13-20)

The golden irons, shifting colors, and thousand-gold robes illustrate courtly decadence. Yet, these robes are carelessly discarded, showing aristocratic indifference to labor.

Labor’s Hardship (Lines 21-24)

The final lines depict the physical pain of weaving—aching hands, endless toil—underscoring Bai Juyi’s critique of oppression.

Themes and Symbolism

1. Social Inequality

The poem contrasts the suffering of weavers with the extravagance of the elite, criticizing Tang Dynasty class divisions.

2. Exploitation of Labor

The "celestial design" imposed on weavers symbolizes unreasonable demands placed on the poor by the powerful.

3. Transience of Luxury

The discarded silk robes represent the wastefulness of the aristocracy, contrasting with the permanent suffering of laborers.

Cultural Context

• Tang Dynasty Silk Production: Silk was a luxury commodity, often produced by state-run workshops using forced labor.
• New Yuefu Movement: Bai Juyi’s poetry often exposed injustice, aligning with Confucian ideals of moral governance.
• Daoist Imagery: References to Mount Tiantai and natural beauty contrast with human cruelty, emphasizing harmony’s absence.

Conclusion

"缭绫" remains a timeless critique of wealth disparity and worker exploitation. Bai Juyi’s vivid imagery—waterfalls, mist, and aching hands—makes the poem both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Final Thought: In today’s world of fast fashion and labor abuses, Bai Juyi’s message still resonates. How often do we consider the human cost behind luxury?