Analysis of "伤田家" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

"伤田家" (Shāng Tiánjiā, "Lament for Peasant Families") is a poignant poem by the late Tang Dynasty poet 聂夷中 (Niè Yízhōng, c. 837–884). Written during a period of social upheaval and agrarian crisis, the poem exposes the harsh realities faced by peasant families under oppressive taxation.

This work stands as one of the most powerful social protest poems in Chinese literature, showcasing the Tang Dynasty's tradition of 现实主义 (xiànshí zhǔyì) or realism. Its unflinching portrayal of peasant suffering influenced later poets and remains culturally significant for its moral courage.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

二月卖新丝
Èr yuè mài xīn sī
In February, selling next season's silk

五月粜新谷
Wǔ yuè tiào xīn gǔ
In May, pawning the unharvested grain

医得眼前疮
Yī dé yǎnqián chuāng
This patches today's festering wounds

剜却心头肉
Wān què xīntóu ròu
By carving flesh from their very hearts

我愿君王心
Wǒ yuàn jūnwáng xīn
Oh, if our sovereign's heart

化作光明烛
Huà zuò guāngmíng zhú
Could become a candle's bright light

不照绮罗筵
Bù zhào qǐluó yán
Not shining on silken banquets

只照逃亡屋
Zhǐ zhào táowáng wū
But on abandoned, empty huts

Line-by-Line Analysis

Lines 1–2: The opening shocks with its economic paradox. Peasants must sell future harvests (新丝 xīn sī, new silk; 新谷 xīn gǔ, new grain) months in advance at exploitative prices to pay taxes. The specific months highlight how taxation cycles trapped farmers in perpetual debt.

Lines 3–4: The visceral metaphor compares desperate borrowing to medical triage. 眼前疮 (yǎnqián chuāng), "festering wounds before the eyes," represents immediate crises, while 心头肉 (xīntóu ròu), "flesh from the heart," symbolizes sacrificing long-term survival. The surgical verb 剜 (wān), meaning to gouge out, conveys unbearable pain.

Lines 5–8: The poet's plea uses contrasting imagery. The 光明烛 (guāngmíng zhú), "bright candle," symbolizes enlightened governance. It should illuminate not the 绮罗筵 (qǐluó yán), "silken feasts" of the elite, but 逃亡屋 (táowáng wū), "abandoned homes" left by fleeing peasants—a powerful indictment of neglected social responsibility.

Themes and Symbolism

Exploitation and Desperation: The poem's central theme is the cruel paradox of peasants destroying their own future to survive the present. The "selling unharvested crops" motif became a literary symbol for systemic rural poverty.

Light as Moral Clarity: The candle represents Confucian ideal governance—rulers who "illuminate the people's suffering" (明察民瘼 míng chá mín mò). Its misdirected light critiques the court's decadence.

Body as Landscape: The physical metaphors (疮 chuāng, wounds; 肉 ròu, flesh) mirror how state policies mutilate both people and land, blending social protest with ecological consciousness.

Cultural Context

Written during the late Tang Dynasty (9th century), when:

• Taxation: The 两税法 (liǎngshuì fǎ) system forced peasants to pay in cash, making them vulnerable to predatory middlemen.
• Social Gap: As the poet Meng Jiao wrote, "The rich feast while the poor weep frost tears" (朱门酒肉臭，路有冻死骨 zhū mén jiǔ ròu chòu, lù yǒu dòng sǐ gǔ).
• Poetic Tradition: Unlike idyllic pastoral poetry, this 新乐府 (xīn yuèfǔ) style poem served as social documentary, continuing Du Fu's tradition of "poetic history" (诗史 shī shǐ).

Conclusion

"伤田家" remains shockingly relevant in its portrayal of economic injustice and the human cost of inequality. Niè Yízhōng's genius lies in compressing vast suffering into eight concise lines—the gouged heart becoming a universal symbol of exploitation.

For modern readers, the poem invites reflection: Who still "sells unharvested grain" today? Where does the "bright candle" of leadership truly shine? This 1,100-year-old lament challenges us to see—and heal—the wounds hidden behind abstract economic systems.