Analysis of "幽涧泉" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

"幽涧泉" (Yōu Jiàn Quán, "The Secluded Stream's Spring") is a classical Chinese poem attributed to the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai (李白, 701–762), one of China's most celebrated literary figures. Known as the "Immortal Poet," Li Bai was renowned for his romanticism, vivid imagery, and love of nature. This poem exemplifies his ability to blend natural beauty with philosophical depth, capturing the tranquility and purity of a secluded mountain spring.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

幽涧泉
Yōu Jiàn Quán
The Secluded Stream's Spring

拂彼白石，弹吾素琴。
Fú bǐ bái shí, tán wú sù qín.
Brushing those white stones, I pluck my plain zither.

幽涧愀兮流泉深，善手明徽高张清。
Yōu jiàn qiǎo xī liú quán shēn, shàn shǒu míng huī gāo zhāng qīng.
The secluded stream sighs—the flowing spring runs deep;
Skilled fingers brighten the strings, high and clear they resonate.

心寂历似千古，松飕飗兮万寻。
Xīn jì lì sì qiān gǔ, sōng sōu liú xī wàn xún.
My heart, solitary as eternity,
Pines whisper—a thousand fathoms of wind.

中见愁猿吊影而危处兮，叫秋木而长吟。
Zhōng jiàn chóu yuán diào yǐng ér wēi chù xī, jiào qiū mù ér cháng yín.
Within, a sorrowful ape hangs its shadow in perilous heights,
Crying to the autumn trees, its long lament echoes.

客有哀时失职而听者，泪淋浪以沾襟。
Kè yǒu āi shí shī zhí ér tīng zhě, lèi lín làng yǐ zhān jīn.
A traveler, grieving lost time and purpose, listens—
Tears stream down, soaking his robe.

Line-by-Line Analysis

1. Brushing those white stones, I pluck my plain zither.
   The poem opens with a serene image: the poet sitting by a clear stream, playing music. The "white stones" symbolize purity, while the "plain zither" suggests simplicity and harmony with nature.

2. The secluded stream sighs—the flowing spring runs deep...
   The stream's "sigh" personifies nature, mirroring the poet's quiet melancholy. The zither's clear notes contrast with the depth of the spring, hinting at hidden emotions beneath calm surfaces.

3. My heart, solitary as eternity...
   Li Bai compares his loneliness to timelessness, while the "whispering pines" evoke both nature's voice and the vastness of his thoughts.

4. A sorrowful ape hangs its shadow in perilous heights...
   The "sorrowful ape" is a classic Chinese literary motif representing isolation. Its cry against autumn’s desolation deepens the poem's mood of transience and sorrow.

5. A traveler, grieving lost time and purpose, listens...
   The poem concludes with an outsider moved to tears, suggesting shared human vulnerability. The "lost time and purpose" reflect Tang Dynasty scholars' anxieties about unfulfilled ambitions.

Themes and Symbolism

• Nature as a Mirror of Emotion: The stream, pines, and ape reflect the poet’s inner solitude.
• Transience and Melancholy: Autumn and the ape’s cry symbolize life’s fleeting beauty.
• Music as Transcendence: The zither bridges human emotion and nature’s eternal rhythms.

Cultural Context

Li Bai wrote during the Tang Dynasty's golden age of poetry, a period valuing yǐng xiàng (意象, imagery) and emotional resonance. Daoist influences are evident in his reverence for nature’s quiet wisdom. The poem also reflects shī yán zhì (诗言志), the Confucian ideal that poetry should express moral and emotional truth.

Conclusion

"幽涧泉" is a masterpiece of understated beauty, blending Li Bai’s signature romanticism with profound introspection. Its themes of solitude, nature’s solace, and shared sorrow remain universal, offering readers today a glimpse into the timeless human condition through the lens of classical Chinese art. As the stream’s spring flows endlessly, so does the poem’s quiet power to move hearts across centuries.