Analysis of "宿五松山下荀媪家" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

The poem "宿五松山下荀媪家" ("Lodging at Granny Xun's House Under Mount Wusong") was written by Li Bai (李白, Lǐ Bái, 701–762), one of China's most celebrated poets from the Tang Dynasty. Known as the "Immortal Poet" (诗仙, Shīxiān), Li Bai was famous for his romantic and free-spirited style, often blending natural imagery with personal reflection.

This poem stands out for its rare focus on rural life and humility. Unlike his grand, wine-infused verses, "宿五松山下荀媪家" portrays a quiet moment of gratitude toward an elderly peasant woman who offered him shelter. It reflects Li Bai's ability to find beauty and meaning in simplicity, a departure from his usual themes of grandeur and wanderlust.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

我宿五松下
Wǒ sù Wǔsōng xià
I lodge beneath the Wusong pines,

寂寥无所欢
Jìliáo wú suǒ huān
Lonely, with little joy to find.

田家秋作苦
Tiánjiā qiū zuò kǔ
The farming folk toil hard in autumn,

邻女夜舂寒
Lín nǚ yè chōng hán
Neighbor girls pound rice in cold night.

跪进雕胡饭
Guì jìn diāohú fàn
She kneels to offer wild rice meal,

月光明素盘
Yuèguāng míng sù pán
Moonlight brightens the plain tray.

令人惭漂母
Lìng rén cán piǎomǔ
I feel ashamed—like Han Xin, helped by a washerwoman—

三谢不能餐
Sān xiè bù néng cān
Thrice I thank her, too moved to eat.

Line-by-Line Analysis

1. "I lodge beneath the Wusong pines, / Lonely, with little joy to find."
   - The opening sets a somber tone. Li Bai, often a wanderer, reflects on solitude. The "Wusong pines" symbolize endurance, contrasting with his transient mood.

2. "The farming folk toil hard in autumn, / Neighbor girls pound rice in cold night."
   - These lines depict rural hardship. Autumn harvests were labor-intensive, and night-time rice-pounding (removing husks) emphasizes the villagers' relentless work.

3. "She kneels to offer wild rice meal, / Moonlight brightens the plain tray."
   - The elderly woman's gesture of kneeling (a sign of deep respect) moves Li Bai. The moonlight symbolizes purity and humility, enhancing the scene's quiet dignity.

4. "I feel ashamed—like Han Xin, helped by a washerwoman— / Thrice I thank her, too moved to eat."
   - Li Bai references Han Xin, a Han Dynasty general who, in poverty, was fed by a kind washerwoman. The poet feels unworthy of such generosity, highlighting his humility.

Themes and Symbolism

• Gratitude and Humility: The poem centers on Li Bai's emotional response to kindness from a humble source. His comparison to Han Xin underscores a moral lesson about recognizing and valuing selfless acts.
• Rural Life and Labor: Unlike Li Bai’s typical escapist poems, this work acknowledges the grit of peasant life, showing his empathy for common people.
• Light in Darkness: The moonlight illuminating the meal tray suggests hope and goodness amid hardship, a recurring motif in Chinese literature.

Cultural Context

During the Tang Dynasty, poets often wrote about nobility or nature, but Li Bai’s focus on a peasant woman was unusual. The reference to Han Xin would have been familiar to educated readers, linking the poem to Confucian values of reciprocity (报恩, bào'ēn) and moral integrity.

The poem also reflects Daoist influences—appreciating simplicity and the quiet dignity of ordinary life, a contrast to Li Bai’s more flamboyant, wine-inspired verses.

Conclusion

"宿五松山下荀媪家" is a gem in Li Bai’s repertoire, showcasing his ability to weave profound emotion into sparse, vivid imagery. Its themes of gratitude, humility, and the beauty of simplicity resonate across cultures. In today’s fast-paced world, the poem reminds us to pause, acknowledge kindness, and find grace in unexpected places.

As Li Bai himself might say: the greatest poetry often lies not in grand landscapes, but in the quiet moments that humble us.