Su Shi's poem "Ducks are the first to recognize the warmth of the spring river" implies a kind of sensitive insight and anticipation of changes and opportunities, and can also be interpreted as the importance of cherishing the moment and seizing opportunities in daily life.

Literally, the poem depicts the warming of the river water in spring, and ducks, as animals living in rivers and lakes, are able to keenly sense changes in water temperature. They migrate early or make corresponding behavioral changes after the water temperature has warmed up, making people marvel at the intelligence and foresight of ducks.

However, the philosophy contained in this poem is not only limited to the behavior of ducks, but also expresses more y that people should have the wit and insight. In real life, we should also be like the duck, pay attention to the changes in the surrounding environment, keenly aware of the opportunities and seize them in time.

Original text

Two Songs of Huichong's Evening Scene on the Spring River Su Shi [Song Dynasty]

Three or two branches of peach blossoms outside the bamboo, and a duck is the first to recognize the warmth of the water in the spring river.

The artemisia vulgaris is full of reed buds, and it is the time for the river dolphin to go up.

Two or two of them are going to break away from the group, and they still look like people returning from the north.

It is known that there are many winds and snowfalls in the desert, so I am waiting for half a month's spring in the south of the Yangtze River.

Translation

Beyond the bamboo forest, two or three branches of peach blossom blossomed, and the ducks playing in the water were the first to notice the warmth of the river in early spring.

The riverbanks are full of Artemisia vulgaris, and the reeds are sprouting short new shoots, while the river dolphins are just about to swim against the current from the sea back into the river.

The geese flying north, like those returning north, are reluctant to leave, and almost fall out of the flock.

Far away from thousands of miles have known the northern desert more wind and snow, or in the south of the river to spend half a month of spring time it.

Notes

Hui Chong (also known as Hui Chong): a monk from Jianyang, Fujian, one of the nine monks of the early Song Dynasty, capable of poetry and painting. Qian Zhongshu's Selected Poems of the Song Dynasty (《宋诗選注》) is called "Dawn Scene". Many notes, useful "dawn scene", useful "evening scene", this from the "Dongpo complete collection" and before the Qing note with "evening scene".

The Artemisia vulgaris: grass, there are Artemisia annua, Artemisia alba and other species.

Artemisia vulgaris: the name of the grass, including Artemisia annua and Artemisia absinthium.

Bufferfish: a kind of fish, scientific name "triggerfish", meat flavor, but the ovaries and liver is highly toxic. Produced in China's coastal and some inland rivers. Every spring, it goes up the river and spawns in fresh water.

Up: means going up against the river.

Homecoming: returning geese. Breaking the flock: leaving the flying flock.

YiYi: the appearance of not giving up. The return of the people: the people who go home.

ShuoMo: the desert land in the north. Du Fu's poem: "Once I go to the Purple Terrace, I will be in the Shuo Desert."

More to wait: to wait again; to pass again.

Appreciation

This poem, which is titled The Poem of the Artist, paints a scene of early spring.

The poet first writes from the side: in the early spring, the earth is revived, the bamboo forest has been dyed by the new leaves into a tender green, more strikingly, the peach tree has also blossomed three or two branches of the peach blossom in early bloom, the color is bright, to report to the people of the message of spring. Then, the poet's eyes from the river to the river, the ducks on the shore looking forward to a whole winter, has been unable to hold back, grabbing the water to play.

Then, the poet wrote from the river to the river bank, more detailed observation and description of the early spring scene: due to the spring water moisture, full of Artemisia vulgaris grew new branches, reed buds spitting tip; all of which all show the vitality of spring, love. The poet then associates, this is the time of the river dolphin fat on the market, attracting a broader reverie ...... the whole poem overflows with a thick and fresh breath of life.

Background

Two Poems on the Evening Scene of the Spring River by Huichong is a poem written by Su Shi in the eighth year of Emperor Shenzong's reign in Yuanfeng (1085) in Bianjing (Kaifeng, Henan Province, present-day) on the two panels of the "Evening Scene of the Spring River" painted by Huichong. It is said that the poem was written in Jiangyin.

Author's Biography

Su Shi, (January 8, 1037 - August 24, 1101), the word Zizhan, and Zhong, the number of Tieguan Taoist, East Slope Jushi, world known as Su Dongpo, Su Xian, Han Chinese, Meishan (Meishan City, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China), ancestor Luancheng in Hebei Province, the famous literati in the Northern Song Dynasty, calligraphers, painters, the history of the water treatment. celebrity.