The previous sentence of "A green snail in a silver plate" is "Looking at the green mountains and rivers of Dongting in the distance", which comes from "Looking at Dongting" by Liu Yuxi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. The meaning of these two poems is that when you look at Dongting Lake from a distance, the mountains and rivers are as green as ink, like a green snail held in a silver plate.

"Looking at the Dongting"

Liu Yuxi of the Tang Dynasty

The lake and the moon are in harmony, and there is no windshield on the lake surface that has not been polished.

Looking at the green mountains and rivers of Dongting from a distance, there is a green snail in the silver plate.

Translation

The water color of Dongting Lake and the moonlight reflect each other. The lake surface is calm and calm, like an unpolished bronze mirror.

Looking at Dongting Lake from a distance, the mountains and rivers are as green as ink, as if a green snail is held in a silver plate.

About the author

Liu Yuxi was a minister, writer and philosopher in the Tang Dynasty. He was known as a "poetry hero". Liu Yuxi, courtesy name Mengde, was born in Luoyang, Henan Province. He and Liu Zongyuan were collectively known as "Liu Liu", together with Wei Yingwu and Bai Juyi, they were collectively known as the "Three Heroes", and together with Bai Juyi, they were collectively known as "Liu Bai". Liu Yuxi's poems have a wide range of themes, and his representative works include "Inscription on a Humble Room", "Poem on Bamboo Branches", "Looking at the Dongting", "Appreciating Peonies", etc.