"Lovely Rain on a Spring Night" by Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty

Original text of the ancient poem: Good rain knows the season, and spring will happen. Sneaking into the night with the wind, moistening things silently. The wild paths are all dark with clouds, but the river boats are only bright with fire. Look at the red and wet place at dawn, the flowers are heavy on the official city.

Full text translation: The good rain seems to choose the right time to fall in the spring when all things emerge. With the gentle breeze, it quietly enters the night. Finely and densely, it nourishes all things on the earth. Thick dark clouds cover the fields and paths, and little lights flicker on the fishing boats on the river. Look at the dew-laden flowers tomorrow morning. The whole city of Chengdu will surely be in full bloom.

Du Fu (AD 712-AD 770), whose courtesy name was Zimei, also called himself Shaoling Ye Lao. Han nationality, whose ancestral home is Xiangyang, a native of Gong County, Henan Province (now Gongyi, Henan Province). A great realist poet in the Tang Dynasty, he and Li Bai were collectively known as "Li Du". In order to distinguish them from the other two poets Li Shangyin and Du Mu, known as "Little Li Du", Du Fu and Li Bai are also collectively known as "Big Li Du", and Du Fu is often called "Old Du".

Du Fu had a profound influence on Chinese classical poetry. He was called the "Sage of Poetry" by later generations, and his poems were called the "History of Poetry". Later generations called him Du Shiyi and Du Gongbu, and also called him Du Shaoling and Du Thatched Cottage. Du Fu created such masterpieces as "Spring Look", "Northern Expedition", "Three Officials" and "Three Farewells".