Birthday poem · February 4The Start of Spring, in the Start of Spring period.

Birthday poem card for February 4: “Beginning of Spring” by Zhang Shi. Birth character 水, water.

Birth character

水 shuǐ · water

水 is a picture of flowing water.

爲有源頭活水來
“Because fresh water flows in from the source unseen.” — Zhu Xi, ‘Thoughts on Reading’

The poem

“Beginning of Spring” 立春偶成

  1. 律回歲晚冰霜少The seasons turn at year's end; ice and frost are few;
  2. 春到人間草木知spring reaches the world, and grass and trees know it.
  3. 便覺眼前生意滿At once I feel the life before my eyes is full —
  4. 東風吹水綠參差the east wind ripples the water, green and uneven.

Zhang Shi 張栻 · Southern Song dynasty · 1133–1180 · seven-character verse

English translation by Poetune.

Why this poem

Zhang Shi on the start of spring: the plants know spring has come.

This day in the Chinese calendar

Solar term: Start of Spring. Near the Start of Spring.

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