Birthday poem · March 23Spring Equinox, the 4th solar term: day and night are equal.
Birth character
柳 liǔ · willow
柳 combines 木 "tree" with a sound element; it means willow.
客舍青青柳色新
“The willows by the tavern look so fresh and green.” — Wang Wei, ‘Farewell to Yuan Er on His Mission to Anxi’
The poem
“Gazing South from Chaoran Terrace” 望江南
- 春未老Spring has not grown old;
- 風細柳斜斜the breeze is soft, the willows lean and sway.
- 試上超然臺上看I climb Chaoran Terrace to look out:
- 半壕春水一城花half a moat of spring water, a whole town of flowers.
- 休對故人思故國Don't long for home in front of old friends —
- 且將新火試新茶let's try new tea on the new fire,
- 詩酒趁年華and enjoy poems and wine while we are young.
Why this poem
Su Shi on a terrace in late spring, trying new tea after the Cold Food festival.
This day in the Chinese calendar
Solar term: Spring Equinox.