Qingming in literature 文学中的清明节

清明

[唐]杜牧

清明时节雨纷纷

路上行人欲断魂

借问酒家何处有

牧童遥指杏花村

Qingming

Du Mu

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;

The mourner"s heart is breaking on his way.

Where can a winehouse be found to drown his sadness?

A cowherd points to Almond Flower (Xing Hua) Village in the distance.

诗歌赏析

清明，一向给人的印象总是一片湿雨。

或是风狂雨恣，或是和风细雨，从清晨开始，至黄昏之际，

在烟雨弥漫的山野中，在泥泞难行的小路上，

总有顶风冒雨，点缀寂寥，行行重行行的扫墓人；

或三五成群，扶老携幼，或一二个孤影，跚跚独行。

远山隐在云雾里，近树笼在孤烟前，

小桥流水，愁鸦悲啼，雨洗清秋，风吹哀愁，

唯见烟雨一片苍茫，不见人家与炊烟。

好一个伤感寂寥的行旅，好一个凄迷彷徨的画面。

抬头偶望，墓地黯然见：

百坟拱起，千碑林立；烟雨朦朦，青草何离离。

一片荒凉，一片凄迷，一片死寂！

山孤烟雾薄，树小雨声稀！

风飘飘，雨潇潇，哀思悠悠，悲情渺渺，

莫道不销魂，何处暗香盈袖？

拔净一片乱草，摆下几杯冷酒，烧上一把纸钱，

风雨愁煞人，杯土带愁，杂草含烟，竟无言以对，

唯有心底弥满幽幽的愁绪和淡淡的哀愁！

死者长已矣，存者永怀悲！音容笑貌，历历在目，

谆谆教诲，犹言在耳，但客心逐流水，

随缘到天涯，念千里孤坟何处话凄凉？

清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。

借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。

----（唐）杜 牧

关于诗人杜牧（英文版）

Du Mu (杜牧803—852) was a leading Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Muzhi (牧之), and sobriquet Fanchuan (樊川).

He was born in Chang"an (modern Xi"an) into a elite family whose fortunes were declining. He passed the jinshi ("Presented Scholar") level of the imperial civil service examination in 827 at the age of 25, and went on to hold many official positions in various locales through the years. However, he never achieved a high rank, perhaps due to enemies made in a factional dispute in 835. He was appointed to the office of Secretariat Drafter shortly before his death.

Du Mu was skilled in shi, fu and ancient Chinese prose. He is best known as the writer of sensual, lyrical quatrains featuring historical sites or romantic situations, and often the themes of separation, decadence, or impermanence. His style blends classical imagery and diction with striking juxtapositions, colloquialisms, or other wordplay. He also wrote long narrative poems, as well as a commentary on the Art of War and many letters of advice to high officials.

Regarded as a major poet during a golden age of Chinese poetry, his name is often mentioned together with that of another renowned Late Tang poet, Li Shangyin, as the Little Li-Du (小李杜), in contrast to the Great Li-Du: Li Bai and Du Fu. Among his influences were Du Fu, Li Bai, Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan.