Guò Huáqīng Gōng Juéjù Sān Shǒu (qí yī)
过华清宫绝句三首(其一)

Dù Mù (Táng)
杜牧(唐)

Cháng'ān huíwàng xiù chéng duī,
长安回望绣成堆,
shāndǐng qiān mén cìdì kāi.
山顶千门次第开。
Yí jì hóngchén fēizi xiào,
一骑红尘妃子笑,
wú rén zhī shì lìzhī lái.
无人知是荔枝来。

Evaluation

“华清宫”是唐玄宗的行宫,唐玄宗和杨贵妃每年都要到这里来避寒,原来修建在陕西临潼骊山上。
Huaqing Palace, built on Mount Lishan in Lintong, Shaanxi province in the Tang Dynasty, was Emperor Xuanzong's temporary palace for short stays away from the capital.

从长安城回头眺望骊山,那里当年一定是景色秀丽好似锦绣成堆,山顶上的千重宫门一道接一道依次缓缓打开,一匹快马风驰电掣般疾驰而来,身后扬起一团团红色的尘土,宫里的贵妃嫣然而笑,没有人知道那马原来是给贵妃送荔枝来的。
Seen from Chang'an City, Mount Lishan was indeed a feast to the eye with its impressive scenery as beautiful brocade. On the mountain top thousands of palace gates opened in turn. One horse sped on the mountain, kicking up clouds of dust behind it. Yang Kwei Fei beamed up wearing a sweet and beautiful smile in the deep palace. No one knew that the horse was for delivering her the fresh litchi.

杨贵妃爱吃荔枝,唐玄宗就用本来是为国家传递重大紧急事件的快马特使来给杨贵妃从岭南送回新鲜荔枝。诗人通过写这一事件,鞭挞了唐玄宗和杨贵妃骄奢淫逸的生活和他们不顾国家、人民的荒唐、荒淫的做法。
Yang Kwei Fei loved to eat fresh litchi very much, so Emperor Xuanzong arranged his post-horse which was supposed to communicate news of importance relating to the state's fate to deliver fresh litchi from the south for her. This poem condemns the extravagant and dissipated life of the Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine disregarding the ordinary people's life.

Explanation

行宫:(xínggōng)n. imperial palace for short stays away from the capital
锦绣:(jǐnxiù)adj. brocade and embroidery
依次:(yīcì)in turn
风驰电掣:(fēngchí-diànchè)adj. with lightning speed
嫣然而笑:(yānrán’érxiào)adj. sweet and beautiful smile
荔枝:(lìzhī)n. lychee
特使:(tèshǐ)n. ambassador
鞭挞:(biāntà)v. scourge
骄奢淫逸:(jiāo-shē-yín-yì)adj. extravagant and dissipated

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