Berry-Picking Season

Author: Yan, Shu (991—1055)

The moon that once shone upon a pond of white lotus flowers,

It’s full again.

While my ornate boat is sailing on the winding creek.

I recall watching the sleeping moon with a dancer on the water lane.

Since farewell, there have been yellow flowers and greenish white wine.

My tears damp the writing paper in vain.

The old memory remains year after year.

Now it’s the season to pick lotus seeds from the South Lake again.

Yan Shu was a genius. He was able to compose sophisticated essays at age 7. The Song Dynasty government heard about his exceptional talent, and made him an editor in a government agency at age 14 without even having him take the civil service exam. Later he was promoted to be a government-sponsored researcher. A prolific writer for life, Yan is remembered most for the elegant lyricism and precise choices of words in his poems.

Copyright: A Poetic Portal To Chinese Culture, China Pictorial Press

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