1. "Little Solstice" (Tang Dynasty) Du Fu
The weather, people, and the sun are urging each other, and the sun brings spring to the winter solstice. The five lines of embroidery are added with weak threads, and the six pipes are blown to move the fly ash. The shore is waiting for the willows to grow soft, and the mountains are cold and the plum blossoms are blooming. The clouds and things are not different from each other, and the country is different. The children are taught to hold the cup in their palms.
Translation: The weather, people, and affairs change very quickly every day. In the blink of an eye, the winter solstice is here again. After the winter solstice, the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and spring is about to come back. As the days get longer, the embroidery workers can embroider more colorful silk threads, and the six rhythms of the blowpipe have already moved the jiahui.
The embankment seems to be waiting for the twelfth lunar month to pass quickly so that the willow trees will stretch out their branches and sprout new buds, and the mountains will break through the cold so that the plum blossoms can bloom. Although I am in a foreign land, the scenery here is no different from that in my hometown, so I asked my son to pour the wine and drink it all in one gulp.
2. "Winter Solstice" (Tang Dynasty) Du Fu
We have been a guest for a long time every solstice, but we are suddenly poor, worried and murderous! The river describes me as an old man alone, and the customs of the sky are close to each other. After the snow, the sticks and quinoas come to the Dan Valley, and the jade sounds come to disperse the purple dust. There is not even an inch of my heart broken at this moment. How can I look at Sanqin if I am lost on the road?
Translation: Every year during the winter solstice, I am a guest in a foreign land. Every day I am burdened with poverty and sorrow, and it is difficult to let go. Wandering on the river is described as haggard, because we are far away in the horizon, and every winter solstice we miss our relatives in our hometown very much.
I can only face the ravine with my staff and quinoa after the snow, remembering the past of going to court with a ringing jade and leaving the palace after the court. Every time at this time, I feel infinitely sad and confused.
3. "Winter Solstice Night in Handan" (Tang Dynasty) Bai Juyi
On the winter solstice in Handan post, the shadows in front of the lanterns hugging the knees accompany me. I think that when I sit at home late at night, I should talk about people traveling far away.
Translation: During this winter solstice festival, because I am traveling far away from home, my family must not be happy either. When I hug my knees in front of the lamp and miss my family until late at night, my family members are probably still awake, sitting in front of the lamp, talking about me, a "faraway traveler"! The third and fourth sentences are very touching,
and also quite thought-provoking: the scene imagined by the poet when he was homesick was actually how his family members missed him. As for what is "said", it leaves readers with a vast world for imagination. Everyone can make up for it based on their own life experience.
4. "Little Solstice" (Tang Dynasty) Du Fu
The weather, people, and the sun are urging each other, and the sun brings spring to the winter solstice. The five lines of embroidery are added with weak threads, and the flying ash is moved by blowing the Jia Liu Guan. The shore is waiting for the willows to grow soft, and the mountains are cold and the plum blossoms are blooming. The clouds and things are not different from each other, and the country is different. The children are taught to hold the cup in their palms.
Translation: The weather, people, and affairs change very quickly every day, and the winter solstice is here again in a blink of an eye. After the winter solstice, the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and spring is about to come back. As the days get longer, the embroidery workers can embroider more colorful silk threads, and the six rhythms of the blowpipe have already moved the jiahui.
The embankment seems to be waiting for the twelfth lunar month to pass quickly so that the willow trees will stretch out their branches and sprout new buds, and the mountains will break through the cold so that the plum blossoms can bloom. Although I am in a foreign land, the scenery here is no different from that in my hometown, so I asked my son to pour the wine and drink it all in one gulp.
5. "Visiting Jixiang Temple Alone on the Winter Solstice" (Song Dynasty) by Su Shi
The slight sun at the bottom of the well has not returned, and the cold rain has dampened the dried vegetables. Who is more like Mr. Su? He is not willing to spend time alone.
Translation: This poem describes the seasonal changes before and after the winter solstice. It not only uses embroidery threads to express the lengthening of the day, but also vividly expresses the willow trees by the river about to turn green and the plum blossoms on the mountains ready to bloom in the cold weather. Winter gives birth to the scene of spring. The whole poem reflects the poet's rare comfortable mood.
On the winter solstice, the Yang Qi at the bottom of the well should also be reborn. Has it come back or not? The rustling wind is mixed with the cold rain in winter, moistening the withered grass roots. Who is like me, Su Dongpo, who would not come alone when the peonies are in bloom?