The Old Charcoal Seller

– By Bai Juyi

An old man, his face dusty and smudged with soot and ash,
Burning charcoal in the Southern Mountains, his temples streaked with gray.
Selling charcoal, what does he get?
Just clothes for his body and food for his mouth.

Though his coat is thin, he worries the price might drop;
Hoping for bitter cold, so his charcoal will sell well.
Last night, outside the city, a foot of snow fell;
At dawn, he drives his cart, crushing the ice on the ruts.

The ox is tired, the man is hungry, the sun is already high;
Resting in the mud outside the market gate, south of the city.
Suddenly, two horsemen arrive – who are they?
A messenger in yellow robes and a servant in white.

Holding a document, they read the Emperor’s decree;
Turning the cart around, they shout and drive it north.
A whole cart of charcoal, more than a thousand jin in weight,
The eunuchs take it away – how can the old man dare to sigh?

Half a bolt of red gauze and a strip of damask,
Tied to the ox’s horn – that is the price of the charcoal.

Note

Bai Juyi (772–846) was a celebrated Tang Dynasty poet, widely known as the “Poetry King” or “Poetry Devil” due to his immense popularity and accessible writing style. As a leading figure of the New Yuefu Movement, he championed the idea that literature should reflect social realities and serve the people. His poems are characterized by their simple language and deep humanistic concern for the common folk, making his work relatable and enduring.

“The Old Charcoal Seller” is one of his most powerful satirical poems. It tells the tragic story of an elderly man who endures freezing weather to transport charcoal to the market, hoping to sell it for basic survival. However, his hopes are dashed when imperial palace messengers forcibly seize his entire cartload of charcoal. In a stark display of corruption and injustice, they offer him a mere length of cheap silk as payment, leaving the old man with nothing. This poem serves as a poignant critique of the “Palace Market” system and highlights the suffering of the oppressed under the ruling class.

卖炭翁

[唐・白居易]

卖炭翁，伐薪烧炭南山中。

满面尘灰烟火色，两鬓苍苍十指黑。

卖炭得钱何所营？身上衣裳口中食。

可怜身上衣正单，心忧炭贱愿天寒。

夜来城外一尺雪，晓驾炭车辗冰辙。

牛困人饥日已高，市南门外泥中歇。

翩翩两骑来是谁？黄衣使者白衫儿。

手把文书口称敕，回车叱牛牵向北。

一车炭，千余斤，宫使驱将惜不得。

半匹红纱一丈绫，系向牛头充炭直。