The Backyard Flower of Jade Trees

by Chen Shubao

Fair pavilions and fragrant woods stand by the lofty towers,
Her newly dressed beauty outshines the whole city’s charms.
Her tender grace glints by the gate, she lingers at first,
Then steps from the curtain, smiling with graceful airs.
Her lovely face like flowers draped in dewdrops glows,
Jade trees’ bright radiance fills the rear courtyard.
Flowers bloom and fade, not to endure long,
Petals fall to the ground, and all fades into silence.

Note

The Backyard Flower of Jade Trees (Yushu Houting Hua) was written by Chen Shubao (553–604 CE), the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties period. He was a ruler who neglected state affairs and indulged in luxury, pleasure, and romantic pursuits with his concubines. The Chen Dynasty was defeated by the Sui Dynasty soon after, making this poem a symbol of a doomed, decadent reign.

The poem describes the emperor’s luxurious palace, the beauty of his concubines, and the carefree, indulgent atmosphere of his court. Lines like “flowers bloom and fade, not to endure long” foreshadow the collapse of the Chen Dynasty. The “jade trees” and “backyard flower” are metaphors for the fleeting beauty of the court and the emperor’s empty, pleasure‑driven life.

In Chinese history, The Backyard Flower of Jade Trees is widely regarded as a song of national subjugation (wangguo zhi yin). It represents the moral and political decline of a ruler who abandons duty for self‑indulgence. Later generations often use it to warn against decadence, frivolity, and ignoring governance. For instance, in Du Mu’s poem “Mooring by the Qinhuai River”, the line “The merchant girls know not the sorrow of national subjugation, / Still singing ‘The Backyard Flower of Jade Trees’ across the river.” is a direct echo of this.

It is one of the most famous poems of the Southern Dynasties, known for its delicate, ornamental style. However, its association with political failure has given it a lasting negative reputation in Chinese literary and historical discourse.

玉树后庭花

丽宇芳林对高阁，新装艳质本倾城。
映户凝娇乍不进，出帷含态笑相迎。
妖姬脸似花含露，玉树流光照后庭。
花开花落不长久，落红满地归寂中。