— Li Yue
No leaves sprout from mulberry trees on drought-scorched earth;
Flutes and pipes are played to evoke the Rain God’s mirth.
But the rich see dances and hear songstresses sing;
They only fear rain clouds would damage their lute string.
Note
Li Yue (c. 8th–9th century) was a lesser-known but socially conscious poet of the Tang Dynasty, remembered for his sharp observations on inequality and the contrast between the suffering of common people and the indifference of the elite.
His poem “The Rain-Praying Ceremony” (Praying for Rain, Watching the Rain-Praying Ceremony or Guan Qi Yu) offers a powerful social critique in just four lines. It opens with a stark image of drought: mulberry trees have lost their leaves, and the dry earth seems to smoke from thirst. In desperation, villagers gather at the water god’s temple, playing flutes and drums to pray for rain – a ritual of survival.
Meanwhile, in stark contrast, the wealthy in their red-lacquered mansions are busy enjoying music and dance, actually worried that spring clouds might bring rain and dampen their instruments or spoil their entertainment.
This jarring juxtaposition – peasants begging for life-giving rain while the rich fear it as an inconvenience – exposes deep social injustice with quiet irony. Li Yue’s poem is a masterclass in concise, empathetic protest literature.
观祈雨
— 李约
桑条无叶土生烟，
箫管迎龙水庙前。
朱门几处看歌舞，
犹恐春阴咽管弦。
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