— Chen Zi’ang
In late spring grows the orchid good,
How luxuriant are its leaves green!
Alone it adorns empty wood
With red blooms and violet stems lean.
Slowly, slowly shortens the day;
Rippling, rippling blows autumn breeze.
By the year’s end it fades away.
What has become of it fragrance, please?
Note
Chen Zi’ang (661–702 CE) was a pioneering poet and thinker of the early Tang Dynasty, known for rejecting the ornate, decorative style of his predecessors in favor of bold, morally grounded verse inspired by ancient Confucian ideals. He advocated for poetry with purpose – expressing genuine emotion, social concern, and philosophical reflection – laying the groundwork for the golden age of Tang poetry.
His poem “Reflections” (Gan Yu, from a series of 38 poems) uses the image of an orchid and Solomon’s seal (two fragrant, noble plants) blooming vibrantly in spring and summer to symbolize virtue and talent. The plants are lush and beautiful (“so luxuriant, so green!”), their red blossoms crowning purple stems, yet they grow unseen in a lonely forest – unappreciated and unharvested. As autumn comes with lengthening shadows and gentle winds, their petals fall, and their beauty fades without ever fulfilling its promise.
The final line – “What became of their noble intent?” – is a quiet lament not just for flowers, but for unrecognized human potential, wasted ideals, and the tragic gap between inner worth and worldly recognition. Through nature, Chen Zi’ang voices a timeless sorrow shared by scholars, reformers, and idealists throughout history.
感遇
— 陈子昂
兰若生春夏，
芊蔚何青青！
幽独空林色，
朱蕤冒紫茎。
迟迟白日晚，
嫋嫋秋风生。
岁华尽摇落，
芳意竟何成？
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