Birthday poem · April 11Clear and Bright, the 5th solar term: the weather warms and plants turn green.
Birth character
光 guāng · light
In its oldest form, 光 shows fire above a kneeling person; it means light.
床前明月光
“Before my bed a pool of light” — Li Bai, ‘Quiet Night Thoughts’
Other dates with this poem: February 8
The poem
“Crabapple” 海棠
- 東風嫋嫋泛崇光The east wind blows softly; the blossoms glow;
- 香霧空濛月轉廊fragrant mist hangs hazy as the moon turns past the gallery.
- 只恐夜深花睡去Fearing only that, deep in the night, the flowers will fall asleep,
- 故燒高燭照紅妝I light tall candles to shine on their rouged faces.
Why this poem
Su Shi lights candles at night to look at crab-apple blossom, which flowers in spring.
This day in the Chinese calendar
Solar term: Clear and Bright.