Home › Poems › Early Spring East of the City

Chéng Dōng Zǎo ChūnEarly Spring East of the City 城东早春

Yang Juyuan (杨巨源, also known as )｜Mid Tang｜seven-character quatrain

Yang Juyuan: the first yellow of the willows is the poet's favourite sight.

Original Chinese text with pinyin

诗家清景在新春
shī jiā qīng jǐng zài xīn chūn

绿柳才黄半未匀
lǜ liǔ cái huáng bàn wèi yún

若待上林花似锦
ruò dài shàng lín huā shì jǐn

出门倶是看花人
chū mén jù shì kàn huā rén

Simplified characters; traditional title: 城東早春.

The poet's clear scenery lies in the new spring,

when green willows have just turned yellow, not yet even.

If you wait until the imperial park is bright as brocade,

everyone out of doors will be a flower-viewer.

Original translation by Poetune — literal but poetic, written for this site.

诗家清景在新春 · shī jiā qīng jǐng zài xīn chūn — The poet's clear scenery lies in the new spring,

绿柳才黄半未匀 · lǜ liǔ cái huáng bàn wèi yún — when green willows have just turned yellow, not yet even.

若待上林花似锦 · ruò dài shàng lín huā shì jǐn — If you wait until the imperial park is bright as brocade,

出门倶是看花人 · chū mén jù shì kàn huā rén — everyone out of doors will be a flower-viewer.

Yang Juyuan: the first yellow of the willows is the poet's favourite sight. The scene stays with you.

Yang Juyuan: the first yellow of the willows is the poet's favourite sight.

Yang Juyuan wrote delicate early-spring scenes.

Lifetime: Mid Tang. Other famous works: Early Spring East of the City (城东早春).