赋得古原草送别
fù dé gǔ yuán cǎo sòng bié
Grasses
白居易 (Bai Juyi) · Tang Dynasty · 772–846
Original Text
离离原上草，
lí lí yuán shàng cǎo,
一岁一枯荣。
yī suì yī kū róng.
野火烧不尽，
yě huǒ shāo bù jìn,
春风吹又生。
chūn fēng chuī yòu shēng.
远芳侵古道，
yuǎn fāng qīn gǔ dào,
晴翠接荒城。
qíng cuì jiē huāng chéng.
又送王孙去，
yòu sòng wáng sūn qù,
萋萋满别情。
qī qī mǎn bié qíng.
English Translation
Endless grasses on the plain — each year they wither and flourish again. Wildfire cannot burn them away; spring wind blows and they grow once more. Their distant fragrance reaches the old road; their sunlit green meets the ruined city. Once more I see a friend off — the thick grasses overflow with parting sorrow.
Historical Background
Bai Juyi wrote this poem at age 16 as an examination piece. Legend says that when the famous poet Gu Kuang first read it, he was astonished by the young poet's talent. The lines "Wildfire cannot burn them away; spring wind blows and they grow once more" became one of the most quoted couplets in Chinese literature, symbolizing indomitable resilience.
Literary Analysis
The poem works on two levels: as nature observation and as farewell. The grass becomes a metaphor for both the persistence of life (surviving fire, returning each spring) and the persistence of sorrow (always growing back when friends depart). The middle section expands the scene — grass reaching along ancient roads and against ruined cities — connecting personal farewell to the passage of history. The closing ties everything to the specific moment of saying goodbye.
Details
Form
Five-character Regulated Verse (五言律诗)
Theme
Friendship & Farewell
About Bai Juyi (白居易)
Bai Juyi was one of the most prolific and popular Tang Dynasty poets. He advocated for poetry that common people could understand, writing in a clear, accessible style. He held various government positions and is also famous for his long narrative poems like "Song of Everlasting Regret" (长恨歌).
2 poems by Bai Juyi in our collection
Traditional Chinese
離離原上草，一歲一枯榮。野火燒不盡，春風吹又生。遠芳侵古道，晴翠接荒城。又送王孫去，萋萋滿別情。