饮湖上初晴后雨
宋·苏轼
水光潋滟晴方好，
山色空蒙雨亦奇。
欲把西湖比西子，
淡妆浓抹总相宜。
Drinking at the Lake, First in Sunny, then in Rainy Weather
Su Shi
The brimming waves delight the eye on sunny days;
The dimming hills present rare view in rainy haze.
West Lake may be compared to Lady of the West,
Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed.
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
West Lake is an iconic scenic spot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Its natural beauty has inspired poets and painters throughout the ages. Song Dynasty poet Su Shi (1037-1101) is one of them. He wrote the poem Drinking at the Lake, First in Sunny, then in Rainy Weather to praise the charm of the lake.
In the first two lines, Su describes the area in different weather conditions. On sunny days, the brimming waves are stunning, while in the haze of rain, the hills dim. It gives the reader a general idea of West Lake's picturesque landscape.
To further explain its beauty, Su uses a comparison in the last two lines. He compares West Lake to Xishi, one of the four beauties of ancient China. Xishi is celebrated as a woman of extraordinary natural beauty with universal appeal. Like Xishi, West Lake is charming in all seasons. Due to Su's comparison, West Lake was nicknamed 'Xizi Lake'.
In just a few words, the poet vividly expresses the beauty of West Lake. Xu's translation here is quite suitable. The words 'brimming' and 'dimming', and phrases such as 'delight the eye' and 'present rare view' all keep the beauty of the poem.
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