At Jiling Terrace: No. 1
Slanting sunlight falls on Jiling Terrace;
Flowers on the red trees open in the morning dew.
Last night the emperor received a new Daoist register;
Taizhen enters through the curtain with a smile.
Notes
Jiling Terrace is associated with Daoist activity at the Tang court. Receiving a lu is a Daoist ritual. Taizhen was a religious name used by Yang Yuhuan. The poem’s scene should not be treated as a complete historical record.
Meaning
A morning scene at Jiling Terrace leads to an imagined court moment involving a Daoist ritual and Taizhen.
Appreciation
Sunlight and morning dew establish a bright setting before court figures appear.
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The ritual and Taizhen’s entrance place religious ceremony beside court life.
A few selected details leave motives and the speaker’s attitude open to interpretation.
Historical context helps, but the poem is not a full record of the event.
About the poet
Zhang Hu, courtesy name Chengji, was a Tang poet; accounts of his dates and place of origin differ.
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His surviving poems include works about palace life, scenery and travel.
Palace Poem is also commonly titled He Manzi.