Midnight Wu Song: Spring
A Luofu of the Qin region
Picks mulberry leaves beside green water.
Her pale hands reach among green branches;
Her bright dress glows in the daylight.
“The silkworms are hungry; I must go.
Sir of the five-horse carriage, do not linger.”
Notes
Midnight Wu Song is an old Yuefu title. Luofu is a mulberry picker in the Han song Mulberry by the Road. A five-horse carriage signifies a high official. The speaker asks the visitor not to detain her.
Meaning
A woman gathers mulberry leaves by the water and asks a visiting official not to delay her because the silkworms are hungry.
Appreciation
The opening describes a spring figure through place, work and colour.
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Pale hands, green branches and bright dress form a vivid scene.
The closing gives the woman a voice as she explains that her silkworms need feeding.
Luofu and the carriage recall an older song without retelling its entire story.
About the poet
Li Bai (c. 701–762), courtesy name Taibai, was a Tang poet whose travels inspired many poems about landscapes, friendship and journeys.
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Life: Li Bai grew up in the Shu region and traveled widely. He was summoned to serve at the Tang court before continuing his journeys.
Works: His poems include Thoughts on a Quiet Night, Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu and To Wang Lun.