梅雪争春未肯降
Plum and snow vie for spring, neither willing to yield;
骚人搁笔费评章
The poet lays down his brush, pondering a judgment.
梅须逊雪三分白
Plum must yield to snow a little in whiteness;
雪却输梅一段香
Yet snow falls short of plum in fragrance.
What the poem means
Plum blossoms and snow seem to compete for spring. Snow is whiter, blossoms are more fragrant: each has a strength. Together, they reveal two different kinds of beauty.
Meet the poet
Lu Yue, known as Meipo, was a Song poet. Plum and snow each have a quality the other cannot match.
Lu Yue · More poems →