竹外桃花三两枝
Beyond bamboo, two or three peach-blossom sprays;
春江水暖鸭先知
Ducks are first to feel the spring river’s warmth.
蒌蒿满地芦芽短
Mugwort fills the banks and reed shoots are short;
正是河豚欲上时
It is the season when pufferfish would swim upstream.
What the poem means
Peach blossoms appear beyond bamboo and ducks feel the river warming. New riverside plants suggest spring, prompting a thought beyond the painting about pufferfish season. Enjoy the imagery without handling or eating pufferfish.
Meet the poet
Su Shi was a Song poet. Looking at a painting, he imagines spring life beyond its visible details.
Su Shi · More poems →