水光潋滟晴方好
Sunlit ripples glitter: the clear day is lovely;
山色空蒙雨亦奇
Hazy mountain colors in rain are wonderful too.
欲把西湖比西子
If West Lake were compared to Xizi,
淡妆浓抹总相宜
Light or rich adornment would always suit her.
What the poem means
West Lake shines in sunshine and looks mysterious in rain. Comparing it to a legendary beauty, the poet enjoys both appearances. With children, focus on different kinds of weather beauty rather than judging looks.
Meet the poet
Su Shi was a Song poet. Both the sunny and rainy West Lake are worth enjoying in this poem.
Su Shi · More poems →