Black Clothes Lane, Liu Yuxi (Tang Shi #279)

[lnhammer]

Weeds blossom beside Vermilion Bird Bridge,
Sunset dims the mouth of Black Clothes Lane.
The swallows of yore on the halls of Wang and Xie
Now fly among the common people’s houses.

乌衣巷
朱雀桥边野草花，
乌衣巷口夕阳斜。
旧时王谢堂前燕，
飞入寻常百姓家。

Black Clothes Lane (so-called because during the Three Kingdoms period, black-uniformed soldiers were garrisoned there) was near Vermilion Bird Bridge in Nanjing. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it became an aristocratic district, including the households of revered statesmen Wang Dao and Xie An. Despite its dilapidation during Tang times and later, it still exists. The last two lines have become a famous quotation.

---L.

Comments

[sovay]

Weeds blossom beside Vermilion Bird Bridge,
Sunset dims the mouth of Black Clothes Lane.

That's a beautiful snapshot.

[lnhammer]

It is. Li Yuxi is not the best known late Tang poet, but I've liked pictures painted in every poem of his so far.

[sartorias]

Beautiful photo, and a stunning poem.

[lnhammer]

There's more on Baidu Baike, via the poem's page.