Li Shangyin (813–858) was a poet from the late-Tang era famous for his dense and cryptic poetic imagery.

 

细雨

帷飘白玉堂,

簟[1]卷碧牙床。

楚女[2]当时意,

萧萧[3]发彩[4]凉。

白玉堂,指天宫,碧牙床,指天空,细雨由天上洒落,有如天宫白玉堂前飘拂下垂的帷幕,又像是从天空这张碧牙床上翻卷下来的簟席。该诗极富想象力。

注释:

[1]簟:竹席。

[2]楚女:指《楚辞》里描写的神女。

[3]萧萧:凉意。

[4]发彩:发光可鉴。

A Fine Rain

Screen wafting before the hall of white jade,

Mat rolled down from bed of ivory made.

Hair falling down of a fair Southern Flower,

Coolness of breath exhaled shower by shower.

Note:A fine rain is compared to a wafting screen,a mat rolled down from bed,hair falling on fair shoulders or cool breath exhaled by a beauty.