Opening line of
张若虚《
春江花月夜》 (Zhang Ruoxu, Tang, late 7th c.), 'Spring River, Flower, Moon, Night' — called by Qing critic
王闿运 '
孤篇压全唐' ('one poem that outweighs all of Tang'):
春江潮水连海平，
海上明月共潮生。
滟滟随波千万里，
何处春江无月明 (Spring river tide-waters stretch level with the sea; on the sea the bright moon rises with the tide. Rippling, following the waves for thousands of li — where on the spring river is there no moonlight?). The poem weaves moon, river, tide, blossoms, and human separation into one of the most celebrated meditations in classical Chinese verse.
