空山新雨后

空山新雨後

kōngshānxīnyǔhòu

phrase

Meanings

1 the empty mountain after a fresh rain
2 a scene of stillness, freshness, and solitude in nature

Characters

empty; deserted

Examples

爬到山顶，空山新雨后的景象让人心静。

Pá dào shāndǐng, kōng shān xīn yǔ hòu de jǐngxiàng ràng rén xīn jìng.

Climbing to the summit, the scene of an empty mountain after fresh rain quiets the heart.

这幅画让我想起空山新雨后的意境。

Zhè fú huà ràng wǒ xiǎngqǐ kōng shān xīn yǔ hòu de yìjìng.

This painting reminds me of the mood of 'the empty mountain after fresh rain.'

Tips

history

Opening line of 王维 Wang Wei (Tang) 《山居秋暝》: 空山新雨后，天气晚来秋 — 'empty mountain after fresh rain; the weather turns to evening autumn.' A pinnacle of Wang Wei's nature-poetry-as-Zen-painting style.

usage

Usually paired with 天气晚来秋 to complete the couplet. 空 here means 'empty, deserted' — not literally vacant, but humanly still.

Stroke Order

空 kōng

山 shān

新 xīn

雨 yǔ

后 hòu