元(yuán)日(rì)

王(wánɡ)安(ān)石(shí)〔宋(sònɡ)代(dài)〕

爆(bào)竹(zhú)声(shēnɡ)中(zhōnɡ)一(yì)岁(suì)除(chú),

春(chūn)风(fēnɡ)送(sònɡ)暖(nuǎn)入(rù)屠(tú)苏(sū)。

千(qiān)门(mén)万(wàn)户(hù)曈(tóng)曈(tóng)日(rì),

总(zǒnɡ)把(bǎ)新(xīn)桃(táo)换(huàn)旧(jiù)符(fú)。

Explanation of Ancient Chinese Poetry

Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the old year passes, and people drink Tu Su wine with the warm spring breeze.

The rising sun shines on thousands of households, and old peachwood charms are taken down and replaced with new ones.

Annotations

元日（yuán rì）：Lunar New Year’s Day, i.e., Spring Festival.
爆竹（bào zhú）：Ancient people burned bamboo to make it explode, used to drive away evil spirits and avoid misfortune, later evolving into setting off fireworks and firecrackers.
除（chú）：Pass, go by.
屠苏（tú sū）：Also known as “Tusu”, originally a type of broad-leaved grass. In southern folk customs, some houses were decorated with drawings of Tusu grass, and such houses were called “Tusu houses”.
曈曈（tóng tóng）：Bright and warm when the sun rises.
桃（táo）：Taofu, in ancient customs, on the first day of the lunar new year, people wrote the names of the gods Shentu and Yulei on peach wood tablets and hung them on their doors to ward off evil spirits. Also used as spring couplets.

Creation Background

This poem was written during Wang Anshi’s initial appointment as prime minister and the beginning of his implementation of new policies.

To overcome the political and economic crises faced by the Song Dynasty, as well as the constant invasions by Liao and Western Xia, in 1068, Emperor Shenzong summoned Wang Anshi for an audience, bypassing the usual protocol.

Wang Anshi immediately submitted a proposal advocating for reforms. The following year, he was appointed as a vice premier and took charge of the reform. On New Year’s Day of the same year, Wang Anshi, inspired by the new atmosphere at the start of the reform, created this poem with deep feelings.