There is a poem that is praised as "a single piece covering the whole Tang Dynasty", that is to say, regardless of the ancient style, modern style, five or seven characters, is the absolute first, what kind of masterpiece can win this high reputation? Even more remarkable is that it was written by a less famous poet, Zhang Ruoxu. Zhang Ruoxu is not so famous among Tang poets, but he did write this poem, called "A Night of Spring Flowers and Moonlight," and the first two lines are surprisingly effective:
有一首诗，历代被誉为“孤篇盖全唐”，也就是说，不分古体、近体、五言、七言，都是绝对的第一，怎样的旷世之作才能获此高誉？更奇的是，这首诗出自一位不那么有名的诗人之手——张若虚，张若虚在唐朝的诗人里算不得鼎鼎大名，但他写的这首诗可谓鼎鼎大名，这首诗叫做《春江花月夜》，一开头两句就是神来之笔：
"The spring tide is even with the sea, and the moon on the sea is full of tides."
“春江潮水连海平，海上明月共潮生。”
The rivers run on until they reach the mouth of the sea, where the tide gradually subsides and merges into the vast expanse of water. As far as the eye could see, it was open, calm, and boundless. Then came the real hero: a moon on the sea, rising slowly in the subsiding tide.
江河奔流，到了入海口处，潮水渐渐平息下来，汇入广阔无垠的海水之中。放眼望去，一派开阔，风平浪静，水面无垠。就在这时，真正的主角出场了：一轮海上的明月，在渐渐平息的潮水中冉冉升起。
It is a soft and vast power that permeates the whole place. The sea supports the moon, and the moon radiates a boundless glow over the sea.
那是一种贯穿全场的、柔和而浩瀚的力量，海水托着明月，明月散发着无垠的辉光，普照在海面上。
This round of bright moon also reminds me of another poem, which was written by Mr. Yangming 500 years ago on the Mid-Autumn Festival: "My heart has its own bright moon, reunion through the ages."
这轮明月，也令人想到另一首诗，是五百年前阳明先生在中秋节写下的：“吾心自有光明月，千古团圆永无缺。”
This bright moon is not only on the sea, beyond the eaves, in the mountains, but also in the hearts of people.
这轮光明的月，不止在海上、檐外、山中，更在人的心里。
The moon always rises in my heart. This moon is a sentence in Mencius: "People who do not learn but can do well are also able to do well; He who knows without thinking has a conscience."
心中常有明月升起，这轮明月就是《孟子》中的一句话：“人之所不学而能者，其良能也；所不虑而知者，其良知也。”
Good knowledge and ability are the bright moon in our hearts!
良知良能，就是我们心中的明月！
Date: February 18, 2023
