新酒初成，尚未过滤，泛着淡淡的绿色；红泥制成的小火炉朴素温馨，烧得正好。天色将晚，雪意渐浓，能否来寒舍一叙，共饮一杯暖酒？
凛冬将至，小雪初临。本期《诗词里的中国》与你共读唐代诗人白居易写与友人的《问刘十九》。
Today marks Minor Snow, or "Xiao Xue" in Chinese, the 20th solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar. By now, some areas in China would have experienced the joy of the first snow. It's the time of year to sit by the fire and read beautiful poetry with a cup of hot tea, cocoa or mulled wine. What can be cozier than that on a cold winter day?
In this episode of "Mastering Chinese Poetry," we take a look at a classic poem by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Bai Juyi, in which he invites a friend over for a drink on a winter day when snow is expected to fall at dusk.
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《问刘十九》
绿蚁新醅酒，红泥小火炉。
晚来天欲雪，能饮一杯无？
An Invitation
My new brew gives green glow;
My red clay stove flames up.
At dusk it threatens snow.
Won’t you come for a cup?
Unlike other lengthier poems about history and politics, this one by one of the greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty is simply about inviting a friend over for a drink. Without any complicated metaphor or rhetoric, the poem reflects a sincere and close friendship in simple language.
lǜ yǐ xīn pēi jiǔ
绿蚁新醅酒，
hóng ní xiǎo huǒ lú
红泥小火炉。
Each word is exact and meaningful. The first line refers to the ancient practice of making your own rice wine at home. The green color suggests the wine is almost done and is warming on the fire, waiting to be filtered and drunk. The red clay stove in the second line keeps the wine warm for a long period and refers to the warmth of the home and friendship.
wǎn lái tiān yù xuě
晚来天欲雪，
néng yǐn yī bēi wú
能饮一杯无？
You see the concern for the friend who might be coming home in the snow in the third line then the offer of warmth and shelter in the fourth line with the invitation to come and enjoy a warm brew. One can almost picture the cozy vibe and bond of friendship shared on a chilly and snowy day.
For me, nothing says winter like a steaming hot mug of mulled wine and watching the snow fall through the window with a friend.
As Auguste Rodin once said, "Beauty is everywhere. It is not that she is lacking to our eye, but our eyes which fail to perceive her." So don't forget the beauty of life and the warmth of friendship that can always beat the winter blues.
What are your favorite winter activities? Let us know in the comments, and stay warm out there!
