蔣一桂《南沙迎春詞》 “On Welcoming Spring in Nansha” by Jiang Yigui (fl. 19th century)

蔣一桂《南沙迎春詞》 

“On Welcoming Spring in Nansha [1]” by Jiang Yigui (fl. 19th century)

報道東皇下玉霄，

郊壇迎祀集羣僚。

軒車駟馬春容盛，

一色靑旗樹野橋。

'Tis said the Eastern August descends from the Jade Heavens [2]

And for a welcome sacrifice at the altar beyond the walls summons his retinue,

In a grand chariot drawn by four steeds, aglow with vernal radiance,

With banners all in green, rising tall beside the country bridge. 

* From Chen Shi 陳詩 (1864-1943) ed., Wanyan chuji 皖雅初集 (Shanghai: Shanghai meiyi tushu gong si, 1929-1932), 33.39b.

[1] Nansha 南沙 (literary “South Sands”) is located in today’s Changshu, Jiangsu.

[2] The Eastern August is the God of Spring, and “Jade Heavens” is a Daoist expression for the celestial realm.

Detail of "Luoshen fu tu" 洛神賦圖 showing the poet on a chariot drawn by four steeds

A Song-dynasty copy of the original supposedly by Gu Kaizhi 顧愷之 (345-406)

For the entire hand scroll, see here.