Chinese is a very beautiful and artistic language, many ancient poets created many beautiful and meaningful poems to express their love for nature, country and people etc. Any subject can be made into a poem. In winter, snow is one of the most popular themes.

There is a poem from Luo Yin who lived in Late Tang and Five Dynasties called “Snow”. He wrote the snow but actuarially satirized dignitaries.

Snow

By Luo Yin (Tang Dynasty)

It is said that auspicious snow signifies a bountiful year.

what about the situation even if it is indeed a bountiful year?

In Chang'an city poor people are suffering from cold and hunger，

I have to say there shouldn't be so much heavy snow here.

雪

唐·罗隐

尽道丰年瑞，丰年事若何。

长安有贫者，为瑞不宜多。

What is meaning of “auspicious snow signifies a bountiful year”?

“auspicious snow signifies a bountiful year” that is “A fall of seasonable snow gives promise of a fruitful year”, it’s “Rui Xue Zhao Feng Nian” in Chinese.

Rui Xue refers to the moderate amount of snow that falls at the right time.

Rui means good. Moderate snow can kill insects and keep warm, while also providing moisture to crops without crushing them, so it is considered a sign of a good harvest.

But in Late Tang Dynasty, the Rui Xue may instead of death, because in the late Tang Dynasty, heavy taxes and high land rent exploitation put farmers in an equally miserable situation, whether it was a bountiful harvest or a reduction in production. Poor people cannot hope for the benefits brought by the "auspicious snow and bountiful year", but they will be frozen to death by the "bountiful year" that is talked about by high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

Many of Luo Yin's poems are satirical of reality, perhaps related to the reasons why his career was not smooth, his official career was hindered, and his talent could not be fully utilized. However, it was already valuable to speak up for poor farmers in feudal society.

In the long history of over two thousand years, there were many literati and politicians who sympathized with the suffering of the world. However, due to the constraints of Chinese feudal ethics, these poems and writings ultimately only became the social background that was passed down, and did not play a significant role at that time.