Melody on Diversion of Water for Irrigation
By Li Qunyu (Tang Dynasty)
Bamboo tube which the rippling autumn water flows through is like a chain of cold jade,
the water mist slowly diffused like endless wisps of clear smoke in the hole.
the quiet undercurrent is making a faint noise in this stretch of more than ten-li,
Pedestrians walk below it and can only hear its sound.
引水行
李群玉（唐）
一条寒玉走秋泉，引出深萝洞口烟。
十里暗流声不断，行人头上过潺湲。
Creative background
Li Qunyu lived in an era when the imperial court was increasingly corrupt. The autocracy of eunuchs and the domineering of vassal towns are increasing, and the party struggle between the eunuchs and the external officials is particularly fierce, resulting in the frequent abolition of the emperor, which directly threatens the consolidation of the central government, and the hope of the revival of the Tang Dynasty becomes very slim. In particular, the "Sweet dew Incident" that took place in the ninth year of Taihe (835) of Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty, it caused more than ten families killed, including Prime Minister Wang Ya. This chaotic political situation has led to obvious changes in the minds of scholars. In this situation, many people have the unique melancholy of this period. Most poets turn to express their personal feelings, while few works directly reflect the sufferings of the people and the devastation of society. Li Qunyu was also influenced by the times, and his poems also expressed his personal life feelings and interests with considerable quantities, and more deliberately expressed the complex and contradictory inner world. However, there are still many articles that touch many aspects of society. This is the first "Water Diversion".
About Li Qunyu
Li Qunyu is very talented in poetry.The Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty read his poems, praised his poems are extremely elegant, and gave "brocade colored objects" and "awarded to the school librarian of the Hongwen Library". Three years later, he resigned and returned to his hometown.
I have something to say
Poets in ancient dynasty, just like the writers nowadays, some of them are famous because of one work but sometimes, some ones can’t get reputation even though they write many words.
What is writing for? If for hobbies, is it worth for? But for reputation, is it really meaningful? What does writing for mankind? Can writing make any contribution to mankind?