A Complete Collection of Classic Poems Praising Pine Trees, with Appreciation and Analysis
There are nearly more than eighty species of pine trees in the world. They possess a masculine beauty, their branches and trunks have the quality of being soft yet firm, and their leaves give people a feeling of freshness and detachment. They are regarded by the people of our country as a symbol of firmness, chastity, and longevity, and together with bamboo and plum blossom are known as the “Three Friends of Winter,” symbolizing the tenacious spirit of fearing no adversity and overcoming difficulties. Now let us take a look at which poems praise pine trees!
"Seven-Character Quatrain. Inscription on the Photo of the Immortal's Cave on Mount Lu Taken by Comrade Li Jin"
Modern · Mao Zedong
In the vast twilight I gaze at the sturdy pine, amid scurrying clouds it remains calm.
Nature made this immortal's cave; infinite splendor lies on the perilous peak.
"Ode to the Pine"
Qing Dynasty · Lu Huixin
Lean stone and cold plum are its neighbors, graceful and unchanging through the spring of all four seasons.
Know that its nature scorns snow and defies frost; it is not of the company of the bustling crowd.
"The Lone Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Liu Zongyuan
The lone pine rests its emerald canopy, its roots set beside the broad road.
It did not guard itself against danger, and so was misled by brightness.
"Ode to the Pine"
Modern · Chen Yi
Heavy snow presses the green pine, the green pine stands tall and straight.
If you would know the pine's noble purity, wait until the snow melts.
"Inscription on the Streamside Pine Before the Temple of Bequeathed Love"
Tang Dynasty · Bai Juyi
The leaning tall pine tree, overhanging the small stone stream. Quietly it faces the flowing water, in height it equals the distant peaks.
Its emerald canopy thick with mist, its flowered banners pressed low by snow. It sits with monks in clear shadow, lends the crane a steady branch to perch on.
The brush struggles to capture its form, the zither steals its tone and easily loses itself. On summer days the wind rustles, on clear nights the dew falls chill.
Alone I lodge beside it as my dwelling, idly walking round it as a path. Do not cut it, my lord, for beams and pillars; leave it to keep company with secluded dwelling.
"Poem on the Cold Pine"
Southern Dynasties · Fan Yun
Its long branches brush the layered sky. Its dense leaves screen the river of heaven.
Riding the wind, its firm integrity is known. Bearing the snow, its chaste heart is seen.
"The Little Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Du Xunhe
Since childhood it thrust its head among the deep grass, and now it gradually rises above the weeds.
People of the time do not recognize the tree that will reach the clouds; only when it reaches the clouds do they call it tall.
"In Imitation of Yan Lugong's Poem Sending Ting Yun Back to Cuiwei Temple"
Tang Dynasty · Lu Lun
Ting Yun, gifted in learning, versed in both Confucianism and Buddhism, his sleeve holds authentic cursive traces of Yan and Xu. In one studio, thrice I begged a record of his journey in verse, he mocked me for dangling my whip and playing the whistling arrow.
The temple hangs its golden plaque on a half-mountain corner, the stone path desolate, the pine trees withered. Tiger tracks printed in snow as big as a peck, in the intercalary month at dusk can one get through?
"Ode to the Pine"
Song Dynasty · Wu Fu
The ancients long held a heart to benefit the people, planting pines along the road down to today.
If today we can plant more, we shall see a hundred generations of lasting green shade.
"The Pine at the Bottom of the Ravine"
Tang Dynasty · Bai Juyi
There is a pine a hundred chi tall and ten arm-spans around, growing at the bottom of a ravine, cold and lowly. The ravine is deep, the mountain perilous, the path of men cut off; to old age and death it never meets a craftsman to measure it.
The Son of Heaven's bright hall lacks beams, each seeks and each has, yet neither knows. Who can explain the vast intent of the Creator, who gives it the timber but not the place.
The Jin and Zhang clans held hereditary office, Yuan Xian was virtuous, the ox-hide blanket is cold and lowly, the sable and cicada ornaments are noble.
The sable and cicada ornaments and the ox-hide blanket, though high and low indeed differ.
The high are not necessarily worthy, the low are not necessarily foolish.
Do you not see coral growing deep on the sea floor, and white elms planted clearly in the heavens!
"Imitating Ji ZhongSan's Poem on the Pine"
Jin Dynasty · Xie Daoyun
Gazing afar at the pine on the mountain, through deep winter it cannot wither. I wish to think of roaming and resting below, to gaze at those ten-thousand-fathom branches.
Leaping I cannot ascend, I stamp my feet and await Wang Qiao. The times are not with me, carried adrift by the great fate.
"Poems of Cherished Feelings, Eighty-Two Poems, Number Thirteen"
Three Kingdoms · Ruan Ji
Climbing high and looking over the four wilds, gazing north at the green mountain's bend. Pines and cypresses shade the ridge and peaks, flying birds call as they pass.
Moved to emotion, I harbor bitterness. Resentment and poison are often bitter and many. Lord Li grieved at the Eastern Gate, Master Su was cramped by the Three Rivers.
Seeking benevolence, one obtains benevolence; why sigh and lament again.
"The Pine Tree"
Tang Dynasty · Bai Juyi
White silver was exchanged for a green pine tree; since you planted it first, I did not plant.
Fortunately the west wind is easy to rely on, stealing in the deep night to send fine sounds.
"The Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Cheng Yanxiong
The Grand Master's fame and price are heard through the ages, coiling and bending, lone and chaste, surpassing the crowd.
One would think it idle atop the ridge, yet the setting sun still hangs on several branches of cloud.
"Moved by an Ancient Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Huangfu Song
By the power of Heaven and Earth, I am brought to this life. Noble and lowly are not made equal for me; what then is the feeling of Heaven and Earth.
My family for generations has held the way and virtue, its purpose to aid civilization. The family collection of four hundred volumes, standing alone as a classic of Heaven and Earth.
I send word to the green pine's bearing: how could it envy the splendor of the scarlet hibiscus. Bright and clear is the light of the great transformation, sharing this bequeathed fragrance.
"The Courtyard Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Bai Juyi
What is there below the hall? Ten pines stand at my steps. Standing in disorder without rows, high and low also uneven.
The tall ones three zhang long, the lower ones ten chi low. Like wild things, one knows not who planted them.
Joined by blue-tiled roofs, supported by a white sand terrace. Morning and dusk have wind and moon, dry and damp without dust or mud.
Sparse in tone, in autumn they rustle, cool in shade, in summer they are chill. In deep spring on a light-rain evening, the leaves are full of pearly drops.
At year's end on a heavy-snow day, pressing the branches, jade-white and gleaming. The four seasons each have their interest; ten thousand trees are not their peer.
Last year I bought this house, much mocked by others. A family of twenty mouths, moved and turned to come to the pine.
What is gained by moving here, but that the troubled breast is opened. This very thing is a beneficial friend, why must one befriend the worthy?
Looking at myself, still a common scholar, cap and belt trailing dust. Not yet fit to be the pine's master, from time to time I feel a pang of shame.
"To My Cousin"
Three Kingdoms · Liu Zhen
Graceful is the pine on the mountain, sighing is the wind in the valley. How fierce the sound of the wind, how strong the branches of the pine.
Ice and frost are indeed bleak and bitter, yet all year it stays upright. How could it not suffer the piercing cold; pines and cypresses have their own nature.
"Poems of Cherished Feelings, Eighty-Two Poems, Number Fifty"
Three Kingdoms · Ruan Ji
Walking beside the three thoroughfares, melancholy I think of what I long for. How could it be seen today, dimly and truly it exists.
In the marsh grows a tall pine, ten thousand generations cannot be expected. High birds fly brushing the sky. Reaching the clouds they sport together.
How could there be a lone walker, shedding tears and grieving for times past.
"Four Pines"
Tang Dynasty · Du Fu
When the four pines were first transplanted, they were mostly just over three chi. Since parting, suddenly three years have passed, standing apart they are as tall as a man.
One will see their roots are not pulled up, do not reckon the branches' withering and damage. Their secluded color fortunately flourishes, their sparse boughs also stand proud.
The small fence I set, originally also as a dike and defense. In the end broken and damaged, grudging the thousand yellowing leaves.
Dare I be master of the old grove, when the common people are still not at peace. Fleeing the rebels I now first return, spring grass fills the empty hall.
Viewing things I sigh at decline and fading, and this comforts the desolation. A clear wind rises for me, sprinkling my face like faint frost.
Enough to see me off in old age's bearing, let me wait for the spreading canopy to open. My life has no root or bond, to match you is also vast and dim.
Having feeling, one writes poetry, the deeds can both be forgotten. Do not boast of a thousand years hence, bleakly coiling in the vast blue.
"The Pine"
Tang Dynasty · Han Gai
Leaning on the empty high railing, cold and without dust, past events idly summoned, dream about to part. Its emerald color is best seen after frost, its cold sound is heard toward the moon.
Crying gibbons seem to bring the rain of dark mountains, returning cranes should answer the clouds of the purple palace. Do not vie with the peaches and plums in the eastern garden; spring light still will not tolerate you.
"Two Poems on Planting Pines"
Tang Dynasty · Bai Juyi
The small pine not yet a full chi, my heart loves it, with my own hands I move it. Dark is the color at the ravine's bottom, cloud-damp, mist drifting.
Planting it late in my years, its growing to maturity is slow by nature. How is it that past forty, I plant these few-inch branches?
Will I see it form shade? In life, seventy is rare. I love you for holding late integrity, I pity you for containing straight grain.
Wanting to see you morning after morning, before the steps I deliberately planted you. Know that until you die, then it ends; if you do not die you will reach the clouds.
"The Pine of the South Veranda"
Tang Dynasty · Li Bai
On the south veranda there is a lone pine, its boughs and leaves dense and thick. The clear wind has no idle time, free and easy all day and night.
Its shade breeds ancient moss green, its color dyes the autumn mist blue. When will it reach the clouds, straight up several thousand chi.
"Poems of Cherished Feelings, Eighty-Two Poems, Number Sixty-Five"
Three Kingdoms · Ruan Ji
At dawn I go out the Upper East Gate, gazing afar at the base of Shouyang. Pines and cypresses dense and deep, orioles sport together.
Roaming among the nine bends, lingering, where shall I go. Thinking of my ordinary days, gloomily I long for a fair lady.
"Song of Fufeng"
Jin Dynasty · Liu Kun
The southern mountain's stones are towering, how luxuriant the pines and cypresses. Their upper branches brush the blue clouds, their trunks ten-some arm-spans around.
When Luoyang sent men to fetch beams, the pine tree secretly grieved for itself. Axes and saws cut down that pine; the pine tree was broken from east to west.
It was specially made into a four-wheeled cart, hauled to the Luoyang Palace. None who saw it could help but sigh, asking from what mountain this timber came.
Who could carve and engrave this? Gongshu and Lu Ban. It was coated with red lacquer, and fumigated with storax incense.
Originally it was a pine of the Southern Mountains; now it is a beam of the palace.
"Twenty Poems on Drinking Wine"
Jin Dynasty · Tao Yuanming
Restless, a bird that has lost its flock, still flies alone at dusk. It hovers with no fixed resting place, and night after night its cry turns sadder.
Its shrill call longs for the clear dawn; flying far, what can it rely on? By chance it meets a lone-growing pine, and folding its wings it comes home from afar.
In strong winds no flourishing tree remains, yet this shade alone does not wither. Having found a place to entrust itself, for a thousand years it will not part from it.
"On History, No. 2"
Jin Dynasty · Zuo Si
Lush and dense, the pine at the bottom of the ravine; sparse and slender, the sprout on the mountain. With that mere inch-thick stem, it shades this hundred-foot branch.
Heirs of great houses tread the high offices; the gifted and heroic sink into low posts. It is the lay of the land that makes it so; this has not been the case for only one morning.
The Jin and Zhang families relied on their old hereditary estates, and for seven generations wore the Han sable. Was Lord Feng not great? Yet to white-haired age he was never summoned.