Su Xiaoxiao’s Tomb - Li He
/苏小小墓 - 李贺/
A Haunting Tribute by the West Hills
幽兰露，如啼眼。
The dew on hidden orchids is like tearful eyes.
无物结同心，烟花不堪剪。
No memento can bind two hearts as one; drifting blossoms cannot bear the snip of shears.
草如茵，松如盖。
Grass spreads like a cushion, pines extend like a canopy.
风为裳，水为佩。
The wind becomes her gown, the water her ornament.
油壁车，夕相待。
Carriages with oiled blinds await her at dusk.
冷翠烛，劳光彩。
Chilled emerald candles shed their weary glow.
西陵下，风吹雨。
Beneath the Western Tombs, the wind drives the rain.
The dew on hidden orchids is like tearful eyes.
无物结同心，烟花不堪剪。
No memento can bind two hearts as one; drifting blossoms cannot bear the snip of shears.
草如茵，松如盖。
Grass spreads like a cushion, pines extend like a canopy.
风为裳，水为佩。
The wind becomes her gown, the water her ornament.
油壁车，夕相待。
Carriages with oiled blinds await her at dusk.
冷翠烛，劳光彩。
Chilled emerald candles shed their weary glow.
西陵下，风吹雨。
Beneath the Western Tombs, the wind drives the rain.
This short yet evocative poem by Li He captures a sense of gentle melancholy surrounding the figure of Su Xiaoxiao—a renowned courtesan of the Southern Qi era (5th–6th century) who was celebrated for her beauty, poetic soul, and early death. The poem does not provide a direct biographical narrative but rather presents a series of symbolic images that evoke the ephemeral nature of life and love.
In the opening lines, Li He compares dew on secluded orchids to tearful eyes, projecting a mood of quiet mourning. The mention of ‘no memento can bind two hearts as one’ underscores both Su Xiaoxiao’s legendary love story and the fleeting quality of human affections. Orchids are traditionally associated with refined beauty and gentle grace, while the dew’s impermanence underscores the transitory nature of life.
The following lines describe a tranquil natural setting: grass like a soft cushion, pine trees providing a broad canopy. These images convey a calm, almost otherworldly resting place—an eternal repose that highlights the contrast between Su Xiaoxiao’s brief, luminous existence and the abiding constancy of nature. By dressing her in wind and water—‘the wind becomes her gown, the water her ornament’—Li He elevates her to a poetic, mythic stature, suggesting that her memory remains an ethereal presence in the landscape.
References to ‘oiled-blind carriages’ and ‘chilled emerald candles’ depict a world both elegant and sorrowful. Carriages once might have carried her in life, but here they wait in vain at dusk. The quiet glow of greenish candles feels both luxurious and cold, intensifying the sense of loneliness. Finally, ‘beneath the Western Tombs, the wind drives the rain’ evokes a haunting, mournful closure—nature itself resonates with the lingering sadness of her absence.
Together, these lines create an atmospheric lament that speaks more through suggestion than direct statement. Su Xiaoxiao’s figure floats between real history and poetic myth, serving as an emblem of fragile love and beauty. For Li He, known for his vivid, dreamlike imagery, the poem offers a glimpse into his artistry: the ability to summon entire emotional worlds with just a handful of lines. In contemplating Su Xiaoxiao’s tomb, Li He also captures a broader universal truth: that the finest blossoms of youth and talent often fade all too quickly, leaving behind only memory and longing.
Key points
• Li He’s poem memorializes Su Xiaoxiao, a legendary courtesan known for her poetic grace.
• Evocative nature imagery (dew, orchids, wind, rain) underscores life’s transience.
• The poem’s atmosphere blends elegance with quiet mourning.
• Li He’s signature style uses symbolic and dreamlike details to convey deep emotional resonance.
