Gazing Afar at Dusk

Su ShiJinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

4.1

Word count: 3.7K words
Chapters: 48

Summary

Su Shi (January 8, 1037 – August 24, 1101), courtesy names Zizhan and Hezhong, art name Dongpo Jushi, commonly known as Su Dongpo or Su Xian. Of Han ethnicity, he was a native of Meishan, Meizhou (present-day Meishan, Sichuan Province) in the Northern Song dynasty, with ancestral roots in Luancheng, Hebei. He was a celebrated man of letters, calligrapher, and painter of the Northern Song.

Editor's review

"Evening Gaze" is attributed to Su Shi; the title means gazing into the distance at dusk, a common theme of ascent-and-viewing poems in classical verse. Su Shi's poetry is known for its broad vision and its blend of reason and delight; even in short pieces, his open-minded outlook on life often shines through the landscape description. This edition, printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company, presents the piece on its own, making it easy for readers to focus on the text itself and savor it repeatedly. As you read, notice how the poem's line of sight moves from near to far and from scene to feeling, and appreciate the Song poetry traits of valuing suggestive meaning and skill in argument. You may also read it alongside Su Shi's other landscape and expressive works to feel how nature and mood merge in his writing. For the general reader, this is a light classical poetry sketch; for those with some grounding, it can serve as a sample for studying the structure and language style of Song poetry. Since the available material includes only the author's brief biography and the title, readers should rely mainly on close reading rather than on extensive external interpretation, letting insights arise from the words and imagery themselves—which brings you closer to the original.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Su Shi's poetry and prose who want to start with short pieces
Readers who enjoy poems of ascent and distant viewing, landscape and expressive verse
Language learners who need short texts for close-reading practice in Song poetry
General readers who wish to immerse themselves in classical poetic imagery in their leisure

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a complete collection of Su Shi's works or systematic author studies
Academic readers expecting detailed annotations, dating, and textual criticism
Readers who read only modern prose and are unfamiliar with classical poetic language

Reading tips

Read the whole poem once without any commentary, noting first impressions and questions
Mark words indicating time, space, and action to trace the direction of the gaze
Read it aloud twice to feel the rhythm and rhyme, then sense the emotion in the landscape language
Read it alongside other short poems by Su Shi, comparing the balance of scene and argument

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
【酬章处士见寄】罗隐
卷663_16【送丁明府赴紫溪任】罗隐
卷663_17【寄前宣州窦常侍】罗隐
卷663_18【秦望山僧院】罗隐
卷663_19【送光禄崔卿赴阙】罗隐
卷663_20【寄程尊师】罗隐
卷663_21【定远楼】罗隐
卷663_22【送程尊师东游有寄】罗隐
卷663_23【江亭别裴饶】罗隐
卷663_24【江南寄所知周仆射】罗隐
卷663_25【钱唐见芮逢】罗隐
卷663_26【江都】罗隐
卷663_27【湖上岁暮感怀有寄友人】罗隐
卷663_28【送张绾游钟陵】罗隐
卷663_29【送z6光大师（师以草书应制）】罗隐
卷663_30【息夫人庙】罗隐
卷663_31【漂母冢】罗隐
卷663_32【感怀】罗隐
卷663_33【扇上画牡丹】罗隐
卷663_34【书怀】罗隐
卷663_35【七夕】罗隐
卷663_36【柳】罗隐
卷663_37【罗敷水】罗隐
卷663_38【京中正月七日立春】罗隐
卷663_39【贵游】罗隐
卷663_40【严陵滩】罗隐
卷664_1【虚白堂前牡丹相传云太傅手植在钱塘】罗隐
卷664_2【县斋秋晚酬友人朱瓒见寄】罗隐
卷664_3【第五将军于馀杭天柱宫入道因题寄】罗隐
卷664_4【寄无相禅师】罗隐
卷664_5【秋日有寄】罗隐
卷664_6【送前南昌崔令替任映摄新城县（一作崔令映替任）】罗隐
卷664_7【下第作】罗隐
卷664_8【丁亥岁作（中元甲子）】罗隐
卷664_9【北邙山】罗隐
卷664_10【重过三衢哭孙员外】罗隐
卷664_11【送蕲州裴员外】罗隐
卷664_12【重九日广陵道中】罗隐
卷664_13【东归别所知】罗隐
卷664_14【旅舍书怀寄所知二首（后首一作汉东秋思）】罗隐
卷664_15【西京道中】罗隐
卷664_16【粉】罗隐
卷664_17【赠渔翁】罗隐
卷664_18【下第寄张坤】罗隐
卷664_19【东归别常修】罗隐
卷664_20【言】罗隐
卷664_21【简令生日】罗隐

FAQ

Is the author information for this poem reliable?

The material identifies the author as Su Shi and includes his dates and courtesy names. Readers may treat it as a poem under Su Shi's name while knowing that classical poems occasionally have attribution disputes, so a degree of caution is appropriate.

Can I understand "Evening Gaze" without annotations?

The title and theme are fairly common, so language barriers are usually minor. Look up unfamiliar characters and words in reference works, and focus on the layers of scenery and the movement of emotion rather than seeking deep meaning word by word.

What practical use is there in reading this short poem?

It can serve as daily accumulation in classical poetry, training the ability to grasp imagery and recognize structure, and it can offer a quiet aesthetic experience amid a fast-paced life.

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About the author

Su Shi Author · China (Northern Song dynasty) · 1037–1101

Su Shi (1037–1101), courtesy name Zizhan and literary name Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan in Meizhou (present-day Meishan, Sichuan) and a writer, calligrapher, painter, and statesman of the Northern Song dynasty. He excelled in poetry, ci lyrics, prose, and fu, and was one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. His ci opened the bold and unconstrained school, and his calligraphy ranks first among the Four Masters of Song. The collection contains twenty-eight of his works, including Dongpo Yuefu jian, Dongpo zhilin, Su Shi ciji, Lun shu, Chao Cuo lun, and Dongpo ji, covering poetry, historical essays, miscellaneous notes, and writings on calligraphy and painting. His prose is sweeping and unrestrained, his poetry clear and vigorous, and his ci broke through the confines of delicate romance, using poetry as the basis for ci and broadening both its subjects and its scope, while his brief occasional pieces are casually sketched yet rich in feeling. His work has had a profound influence on later literature, calligraphy and painting, and literati life, and has long been regarded as classic, often placed in the categories of ancient poetry, Eastern philosophy, and literary appreciation.