1. 1 忆江南 Recalling Jiangnan by Bai Juyi 江南好， 风景旧曾谙。 日出江花红胜火， 春来江水绿如蓝。 能不忆江南？ Jiangnan is wonderful, The scenery of the past, I have known all. At sunrise, river flowers are redder than fire, In spring, river water is as green as blue. How can’t I recall? The beauties of the whole.

2. 2 Bai Juyi (772 - 846)  He was born in Henan to a poor family of scholars  He spent his youth wandering about to escape wars, and was often cold and hungry  He was successful in civil service examinations, became an official, and worked in the central government for about 15 years  Then because he was disliked by those in power, he was sent to work in Jiangzhou, Hangzhou and Suzhou  Later he moved to Luoyang where he died at the age of 75

3. 3 Bai Juyi  He was a great realistic poet of Tang Dynasty  His poems flowed smoothly and his poetic style was so unique that it became a literary form commonly known as Fundamentally Plain Form.

4. 4 Bai Juyi's Former Residence

5. 5 Hangzhou Xihu

6. 6 Su Zhou

7. 7 Hangzhou Xihu

8. 8 Recalling Jiangnan  “Jiangnan is wonderful” –Because it is wonderful, he couldn’t help recalling it

9. 9 Recalling Jiangnan  “the scenery of the past, I have known all” –It expresses that the beautiful scene is known not by hearsay but by experience. –So his recalling is memorable –He not only wrote that the scenery was wonderful but also pointed out that it was worth recalling.

10. 10 Recalling Jiangnan  He used two sentences to write Jiangnan’s beauty:  “At sunrise, river flowers are redder than fire”  “In spring, river water is as green as blue”

11. 11 Recalling Jiangnan  We can see at that time in Jiangnan, when spring came, a hundred flowers were in bloom, which was all brilliant red.  When the sun rose, the red sun illuminated every corner of the land, the red flowers became more flourishing.  Because of the same color setting off by contrast, the brightness is heightened.

12. 12 Recalling Jiangnan  In spring, the river water was green, the red sun shore on it.  The sunlight flooded the seashore.  The green waves appeared more clear.  The poet related flowers and river to each other, different color set each other off.  River flowers were red, river water was green.  Now the red is redder, redder than fire; the green is greener, as green as blue.

13. 13 Recalling Jiangnan  He used the true feelings to tug at others heart strings.  This poem is the fruit of his literature experience.  Reading this poem, we both see the beauty of Jiangnan and feel the poet’s love of Jiangnan.

14. 14 Analysis  Bai Juyi got into trouble for his outspoken criticism, and he even debated with the emperor.  He was excluded in the royal court, and was relegated to be a lower official in Jiangnan areas.  In this period, he made great achievements in storing water in lakes and protecting banks.  People loved him and respected him

15. 15 Analysis  In his late years, when he saw the courtiers in the imperial court scrambling for power and profit and the imperial affairs being in chaos, he decided to retire from the official circles.  Then, he gave up his position and concentrated in Buddhism.

16. 16 Analysis  Bai Juyi spent his golden and peaceful time in Jiangnan.  Jiangnan was a memory to him.  Reading this poem, we not only see the beauty of Jiangnan, but also see how deep the poet’s love of Jiangnan.