Cen Shen (715-770) was as well-known a frontier poet as Gao Shi, and the Poetry Of White Snow written in 754 was considered typical of his frontier poetry. The first four lines of the poetry describe snow on the frontier before the farewell, and the second couplet surpasses all the snow poems before it for its ingenuity of winter snow to spring flowers. Lines 5-8 depict the bitter cold in the tent so as to form a striking contrast with the warmth of the farewell feast in lines 11-12. In line 14 the poet shows again his ingenuity in contrasting the frozen red flag on the one hand with the piercing wind and on the other with the white snow. Lines 15-16 describe the snow-covered mountain seen when the farewell is bidden and the last couplet only the snowy track seen after the farewell. In short, we see snow everywhere and all the time, before, during and after the farewell so that we may say snow and farewell are ingeniously interwoven together in this Chinese poetry.

SEE OFFICER BACK TO THE CAPITAL WITH POETRY OF WHITE SNOW
Snapping the pallid grass, the northern wind whirls low;
In the eighth moon the Tartar sky is filled with snow.
As if the vernal breeze had come back overnight,
Adorning thousands of pear-trees with blossoms white.
Flakes enter pearled blinds and wet the silken screen;
Nor furs of fox can warm us nor brocade quilts green.
The general cannot draw his rigid bow with ease;
E’ en the commissioner in coat of mail would freeze.
A thousand feet o’er cracked wilderness ice piles.
And gloomy clouds hang sad and drear for miles and miles.
We drink in Headquarters to our guest homeward bound;
With Tartar lutes, Pipas and pipes the camps resound.
Snow in large flakes at dusk falls heavy on camp gate;
The frozen red flag in the wind won’t undulate.
At eastern gate of Wheel Tower we bid goodbye;
On the snow-covered road to Heaven’s Mountain high.
I watch his horse go past a bend and, lost to sight.
His track will soon be covered by the snow in flight.

Note: Pipa is a kind of musical instrument in ancient times of China.

白雪歌送武判官归京

北风卷地白草折，胡天八月即飞雪。

忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开。

散入珠帘湿罗幕，狐裘不暖锦衾薄。

将军角弓不得控，都护铁衣冷难着。

瀚海阑干百丈冰，愁云惨淡万里凝。

中军置酒饮归客，胡琴琵琶与羌笛。

纷纷暮雪下辕门，风掣红旗冻不翻。

轮台东门送君去，去时雪满天山路。

山回路转不见君，雪上空留马行处。

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