Liu compares a queen to charcoal ash

He turns his wrath upon the rich

A Hard Road to Walk (3): Time Brings All Things Low
Liu Zongyuan

When blizzards block the roads, and palace beams 
Are wrapped in ice, the family of the queen 
Cremate such such stacks of charcoal as to seem
That palaces of jade were carved in air.
Writhing dragons spit sparks in the heat,
And fire-tigers yawn their gaping beaks,
While panther-sprites ferociously compete 
For height with elemental burning bears.
From charcoal peaks and plateaus, red light shines,
Coal perfume fills the opalescent skies,
And dazzling women show the snow sunrise 
Reflected through the earrings that they wear.

But nothing can stop the course the planets follow:
The regal rafters soon see next year’s swallow,
The lakeside summerhouse is ornamented 
With sudden light that springs from everywhere.
However far one pole is from another,
Dead ash is swept up and abandoned there.

Everything that once was precious and high 
Will sink low.
And all the palm fans and peach wicker money can buy
Won’t make the seasons slow.

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I have to confess, I have no understanding of how satirical commentary worked in the Tang Dynasty. This poem comments bitchily on the conspicuous consumption of charcoal by the queen’s household; and suggests that just as the charcoal is put away during summer (also, as its price slumps in summer), the prestige of the queen’s clan will also pass away.

How did poets get away with writing things like this? Did they get away with it? If Liu was protected at that moment by a powerful patron, did he not think it would be prudent to stay in the good graces of other factions (like the queen’s) as insurance against any future problems? What benefit can there possibly have been to his public censure of well-connected families?

Perhaps I won’t ever get why Liu wrote this, but I hope this English version makes clear what is going on here.

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柳宗元  行道难三首·其三

飞雪断道冰成梁，侯家炽炭雕玉房。

蟠龙吐耀虎喙张，熊蹲豹踯争低昂。

攒峦丛崿射朱光，丹霞翠雾飘奇香。

美人四向廻明珰，雪山冰谷晞太阳。

星躔奔走不得止，奄忽双燕栖虹梁。

风台露榭生光饰，死灰弃置参与商。

盛时一去贵反贱，桃笙葵扇安可当。