瑶池
瑶池阿母绮窗开，
黄竹歌[1]声动地哀。
八骏[2]日行三万里，
穆王何事不重来。
此诗以《穆天子传》所载的西王母与周穆王相约见面的传说来构思，讥刺了皇帝求仙的虚妄。晚唐迷信求长生不老之风尤为盛行，宪宗、穆宗、武宗等皆因四处求仙、服丹药妄求长生而丧命，诗人以此诗嘲讽那些统治者，恰如其分。
注释：
[1]黄竹歌：逸诗，也作《黄竹诗》。
[2]八骏：传说周穆王有八匹骏马，可日行三万里。
The Pond of Jewels
TheQ ueen of Jewel Pond opened her window wide
But only heard grievous songs rolling to her side.
The royal steeds could run ten thousand miles a day
Why did the emperor not come again and stay?
Note:The Goddess of Jewel Pond waited in vain for the arrival of Emperor Zhou Mu（周穆王）whose steeds could run ten thousand miles a day.This verse shows that even a goddess could not immortalize an emperor.
This poem is based on the legend of the meeting between the Queen Mother of the West and King Mu of Zhou recorded in the “Chronicles of Emperor Mu”, satirizing the emperor’s vain pursuit of immortality. In the late Tang Dynasty, the superstitious pursuit of immortality was particularly prevalent. Emperor Xianzong, Emperor Muzong, Emperor Wuzong and others all died because of their vain pursuit of immortality by seeking immortality everywhere and taking elixirs. It is appropriate for the poet to use this poem to mock those rulers.
