Jade Flower Palace Poem Analysis

All people are attracted to the beauty found in ancient monuments. All these structures were at one time magnificent, but for many they live in a current state of rot despite their previous glory. In the poem “Jade Flower Palace,” Tu Fu uses figurative language to convey the theme statement that even the finest of things dissolve with the wear of time. Tu Fu uses the literary devices of metaphors and hyperboles to show the decrepit state of the once-elaborate palace. He tells us that “Ten thousand organ Pipes whistle and roar” (Tu Fu, 8-9). Evidently, there are not ten thousand pipes, nor are they roaring, but this hyperbole represents and indicates the deterioration of the once grand organ. Tu Fu also shares with us that “His dancing girls are yellow dust” (11). This metaphor provides a piece of imagery that allows the reader to visualize and understand how ancient and run down the palace really is, while still mentioning how sophisticated it previously was. The use of

Descriptions like “The wind moans” (1), and “The storm Scatters” (9-10) provide imagery that goes beyond the five senses into the realm of feeling. By using the words “moans” and “scatters”, Tu Fu puts an image into the reader’s head that this palace isn’t simply abandoned, but is haunted by its past glory. Another piece of personification, “The stream swirls” (1) doesn’t use a negative connotation, but does add to the haunting mood. These three pieces of personification use specific language to further build upon the mystical and eerie feeling established by the writing. This type of imagery, much like a rhetorical question, leads the reader to stop and think about the current condition of the palace. Personification is one of the integral parts of imagery used in literature, and Tu Fu uses it to connect the descriptions to the palace’s true