韩愈（768－842），字退之，唐代大文学家，中唐文章革新运动的主将。他的文章最受后人推崇，常和杜甫的诗相提并论；他的诗，想象奇特，气势雄伟，追求散文化的语言风格。韩愈还以爱护人才著名，诗人李贺、贾岛，都受过他的赏识和教益。

呈水部张十八员外――送给张籍。呈，送给，恭敬语；诗人张籍（约767－830），在兄弟中排行十八，当时任沙沙部员外郎。

①天街――京城（长安）的街道。

③酥――用牛羊奶制成的油。

④最是――正是。

⑤处――时候，只在诗词里才这样用。

⑤绝胜――远远胜过。

这首小诗，赞美京城长安的早春景色。

蒙蒙细雨洒落在长安的大街上。这轻柔细润、酥油一般的小雨，悄悄地提醒人们：春天来了。当你放眼向郊外远望的时候，山坡上，原野间，到处是一片片和新绿⑴一量你兴冲冲地赶到近前，想好好观赏一番，那绿色却反而消失了，不见了――草儿虽然开始返青了，但毕竟还太小、太嫩呢。诗的前两句写细润如酥的小雨，写似有若无的草色，都是早春时节特有的景象，体现着诗人取材的典型了观察的精微。

后两句，诗人满怀激情地赞叹说：这正是一年里春光最好的时节，远元胜过那烟柳满城的晚春！是啊，早春，这是春天的开始，回黄转绿，生机勃勃，哪个时节能在人们心中唤起这么多的希望呢？所以，早春是一年最美好的时节，就像清晨是一天最美好的时刻，童年是一生最美好的年华一样。

早春，万物新生的早春，欣欣向荣的早春啊！

Han Yu, a great writer of the Tang Dynasty, wrote this poem entitled “Early Spring” for his friend. In this short verse, Han pictured vividly an early Spring scene in Changan City, the imperial capital of the Tang Dynasty.

A fine rain was driaaling the streets of Changan City, reminding people softly that Spring had arrived. If you looked at the distant hills and fields, you would be gladdened to see the colour of fresh green everywhere. However if you got closer, you would find nothing, for the young grass were too small to be seen. Early Spring was the best time of a year, far better than late Spring when the city would be full of charming blossoms and green trees.

Why did the poet choose early Spring as the best time of a year? Readers might not be convinced. However, like early morning which is the best time of a day, and like childhook which is the sweetest of man’s life, early Spring does bring to life everything on earth and offer more hopes than any other season. Therefore, the poet did have a strong reason to believe that early Spring was the best time of a year.