Written in spring 757, when
杜甫 was trapped in Chang'an, then held by the rebels. The capital lies in ruins but nature goes on:
城春草木深 'spring in the city, the grass and trees grow deep'. Its most quoted couplet is
烽火连三月，
家书抵万金 'the beacon fires have burned for three months; a letter from home is worth ten thousand in gold'.
