Red beans grow in the south; when spring arrives, how many new shoots have they put forth? May you gather more of these beans, for they best express our longing for each other.

南国: the south. 发: to sprout or put forth shoots. 采撷（xié）: to gather or pick. 此物: these things, referring to red beans, also called 相思子 (seeds of longing).

The poem's red beans are a literary image conveying affection, not the small red beans commonly used in porridge. 相思 can express longing for friends; the title alone does not establish that the subject is romantic love between a man and a woman.

Transmitted versions also include “秋来” (when autumn comes), “劝君” (I urge you), and “休采撷” (do not gather them). This page follows the common version with “春来” (when spring comes) and “愿君多采撷” (may you gather plenty).

Reading guide: Wang Wei entrusts his longing to the red beans of the south; the poem also appears under titles such as Presented to Li Guinian by the River. Centered on a small object, it focuses on a message to someone far away, rather than recounting a verifiable love story.

The first line names the place where red beans grow. Apparently ordinary, it also gives longing a direction. The second line asks how many new shoots have appeared, carrying concern for life far away.

“愿君多采撷” (“May you gather many”) entrusts affection that cannot reach its recipient in person to the act of gathering. The final “最” (“most”) transforms an ordinary plant into a bearer of deep feeling. The poem does not proclaim sorrow loudly; its tone is instead tender and ardent.