The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.1 - 3.8

[x_los]

This week we start working with Li Qingzhao’s ci poetry. As usual, the book is freely available via De Gruyter's Library of Chinese Humanities in Mandarin and English and via several publication formats, including two open access options (the pdf appears to be better formatted than the ebook). We're reading the poems 3.1 through 3.8 inclusive.

This collection uses footnotes and endnotes to explicate the work. There are three endnotes for this week’s group of poems, but these aren’t very rich in exegesis.

CLP has an episode on Li Qingzhao you might find relevant.

Comments

Re: 3.5

[x_los]

Now I’m big mad at the CLP for suggesting Li’s poetic persona (if not her person) is ‘drunk’ because these are mediated by an external singer, I’m not sure they’re supposed to conform to any idea of personal biography? Suggesting a concerted persona as expressed by these seems like an argument you’d truly have to make.

“who said the crab-apple blossoms were as before. “Don’t you know?
Don’t you know?
The greens must be plump and the reds spindly.”” I don’t get any of this part

Re: 3.5

[ann712]

Me neither!

Re: 3.5

[superborb]

Baike says the line about 'green fat, red thin' is particularly appreciated. It means the leaves have become lush and the red flowers withered.

Baike also claims that the first lines might indicate the singer drank so much because she cherished the flowers and couldn't bear to see them wither / get damaged from the wind and rain. And then she couldn't bear to see it for herself the next day, so asked the maid about it.

Baike gets a bit classist about it, saying the singer had a deeper understanding of nature and life than the maid, and the maid didn't have the emotional depth to appreciate the flowers.

Re: 3.5

[llonkrebboj]

🤣 i thought it was a case of epic 不解风情 (like an infp talking to an estj, romantic vs practical).

she is so charming in this one 🥺🤣