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: 3.3

[douqi]

“where I hear Heaven speak.
What is your final destination, it asks” like, the disembodied place asks her? Or the court? — I read that as Heaven, the entity, or the Lord of Heaven.

Although Li Qingzhao is normally classified as a wanyue school (elegant, restrained) poet, the capital-R Romantic vibes of this have a lot in common with the haofang (heroic abandon) school.