The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.17 - 3.24

[x_los]

The thrilling third instalment of Li Qingzhao’s ci poetry. This 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 3.17 through 3.24, inclusive.

Four of this week’s poems have endnotes, but these offer only small points of Chinese language exegesis. 

How to Read Chinese Poetry has three chapters on the ci forms Li Qingzhao uses here:

 

Chapter 12, Ci Poetry: Short Song Lyrics (Xiaoling) 

Chapter 13, Ci Poetry: Long Song Lyrics (Manci) 

Chapter 14, Ci Poetry: Long Song Lyrics on Objects (Yongwu Ci)

This week, we look at Chapter 12 as recommended additional reading. 

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Comments

3.21

[x_los]

好事近

風定落花深
簾外擁紅堆雪。
長記海棠開後
正是傷春時節。
酒闌歌罷玉尊空
青缸暗明滅。
魂夢不堪幽怨
更一聲啼鴂。

To the tune “A Happy Event Draws Near”

The wind calms, fallen blossoms lie thick,
outside the curtains, piles of reds and snowy mounds of whites. I always know, once the crab-apple blossoms,
it is truly the time to be pained by spring.
The wine finished, singing over, the jade goblet is empty, as the bronze lamp flickers dimly.
 My dreaming soul cannot stand the lone resentment,
what’s more, the isolated cry of the shrike. 


Re: 3.21

[x_los]

“once the crab-apple blossoms” oh, hey Wanning

“it is truly the time to be pained by spring.” This woman’s death vendetta against Spring, I swear

“the jade goblet is empty” I am lost as to how prohibitively expensive jade is, like, can you make objects out of it if you’re not the Emperor level rich?

Weird tune choice for a desolate poem?

Re: 3.21

[superborb]

I like the double use of 'snow' as a color and to invoke the image of mounds of snow.

My first reaction to the translation was that qing ALSO MEANS BRONZE?! but thankfully Baike has clarified that the qing is referring to the flame, which is weakly pale. So the translator must be editorializing by inserting bronze.