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The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.41 - 3.48
The sixth 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 3.41 through 3.48, inclusive.
How to Read Chinese Poetry has three chapters on the ci forms Li Qingzhao uses here:
Recall from the introduction that everything after 3.35 is relatively likely to be misattributed. This is especially true after 3.45: these may be written deliberately 'in Li Qingzhao's style'.
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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)
Recall from the introduction that everything after 3.35 is relatively likely to be misattributed. This is especially true after 3.45: these may be written deliberately 'in Li Qingzhao's style'.
If you’d like to be added to the reminder email list, let me know the address you wish to be contacted via. (You can also unsubscribe from the reminders at any time simply by replying ‘unsubscribe’.)
3.41
繡面芙蓉一笑開。
斜飛寶鴨襯香腮。
眼波才動被人猜。
一面風情深有韻 半箋嬌恨寄幽懷。 月移花影約重來。
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”
An embroidered lotus flower opens in a smile. Smoke from the duck censer brushes her fragrant cheek. As soon as her eyes move others can guess her mind.
Her face is full of feeling, with irresistible charm, coy sadness and secret longing are revealed on half a page: “When blossoms’ shadows move in moonlight, promise you’ll come
back again.”
Re: 3.41
“coy sadness and secret longing are revealed on half a page:” is she suddenly writing or is the ‘half a page’ somehow a description of her face
What’s this final quote do?
Re: 3.41
Baike's vernacular tl has the half page as a letter the woman has written to the narrator.
The bit about the blossoms' shadow is referring to a specific time of month when they're planning their next meeting.