The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.49 - 3.56

[x_los]

The seventh 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 3.49 through 3.56, inclusive.

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'. 

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Comments

Re: 3.53

[x_los]

“the wind at the last watch blows my dream away, leaving no trace.” That’s evocative

“painted loft” ?

“to tap the incense clean” ?

“Incense was commonly formed into ancient seal-script characters, and the fire that consumed it followed the joined strokes until only ash was left.” This is interesting, but I’d need I think to SEE what they mean

“I look back toward the purple-gold peaks,
as rains soak everything and the mist thickens.” Nice description

The final three lines lose me a bit, seeming less connected to the previously sound core of the poem

Re: 3.53

[superborb]

(Baike notes that this was only attributed to LQZ in the Qing dynasty; from the Song to Ming, most thought it was written by Ouyang Xiu.)

Painted loft is glossed as gorgeous pavilion/building.

Baike explains that the incense must be tapped clean to avoid breaking the path of the fire.

There's several videos on youtube if you search for 'seal incense'.