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The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.49 - 3.56
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:
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’.)
3.49
臘前先報東君信。
清似龍涎香得潤。
黃輕不肯整齊開
比著江梅仍更韻。
纖枝瘦綠天生嫩。
可惜輕寒摧挫損。
劉郎只解誤桃花
惆悵今年春又盡。
To the tune “Spring in the Jade Tower”
Before the twelfth month the Lord of the East’s messenger arrives. It’s as pure as dragon nectar incense, fragrant and moist. The pale yellow blossoms refuse to open all at once—
compared to the river plum, it is more elegant by far.
The slender branches, thin and green, are naturally delicate. Too bad they are readily harmed by even slight cold. Master Liu only knew to be deluded by peach blossoms,
how sad that this year’s springtime is already spent!
Re: 3.49
“dragon nectar incense” ?
“Master Liu only knew to be deluded by peach blossoms,” how does this reference engage with the rest of the poem?
3.50
薄露初零。
長宵共
永晝分停。
遶水樓臺 高聳萬丈蓬瀛。 芝蘭為壽 相輝映
簪笏盈庭。 花柔玉淨 捧觴別有娉婷。
鶴瘦松青。
精神與
秋月爭明。
德行文章
素馳日下聲名。
東山高蹈 雖卿相
不足為榮。
安石須起 要蘇天下蒼生。
To the tune “New Lotus Leaves”
This song is a birthday offering, congratulating an elderly and retired statesman on his birthday. It is thought by modern commentators to have been written for Chao Buzhi, a famous literatus who once praised the literary talent of the youthful Li Qingzhao, but that is just a guess, if indeed the song was written by Li Qingzhao at all (the attribution to her is from a fifteenth century text).
When light dew first falls, the long night perfectly matches the persisting morning.
Pools wind around the storied buildings and watchtowers that soar aloft ten thousand feet, a Land of Immortals. Irises and orchids offer long-life felicitations, shining on each other,
hatpins and tablets fill the hall. Delicate as flowers and pure as jade, holding goblets, they have a special feminine charm.
Thin as a crane and pine-tree green, 12 his vitality of his spirit competes
with the glow of the autumn moon. His virtuous conduct and literary talent have peerless repute in the imperial city.
Stepping aloft in the Eastern Mountains, even ministers of state do not impress him with their eminence. Anshi must soon emerge from reclusion,
To bring new life to the commoners of the empire.
Re: 3.50
“concentrating on the autumn time (when the yin and yang forces of day and night were said to be balanced)” huh
“hatpins and tablets fill the hall.” Signifiers of office?
The movement between subjects here in stanza 1 is very unclear, and between stanzas
“pine-tree green,” his clothes, I guess
3.51
蹴罷鞦韆
起來慵整纖纖手。
露濃花瘦。
薄汗沾衣透。
見客入來
襪鏟金釵溜。
和羞走。
倚門回首。 却把青梅嗅。
To the Tune “Dabbing Crimson Lips”
Getting off the swing she straightens her clothes languidly, her fingers slender. The dew is heavy, the blossom frail,
patches of perspiration stain her dress.
Seeing someone come, in her stocking feet, gold hairpin slipping, she runs bashfully away.
At the door she pauses, turning to look back, and sniffs the green plum in her hand.
Re: 3.51
“and sniffs the green plum in her hand.” ?
3.52
晚來一陣風兼雨
洗盡炎光。
理罷笙簧。
却對菱花淡淡妝。
絳綃縷薄冰肌瑩
雪膩酥香。
笑語檀郎。
今夜紗廚枕簟涼。
To the tune “The Vile Charmer”
This evening a storm of wind and rain washed away the blazing heat. Having finished playing the flute,
facing a caltrop mirror she lightly dabs on makeup.
Beneath purple thin silk her ice-like skin glimmers, luster of snow, milky and fragrant. Smiling, she tells her beloved,
“Tonight, the mat and pillow behind the gauze bed-curtain should be cool.”
Re: 3.52
“caltrop mirror” ?
Unusual for Li Qingzhao to have dialogue between two present partners, also
For thesis reasons, I’d be very interested in knowing more about the word he’s chosen to translate as ‘charmer’
3.53
簾外五更風。
吹夢無蹤。
畫樓重上與誰同。
記得玉钗斜撥火 寶篆成空。
回首紫金峰。
雨潤煙濃。 一江春浪醉醒中。
留得羅襟前日淚
彈與征鴻。
To the tune “Waves Scour the Sand”
Outside the blinds, the wind at the last watch blows my dream away, leaving no trace. Again I climb the painted loft, to be with whom?
I recall using a jade hairpin to tap the incense clean, until the precious seal character burned into nothing.
I look back toward the purple-gold peaks,
as rains soak everything and the mist thickens.
The spring river waves flow between drunkenness and sobriety.
The tears of former days, still left on my silken lapel, I would send aloft to the migrating geese.
Re: 3.53
“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
3.54
沉水香消人悄悄。
樓上朝來寒料峭。
春生南浦水微波
雪滿東山風未掃。
金尊莫訴連壺倒。
捲起重簾留晚照。
為君欲去更憑欄
人意不如山色好。
To the tune “Magnolia Flowers”
Aloeswood incense has burned out, people are quiet now, atop the storied building it is chilly as dawn approaches. Spring appears on the southern bank, the water rippled,
snow covers the eastern hills—wind has not blown it away.
Don’t decline emptying joined wine vessels into golden cups, let me lift the double blinds to detain the evening sun. For you, I want to go lean again on the balcony railing—
my mood is not as pretty as the colors of the distant hills.
Re: 3.54
“joined wine vessels” ?
Nice final line
3.55
年年玉鏡臺 梅蕊宮妝困。
今歲不歸來
怕見江南信。
酒從別後疏
淚向愁中盡。
遙想楚雲深
人遠天涯近。
To the tune “The Quince”
Every year in the jade mirror on a stand, palace style plum-petal makeup wearies.1
This year he still does not return, she fears to see the Southland’s messenger of spring.
Wine has seldom been sipped since his parting, tears have been used up in her sadness. She imagines the dense clouds over distant Chu:
that person is so far the end of the sky seems near.
Re: 3.55
“that person is so far the end of the sky seems near.” This is an interesting image but the translation is quite oddly phrased
3.56
征鞍不見邯鄲路。
莫便匆匆歸去。
秋風蕭條何以度。
明窗小酌 暗燈清話 最好留連處。
相逢各自傷遲暮。
猶把新詞誦奇句。 鹽絮家風人所許。
如今憔悴
但餘雙淚 一似黃梅雨。
To the tune “Dark Jade Table”
The sojourning saddle cannot see the Handan Road. Don’t be in such a hurry to depart— so bleak, the autumn scene, how can it be endured?
Sip some wine by the bright window, chat gaily beside a low lamp, these are the best ways to prolong his stay.
When we met we regretted it was already late spring.
Still we recited marvelous lines to new tunes,
our family is known for its “salt and willow fluff” tradition! Today we are haggard, the remaining double lines of tears
resemble nothing but yellow-plum season drizzle.
Re: 3.56
“Salt and willow fluff” is an allusion to a charming story in Shi shuo xinyu about Xie An challenging his children to come up with poetic lines to describe a snowfall. “Salt flying through the air” and “willow fluff blown by the wind” are two of the metaphors they suggested. Thereafter, “salt and willow fluff ” was used to describe such families with literary traditions.” Cute
“yellow-plum season drizzle.” Not sure when that is, but I guess it’s just—February drizzle or whatever
Re: 3.49
I wonder if it's to say that there's other flowers worthy of praise?
Re: 3.50
Yes, Baike says the hatpins and tablets are used by the officials.
Baike says the pine trees are green year round, making it a suitable birthday wish.
Re: 3.51
Re: 3.52
The tune name doesn't really affect the meaning of the song, right? It's the same tune as 3.33 and has a few names. This one might be directly translated as 'shameful slave'.
Re: 3.53
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'.
Re: 3.54
Re: 3.55
Re: 3.56
Re: 3.52
Re: 3.51
Sweat not disgusting if it comes from an attractive woman, I guess.