The Works of Li Qingzhao, Ci Poems 3.57 - 3.66

[x_los]

The FINAL instalment of Li Qingzhao’s 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 3.57 through 3.66, 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

3.66

[x_los]

青玉案

一年春事都來幾。
早過了
三之二
綠暗紅嫣渾可事。 綠楊庭院 暖風簾幕 有個人憔悴。
買花載酒長安市。 爭似家山見桃李 不枉東風吹客淚。 相思難表
夢魂無據 惟有歸來是。

To the tune “Dark Jade Table”

How long does one spring season last? Before you know it, you’ve passed
two parts in three.
Greens have darkened and reds faded, what does it matter? In the green willow garden
as warm winds brush the blinds,
a person sits, dispirited.
We buy flowers and wine in the Chang’an market.
How could it compare with viewing peach and pear blossoms in my
hometown?
Not in vain does the east wind blow the traveler’s tears. But this longing is hard to express,
the dreaming soul finds no support— the only answer is to return home.

Re: 3.66

[x_los]

“We buy flowers and wine in the Chang’an market. How could it compare with viewing peach and pear blossoms in my hometown?” Oh come on, you can’t lament that the capital isn’t a patch on your home town and then spend the rest of this collection mourning your removal from the capital

“Not in vain does the east wind blow the traveler’s tears.” ?

Re: 3.66

[superborb]

The baike vernacular reads 'don't blame the spring wind for causing the traveler's tears to drop', so I read it as the east wind blows the traveler and the traveler cries but it's not the wind's fault.