Night Thoughts, Li Bai (Tang Shi #232)

[lnhammer]

Before my bed, moonbeams so bright
It looks like frost upon the ground.
I raise my head, gaze at the bright moon;
I lower my head, and think of home.

夜思
床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。

Again, no explicit “I” but it’s the really easy reading, especially given the personal topic of one’s hometown. (Pro-drop languages are so fun.) “It looks like” may be too mild—the original is closer to “(I) mistake it for”. This is sometimes given a raunchy reading: the moonlight-cum-frost is a naked bedmate, the moon(s) her breasts, and home between her legs.

Li Bai is generally considered one of China’s greatest poets ever. In his youth, he was a martial artist wandering the rivers and lakes—at least, so he claimed. Wuxia tropes really are that old.

(BTW, I’m not including pinyin pronunciations because Middle Chinese was significantly different, and there’s no solid agreement on the reconstructed sounds or, especially, tones.)

—L.

Comments

[sartorias]

Wouldn't the two top ones be something like evening reverie?

[lnhammer]

Night is closer — evening would be 晚. Reverie is as good a translation, I think, for 思.

[sartorias]

Right about night.

These are great. Way above my pay grade, but that's how we learn, eh?

[lnhammer]

A bit above my pay grade as well — thus my taking these on, to learn.