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“He Manzi”, Zhang Hu (Tang Shi #247)
Tuesday, 11 June 2019 10:21Her home’s three-thousand li away,
She’s served the palace twenty years—
But at the sound of “He Manzi”
Tears fall before his majesty.
何满子
故国三千里，
深宫二十年。
一声何满子，
双泪落君前。
He Manzi was a famous singer who somehow offended Emperor Xuanzong and was put to death. Sentimental songs about her soon circulated, one of which affects this experienced imperial handmaiden or concubine. The incident described supposedly happened during the reign of Emperor Wuzong (814-846).
Lost in translation: it’s specifically two tears. Also, it might be better as “a thousand miles.”
(Rhymes! In the wrong pattern, but at this point I’ll take what I can get.)
---L.
She’s served the palace twenty years—
But at the sound of “He Manzi”
Tears fall before his majesty.
何满子
故国三千里，
深宫二十年。
一声何满子，
双泪落君前。
He Manzi was a famous singer who somehow offended Emperor Xuanzong and was put to death. Sentimental songs about her soon circulated, one of which affects this experienced imperial handmaiden or concubine. The incident described supposedly happened during the reign of Emperor Wuzong (814-846).
Lost in translation: it’s specifically two tears. Also, it might be better as “a thousand miles.”
(Rhymes! In the wrong pattern, but at this point I’ll take what I can get.)
---L.