Song of Lasting Regret lines 97-102, Bai Juyi (Tang Shi #71)
Wednesday, 3 June 2020 12:37![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lnhammerWinds blew immortal sleeves whirling and swirling up
As if she danced to Rainbow Skirts and Feather Robes.
Her jade countenance was gloomy, crossed with tears—
A spray of pear blossoms wearing the spring rain.
Full of emotion, she fixed her gaze and told the monarch
That since parting their looks and voices were far apart—
风吹仙袂飘颻举，
犹似霓裳羽衣舞。
玉容寂寞泪阑干，
梨花一枝春带雨。
含情凝睇谢君王，
一别音容两渺茫。
The sleeves do the same dance interrupted by rebellion back in l.32. L.100 is the source of the idiom 梨花帶雨, literally “pear blossoms wearing rain” meaning “tear-stained face of a beauty.” My best reading, this uses indirect quotation for the speech (continued in the next chunk) to be relayed by the shaman, but I'm far from certain about this.
(Man that forth line clunks … but time to set it aside and move on.)
---L.
As if she danced to Rainbow Skirts and Feather Robes.
Her jade countenance was gloomy, crossed with tears—
A spray of pear blossoms wearing the spring rain.
Full of emotion, she fixed her gaze and told the monarch
That since parting their looks and voices were far apart—
风吹仙袂飘颻举，
犹似霓裳羽衣舞。
玉容寂寞泪阑干，
梨花一枝春带雨。
含情凝睇谢君王，
一别音容两渺茫。
The sleeves do the same dance interrupted by rebellion back in l.32. L.100 is the source of the idiom 梨花帶雨, literally “pear blossoms wearing rain” meaning “tear-stained face of a beauty.” My best reading, this uses indirect quotation for the speech (continued in the next chunk) to be relayed by the shaman, but I'm far from certain about this.
(Man that forth line clunks … but time to set it aside and move on.)
---L.