lnhammer: the Chinese character for poetry, red on white background (Default)
[personal profile] lnhammer
Catch her shadow, hear her voice—you’re already charmed.
In the jade pool, the lotus leaves are laid out straight.
Unless you meet Xiaoshi, don’t turn your head around;
You cannot see Hongya again to tap his shoulder.
The violet phoenix is coquettish, pendant in beak;
The red fish-scales dance wildly, plucking zither strings.
Prince E was disappointed in his boat at night
And slept alone beneath embroidered quilts with incense.


对影闻声已可怜,
玉池荷叶正田田。
不逢萧史休回首,
莫见洪崖又拍肩。
紫凤放娇衔楚佩,
赤鳞狂舞拨湘弦。
鄂君怅望舟中夜,
绣被焚香独自眠。

The woman is in her bedroom with her lover—the phoenix (this time a female one) is her, the fish him. Xiaoshi and Hongya are historical references, both heroic comparisons to the lover, and the story about Prince E involves nostalgia for a past assignation.

---L.

Date: 18 June 2020 15:49 (UTC)
sartorias: (Default)
From: [personal profile] sartorias
Which characters are Prince E?

Date: 18 June 2020 16:48 (UTC)
sartorias: (Default)
From: [personal profile] sartorias
Ok, I wondered about jun, but the other was totally unfamiliar. (Egg.)

About

Warning: contents contain line-breaks.

As language practice, I like to translate poetry. My current project is Chinese, with practice focused on Tang Dynasty poetry. Previously this was classical Japanese, most recently working through the Kokinshu anthology (archived here). Suggestions, corrections, and questions always welcome.

There's also original pomes in the journal archives.

April 2025

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