In the “Jade Terrace” Style #10, Quan Deyu

[lnhammer]

The lonely one pulls on a robe.
The moon and dew get still more cold.
Part the curtain—a slash in the gut—
Dare she go downstairs and look?

玉台体 之十
独自披衣坐，
更深月露寒。
隔帘肠欲断，
争敢下阶看。

The curtain is specifically one covering a doorway. It sounds like her man has brought home another woman—given a contemporary reader was expected to grasp the sitch, despite not being explicit, it would appear this isn’t a rare scenario. Lost in translation: after pulling on a robe she “sits,” and she “longs to” slash her guts.

—L.

Comments

[sartorias]

I read that as her witnessing an attack. Quite a difference! A lot of story there.

[lnhammer]

Huh.

Would she go down or send a servant if she heard violence? Don’t know enough to say myself.

[the_future_modernes]

Good thing you explained cause I thought it was a violent attack. I do love the efficient use of words to paint the scenes.

[lnhammer]

Gotcha.

The better Chinese poets are really good at that.

[thawrecka]

Interesting, I read "a slash in the gut" as her feeling that what she witnessed was like a slash in the gut.

[lnhammer]

That’s how I understand it. Wonder if I can make this clearer …