Tender Blossom Song
- Poetry of Bao Junhui

《惜花吟》
Tender Blossom Song by Bao Junhui
中文原文( Chinese )

枝上花，花下人，可怜颜色俱青春。

昨日看花花灼灼， 今朝看花花欲落。

不如尽此花下欢，莫待春风总吹却。

莺歌蝶舞韶光长，红炉煮茗松花香。

妆成罢吟恣游后，独把芳枝归洞房。

English Translation

Blossoms on the branches.

Blossoms fall on men.

A pity, their faces are full of their youth.

Yesterday, I saw every blossom blooming.

Now, I see each blossom wants to fall.

This joy of falling is not as good as leaving here.

Don't linger just for the sex; it ruins all.

Orioles sing, butterflies dance, glory of youth grows old.

As our hot stove boils tea, the fragrance of old eggs.

Make-up on, singing done, we can do as we please no more.

Alone, one fragrant blossom, returns to her chamber once more.

This peom is probably a lyric, which is a Chinese poet's words set to a tune known to his listeners. Or hers, as the case may be. As Bao Junhui is living, or trapped, in the Six Palaces of the consorts, it would be a song the other women knew, probably, and not for someone like the emperor.

- Last updated: 2024-10-31 17:31:45
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Why Chinese poems is so special?
The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
How to read a Chinese poem?
Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.

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