I removed the makeup in deep night
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao

《诉衷情》

中文原文( Chinese )

夜来沉醉卸妆迟。

梅萼插残枝。

酒醒熏破春睡，梦远不成归。

人悄悄，月依依。

翠帘垂。

更挼残蕊，更捻余香，更得些时。

English Translation

I removed the makeup in deep night,

Faded the plum flowers worn on my hairs,

I was awaken by the left fragrance of the flowers,

you're too far,even in the dream,i still couldn't see your silhouette.

Quiet people,cold crescent,

the wind closed the beady curtain.

I fondled those withered plum flowers,

smelt the fragrance of the sweet memories,

how are you?i was haunted by the love day and night.

By Li Qingzhao

- Last updated: 2024-03-20 23:39:46

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.

List of Chinese poets