No sooner the jade buds are turned to rosy lips
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao

《玉楼春·红酥肯放琼苞碎》
No sooner the jade buds are turned to rosy lips by Li Qingzhao
中文原文( Chinese )

红酥肯放琼苞碎。

探著南枝开遍未。

不知酝藉几多香，但见包藏无限意。

道人憔悴春窗底。

闷损阑干愁不倚。

要来小酌便来休，未必明朝风不起。

English Translation

No sooner the jade buds are turned to rosy lips,

I fear already the south blooms were fading;

one needn't care how rich are their perfumes

to discover all of a soul's glowing yearnings.


They say someone in my favorite window grows pale,

whose hand drags along the balustrade of her distress;

come to her soon, while the thirst declines not the least;

tomorrow, who knows, if the blossoms fall to gales.

- to the Tune of Yulouchun

In some editions, this ci is titled "The Plum Tree". According to Another Collection of Li Qing-zhao,  this ci was composed sometime between 1108 and 1127, placing it in what is regarded as her second period of work. As carefully as she can, considering her distress in loneliness, Li Qing-zhao projects her anxieties into the days and hours of peak fragrance of the plum tree blossoms outside her window. Arguably, she could be asking her husband / lover to join her for a cosy moment with the plum trees while they are still in full bloom.

- Last updated: 2024-12-05 21:28:22
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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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