The mist is deep and the waters wide;
No messenger can go e’en with the tide.
There’s only the moon beyond the cloud
Shining upon our longing vain.
All day I sigh for parting pain;
My sorrow’s locked like brows in vain.
I leave half of my bed at night
For you to come back in dream’s flight.
烟深水阔，音信无由达。
唯有碧天云外月，偏照悬悬离别。
尽日感事伤怀，愁眉似锁难开。
夜夜长留半被，待君魂梦归来。
Though its authorship is uncertain—attributed either to Li Bai or to a poet from the Five Dynasties to early Song period—this ci poem demonstrates mature artistic technique. With subtle and refined brushstrokes, it portrays a pining woman's incessant longing and sorrow amid misty waters and severed communication. Through environmental ambiance, imagery evocation, and detailed depiction, the poem progressively reveals the character's inner solitude and steadfast hope.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.
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