A Song of the Palace
- Poetry of Bai Juyi
《后宫词》
English Translation
Her tears are spent, but no dreams come.
She can hear the others singing through the night.
She has lost his love. Alone with her beauty,
She leans till dawn on her incense-pillow.
Seven-character-quatrain
This poem describes the sorrow of a palace lady who has fallen out of favor, portraying the cruelty and indifference of court life. Bai Juyi, with delicate brushstrokes, depicts her desolate situation and, through contrast, highlights the brutal reality of the fickle affections in the palace. This is not only a lament for an individual’s fate but also a subtle critique of the ruthless rule of feudal emperors.
中文原文( Chinese )
Simplified Chinese Version
泪湿罗巾梦不成，夜深前殿按歌声。
红颜未老恩先断，斜倚薰笼坐到明。
Traditional Chinese Version
淚濕羅巾夢不成， 夜深前殿按歌聲。
紅顏未老恩先斷， 斜倚薰籠坐到明。
- 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.