English Rendering
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.
A Song of the Palace
- Poetry of Bai Juyi
《后宫词》
Original Text (中文原文)
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。
Analysis & Context
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.
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
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.
Reading Between the Lines
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.
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