English Rendering
The mountain's red with peach blossoms above;
The shore is washed by spring water below.
Red blossoms will fade as my gallant's love;
The river as my sorrow will e'er flow.
Bamboo Branch Song
- Poetry of Liu Yuxi
《竹枝词·山桃红花满上头》#Sorrow #Resentment #Love
Original Text (中文原文)
山桃红花满上头，蜀江春水拍山流。
花红易衰似郎意，水流无限似侬愁。
Analysis & Context
Liu Yuxi (772-842)was well known for his popular songs which depict the life and love of the common people.This song displays a happy combination of natural scenery and inner feeling of the persona.
This poem is the second of the "Nine Bamboo Branch Songs" by the Tang dynasty poet Liu Yuxi, composed during his tenure as the Governor of Kuizhou. It is set to the tune of local folk songs from Sichuan. The entire set of poems explores themes of landscapes, customs, and love between men and women, rich with the breath of life. This particular poem expresses the sorrow and resentment of a deeply affectionate woman after her love encounters disappointment, highlighting her disillusionment and pain.
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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