English Rendering
Autumn looks green as spring before my Hall of Jade;
The Peony Pavilion is sung here and there.
I find no connoisseur, tapping the balustrade;
Sandal clappers in hand, I teach my actrice fair.
The Peony Pavilion
- Poetry of Tang Xianzu
《七夕醉答君东》
Original Text (中文原文)
玉名堂开春翠屏，新词传唱《牡丹亭》。
伤心拍遍无人会，自掐檀痕教小伶。
Analysis & Context
The Peony Pavilion (Chinese: 牡丹亭; pinyin: Mǔdān tíng), also named The Return of Soul at the Peony Pavilion, is a romantic tragicomedy play written by dramatist Tang Xianzu in 1598.
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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