I laid on the glass pillow
- Poetry of Wen Tingyun

《菩萨蛮》

English Rendering

I laid on the glass pillow,spring comes here.

incense burned and lured me to dream of you.

Those willow leaves were like mist on the river,

wild geese flew over the moonshiny night.


Silky coat with hue of the fading cherry,

wind breezes those little grass like a scissor.

Among the cherry flowers,have you seen me?

Blonde hairs with the blue of the March's mint.

I laid on the glass pillow by Wen Tingyun
I laid on the glass pillow by Wen Tingyun

Original Text (中文原文)

水精帘里颇黎枕,暖香惹梦鸳鸯锦。

江上柳如烟,雁飞残月天。

藕丝秋色浅,人胜参差剪。

双鬓隔香红,玉钗头上风。

Analysis & Context

By Wen Tingyun

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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