Where’s that Girl?

Taohua yijiu xiao chunfeng. Love and be loved. A peach blossom face, a sudden look. The moment is magical. But when a poor poet doesn’t seize the opportunity, the moment is forever gone. A year later only the peach blossoms remain, fluttering in the wind. Topic: a Village South of the Capital At this very…

Pure and Fair Song

An Incomparable Beauty How Li Bai flattered a beautiful woman and first made his name at the imperial court. The beauty is Yang Guifei (楊貴妃), consort to the Emperor Xuanzong, whose life would tragically end. But our poet did not know that then. [Note. Yushan – Jade mountain, home of the goddess of the West;…

As a Monk Plays His Flute

Play On A beautiful day in autumn, golden chimes sounding in the wind, a monk playing a reed pipe with his ten fingers, all this makes for a peaceful Zen moment. A courtesan, Xue Tao, clears her mind and composes this poem. Play on. Hearing a Monk Play Reed Flute Cicadas sob at dawn, warblers…

Poor Girl

A poor girl sews golden threads into silk gowns for other girls. But she bitterly hates that her diligence and hard-work do not pay off for her. 貧女蓬門未識綺羅香，擬託良媒益自傷誰愛風流高格調，共憐時世儉梳妝敢將十指誇針巧，不把雙眉鬥畫長苦恨年年壓金線，為他人作嫁衣裳 秦 韜 玉 Poor Girl Behind a grass door, she never wears fine clothes,She longs to marry, but would dare to help this poor girl?She asks herself,…

A Visit to Chongzhen Temple and South Tower

The complete title is: A visit to Chongzhen Temple and South Tower, seeing the first postings and new positions. The unusually long title explains the frustration of a female poet denied the opportunity to take the imperial examination like her male compatriots. The mountain peaks have clouds on every side, while my eyes are clear…

Immortal Yuzhen, 玉真仙

玉真仙人詞太白 玉真之仙人，時往太華峰清晨鳴天鼓，飙欻騰雙龍 弄電不輟手，行雲本無蹤幾時入少室，王母應相逢 Words Written to Immortal Yuzhen, Li Bai (701–762) There once was a spirit named Yuzhen,Who went oft to the peak of Taihua.                                        At dawn she would strike a heavenly drum,                                                     Soaring and prancing on twin dragons. Struck by lightening, she still didn’t stop,Traveling through clouds, she left not a trace.                          When she come to Mt….

The Complaint of the Jade Lute, Wen Tingyun

In a silver bed on an icy-cold mat, dreams never come The blue sky is misting, the clouds at night are light From Xiao-xiang comes the cry of a wild goose– To a twelve-story building on a moonlit night From Xiao-Xiang, the far cry a wild goose Wen Tingyun’s Complaint of the Jade Lute paints…

Thinking of you, Yuan Zhen

All water is forgettable when you’ve seen the vast blue sea No clouds so wondrous as those at Mt. Wushan Idly, I pass by some flowers without looking back Partly to study Tao, partly to think of you Grief Grief, we learn in time, is just a part of love. It’s all the love you…

Jade Lake, 瑤 池, Li Shangyin

Myths are sacred tales that explain the world and our experience within it. They contain our hopes, our dreams. Immortality is one dream, and giving up immortality the unanswered question in Li Shangyin’s poem, Jade Lake. As our Mother of Jade Lake opens her beautiful window,The Yellow Bamboo sounds its pitiful song.If eight steeds can…

Li Bai, Why I live in the Green Mountains

In the mountains, you asked, I answered, most popular answer Why do I live in the green mountains? I laugh and answer not, my soul serene I dwell in another paradise, where earth belongs to no man Where peach trees blossom forever, and the rivers flow on and on You ask, why I dwell on…