Member Poem

Southern Style Song

 
Wen Tingyun (812 – 866)
 
 
Upon her cheeks the rosy clouds of dawn;
Between her brows, a jeweled shade of jade—
Entwined within a quilt and pillow drawn
She starts a song the orioles once played
And follows her heart.
 
 

Chinese   南歌子 溫庭筠   臉上金霞細 眉間翠鈿深 欹枕覆鴛衾 隔簾鶯百囀 感君心

Pronunciation   Lǐ Jū Shì Wēn Tíng Yún   Liǎn shàng jīn xiá xì Méi jiān cuì diàn shēn Qī zhěn fù yuān qīn Gé lián yīng bǎi zhuàn Gǎn jūn xīn

 
Transliteration and Notes
 
Southern Song Origin
 
Face on golden rosy-clouds fine
Brows between jade ornament deep
Leaning-on pillow covered-by mandarin-duck quilt
Through curtain orioles hundred chirps
Feeling your heart
 
     “Rosy clouds” are the clouds at sunrise or sunset, a metaphor for the woman’s radiant face. “Jade ornament” symbolizes beauty and virtue, purity, nobility, etc. “Mandarin ducks” are a traditional Chinese symbol of love and loyalty as the couples stay with each other for life. “Curtain” symbolizes a barrier or distance between the lovers while the orioles chirping represent love and connection reaching in through the barrier.
     Wen is considered the founder of the Flowery School of Ci style poetry, which follows a specific musical melody. This poem is an example as it follows a melodic pattern rather than a quatrain. The theme of this song is love, beauty, and connection despite the distance between the two lovers.

Translated by Frank Watson (c) 2024