"Changgan Xing"
Author: Li Bai
The concubine's forehead was covered with hair for the first time, and the flowers were folded in front of the door.
The man came riding a bamboo horse and went around the bed to make green plums.
Living together in Changqianli, the two children have no doubts.
At the age of fourteen, she is a gentleman's wife, and her face has not yet shown her shame.
He lowers his head towards the dark wall and calls out a thousand times.
On the fifteenth day, I raise my eyebrows and wish to be like dust and ashes.
How can I go to the husband-watching platform if I always keep a letter holding a pillar?
The Sixteenth Lord traveled far to Qutang Yanlidui.
The fifth month is untouchable, the apes cry in mourning in the sky.
There are no signs of slow movement in front of the door, and there is green moss all over the place.
The moss is too deep to be swept away, and the leaves fall early in the autumn wind.
Butterflies come in August and fly over the grass in the West Garden.
This hurts my heart, and I sit and worry about my beauty getting old.
Get off the bus in the morning and evening, and prepare the newspaper for home.
It’s not far to meet each other, until the wind blows in the sand.
Notes:
1. Bed: This refers to seating.
2. Letter of Holding a Pillar: "Zhuangzi Robber Zhi" "Wei Sheng and his daughter lived under a beam. The woman did not come, and the water did not go away. He hugged the beam and died."
3. Not too far: not too far.
4. Changfengsha: a place name on the edge of the Yangtze River in the east of Anqing City, Anhui Province. The ends of the earth are dangerous.
Rhyme translation:
I remember when my bangs first covered my forehead,
I would often break a flower and play in front of the door.
The man always rides up like a horse astride a bamboo pole,
holding green plums and vying for the top spot in pursuit.
We have lived together in Changqian for a long time.
We are innocent and never doubt each other.
I became your wife when I was fourteen.
When I got married, I was so embarrassed that I didn’t dare to raise my face.
I lower my head and face the dark corner,
No matter how many times you call me, I will not look back.
I only opened my eyebrows with a smile at the age of fifteen,
I vow to grow old with you until I turn into dust.
You always stick to your promise like a pillar,
I will never get on the watchtower platform.
When you were sixteen years old, you left me to travel far away.
You had to pass through the terrible Yandui of Qutang Gorge.
The water is rising in May? It is difficult to distinguish and worry about hitting the rocks.
The apes are screaming sadly on the mountains on both sides.
The footprints of your slowly leaving in front of the door,
As time goes by, each one is covered with moss.
The moss has grown too thick and cannot be swept away.
The autumn wind has arrived early and fallen leaves have covered it.
How frivolous are the pink and yellow butterflies in autumn in August,
Both fly over the West Garden and make love in the grass.
How can this situation and this scene not make me heartbroken?
My beauty will naturally age prematurely if I am too worried all day long.
Sooner or later, if you leave Sanba,
you should write a letter and report that I have sent it home.
In order to welcome you, I will not say that the journey is far away.
Even if I have to walk 700 miles to reach Changfengsha!
Commentary: This is a poem about a business woman’s love and parting. The poem is based on the confession of a business woman and uses a lingering and graceful tone to express her sincere love and deep longing for her husband who is away on business. The first six sentences of the poem recall the "childhood sweethearts" with her husband when they were children, creating an innocent, lively and lovely image of a pair of teenagers for the readers. The four lines "Fourteen is a gentleman's wife" delicately depict the shyness of first marriage and reproduce the sweetness and intoxication of new marriage. The four sentences "Beginning to Raise My Eyebrows at the Fifteenth Year" describe the passionate love and affection after marriage, and the oaths of eternal love that are as strong as glue. The four sentences "The Sixteenth Lord Travels Far Away" describe the longing for her husband's far-off business trip, and the worry and fear caused by it. It is lingering, pathos, and infinitely deep. The eight lines of "Late Departures in Front of the Door" describe touching the scenery and feeling emotional, with constant worries and a haggard appearance. The last four sentences are written as a message to relatives, hoping that they will return soon. Take the feeling of longing one step further. The image of the whole poem is complete, bright, lively and moving. The emotions are delicate, lingering and graceful; the language is frank, the syllables are harmonious; the style is fresh and timeless, making it a top-grade poem. "Childhood sweethearts" and "childhood sweethearts" have become good words to describe the innocent friendship between young boys and girls.