This is a poem that Zhang Ji received before taking the imperial examination.
The first two sentences render the typical bridal chamber environment and write about the bride's elaborate dress. The last two sentences write that the bride doesn't know whether her dress can please her in-laws, and anxiously asks her husband if his eyebrows are appropriate.
This poem compares the bride to herself, the groom to Zhang Ji, and the in-laws to the examiner to solicit Zhang Ji's opinion. The whole poem is novel in material selection and unique in perspective. Taking the word "no time" as the soul, it is self-evident and amazing to compare whether you can embark on a career with the bride's nervous mood.
Comparing the love relationship between husband and wife or men and women with friends, teachers, students and other social relations is a traditional expression in Chinese classical poetry, which first appeared in Chu Ci and later developed. This poem is also written in this way.
Extended data:
Last night, the candles in the bridal chamber were lit all night, waiting for dawn to worship the parents-in-law.
From Zhu Qingyu's Trial of Zhang Jishui/Letter to Secretary Zhang/Boudoir Sacrifice to Zhang Jishui on the Eve of Imperial Examination in Tang Dynasty.
Translation and annotation
translate
The wedding bedroom was brightly lit all night last night, waiting for dawn to visit my in-laws.
After dressing up, I asked my husband softly: Can I paint my eyebrows in shades?
To annotate ...
Zhang Shuibu: Zhang Ji, once the foreign minister of the Ministry of Water Resources.
New house: newly-married bedroom. Put out the red candle: let the red candle burn all night. Stop: Lian.
Aunt: In-laws.
Depth: shadow. Fashion: whether it is fashionable or not. The metaphor here is whether the article is appropriate.
References:
Ancient poetry network