Chinese Poems Part 13

_So-fei gathering Flowers_

BY w.a.n.g CHANG-LING

In a dress of gauzy fabric Of the 'Lien' leaf's emerald hue So-fei glides amongst the lilies Sprinkled with the morning dew.

Rose-hued are the lotus-blossoms, Rose-hued, too, the maiden's cheeks; Is it So-fei's form I follow, Or the flowers she seeks?

Now I hear a song arising From the lotus bowers, Which distinguishes the maiden From her sister flowers.

_A Farewell_[48]

BY LI TAI-PEH

Far up the Song-Yang's sacred mountain, Unrestrained by lock or bridge, Plows a pure and peaceful streamlet 'Neath the 'Gem-Maid's' gra.s.sy ridge.

There at eve midst pine-trees sombre Looms the large and l.u.s.trous moon; And within my ancient dwelling You I hope to welcome soon.

Yes, my friend, I'll come to see you At the closing of the year, In your home among the mountains, Where you live without a fear.

Deep in searching for the Chang-pu, With its bloom-flushed purple flower, Which endows the happy finder With immortal life and power.

Ere I come you may have found it, And to realms where genii dwell Winged your flight upon the dragon, Bidding to our earth farewell.

[48] Poems similar to this one are frequently written by literary men in China when bidding farewell to a friend.

_The Khwun-ming Lake_

BY TU FU

In ancient times the flags of Wu[49]

Made gay the Khwun-ming Lake,[50]

On which his s.h.i.+ps in mimic strife The decks of foemen rake.

But now deserted is the scene, And in the moon's pale light, The Spinning-Maid[51] upon the sh.o.r.e Sits silent in the night.

The Autumn breezes seem to move The mammoth stony whales,[52]

And send a tremor through their frames Vibrating all their scales.

The Ku-mi[53] seeds float on the waste, As clouds of sombre hue; The lotus-flowers are crushed beneath The weight of frozen dew.

While from the cloud-capped Pa.s.s[54] above, The eagle's eye aglow, Sees but an aged fisherman Midst lakes and streams below.

[49] The Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ascended the throne 140 B.C.

[50] A lake probably situated to the south-west of Chang-an, the capital of China in the Han Dynasty. This city is now the provincial capital of Shen-si and better known as Si-an.

[51] A stone image of the Spinning-Maid stood on one sh.o.r.e of the lake, and another of the Cowherd on the opposite sh.o.r.e.

[52] A stone image of an immense fish covered with finely carved scales was also placed by the side of the lake.

[53] A kind of rice.

[54] Probably the celebrated 'Tung' Pa.s.s near Chang-an.

The whole poem has a political signification implying that revolution had turned the country into a wilderness, and desolation taken the place of former prosperity and greatness.

_Reflections_

BY CHANG KIU-LING

The foliage of the lilies in the Spring In glowing freshness shows its vernal birth; While in the Autumn ca.s.sia-blossoms bright Renew the beauty of the fading earth.

In seasons such as these our hearts rejoice, And deeper thoughts arise within the mind, As Nature woos us in a tender mood, And teaches lessons that are true and kind.

Who would not be as gra.s.s and flowers and trees, That denizen the forest and the hill, And listening to the music of the winds, With sympathy and mutual gladness thrill!

For flowers have natures teaching them to live In sweet content in glen, or glade, or field; By plucking them fair women cannot add Aught to the happiness their own lives yield.

These four stanzas are but a section of a long poem. In this allegory the poet reveals his own distaste for official life and his love of Nature. Beautiful women cannot add to the happiness of the flowers by plucking them, &c., implies that the Emperor cannot increase the happiness of the poet by appointing him to high official posts, and inviting him to the Court.

_Pride and Humility_[55]

BY CHANG-KIU-LING

T'ANG DYNASTY (A.D. 618-905)

I'm but a sea-bird, wandering here alone, And dare not call the ponds and lakes my own; But what are those two lovely birds on high, s.h.i.+ning resplendent 'gainst the morning sky?

Upon the top bough of the San-Chu[56] tree, Presumptuously they build that all may see; Their feathers than the iris lovelier far, What if a missile should their beauty mar!