Lissome as a swallow and tender as an oriole, without doubt I went to see
you, my lover, in the Kingdom of Hua-xu 1. As heartless as you are,
how could you know the night was long? I have been immersed in the sorrow of
yearning since the beginning of Spring. Your letters after our separation and my
parting needle work guide my soul to secretly chase you as you travel far away.
The bright moonlight south of the Huai River chills a thousand mountains. When I
return home in darkness, no one cares.
1Lie-tze says, "Emperor Huang slept during the day, and dreamed that
he visited the Kingdom of Hua-xu." Here "the Kingdom of Hua-xu" means "my
dreams".