There is a small pool surrounded by green trees. As the wind blows the
bamboo-blind in the doorway, the fragmented shadows 2 dance with the
slanting sunshine. The swallows that used to build their nests in this gold
mansion 3 have passed by and then flown back. They circle around the
garden and cross the mossy wall 4. I wonder how many curtains there
are in your boudoir 5. As I approach your dwelling, I hear a band
playing reed and stringed instruments 6. I wish to speak, but I do
not after giving it a second thought. I want to leave, but I worry that I would
break my promise to visit you. I feel choked even though I try to sing. The
sorrow drives me to a wine jar. I know from a distance that you just dressed,
opened the red door, and went to the west wing to wait for the moonrise
7.
It was a pity for my soul that it failed to meet you in my dream last night. I
wonder when I can tell a secret: I want to leave my Qin-mirror
8 with
you in exchange for Han-fragrance 9. If God is willing to bring us
together, why not let us meet for a little while?
1
While Zhou was the Mayor of Li-shui City of the Jiang-ning Metropolitan
Area, the wife of his secretary was beautiful and intelligent. Zhou often
invited her to his party to have a cordial chat with her. Consequently, later
generations gave the melody of the above poem of Zhou the following title: "The
Romantic Man".
2
"Shadow" refers to the shadows of the pieces of the bamboo-blind. The
spaces between bamboo pieces will create bright lines in the shadow. As the wind
blows, the bright spots seem to break the shadow of the bamboo-blind into
pieces.
3 "Gold mansion" means "magnificent house". While Emperor Wu of the Han
dynasty was a prince, Princess Chang wanted to marry her daughter to him, so she
asked Wu, "Would you want to have A-jiao?" Wu replied, "If I had A-jiao, I would
put her in a gold mansion."
4 "Cross the mossy wall" means "enter the house to build their nests".
5
Zhou was sad because the swallows could enter her house and build nests but
he was outside of her curtains.
6
The music made Zhou more disheartened because she was having fun with
someone else.
7
In the novel, The Love Story in the West Wing, written by Zhen Yuan,
the heroine, Ying-ying, writes a poem to her boyfriend, Mr. Zhang. It says, "I am waiting
in the west wing for the moonrise./ My door half opens to welcome the breeze."
8
During the Han dynasty, Shu Xu, the wife of Jia Qin, gave a bright mirror
to her husband as a gift. Jia Qin wrote a poem to thank her. It said, "A bright
mirror with dragons circling around was given to Jia Qin."
9
During the Jin dynasty, Wu Jia, the daughter of Chong Jia, loved Shou Han
and gave him a bundle of incense. Chong Jia smelled the fragrance from Han's
body. He knew his daughter gave Han the incense, so he married Wu to Shou Han.