Feb 13, 2022
Zhang Jiuling, ed. by Jane Portal, from Chinese Love Poetry; “Looking at the moon and longing for a distant lover”
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Zhang Jiuling, ed. by Jane Portal, from Chinese Love Poetry; “Looking at the moon and longing for a distant lover”
Maggie Stiefvater - Call Down the Hawk // Anne Carson- Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides // Zhang Jiuling, ed. by Jane Portal, from Chinese Love Poetry; Looking at the moon and longing for a distant lover // Gustave Courbet - Le Sommeil ou Les Deux Amies (The Two Girlfriends) // Kenneth Rexroth - She Is Away // Madeleine Miller - The Song of Achilles // @interkellar [x] art by @nephrosoupp // June Jordan, from "Intifada Incantation: Poem #8 for b.b.L."
Poem about the moon
Lucien Vaudrey, high on life after getting a curse removed, waxing poetic about the moon. A Charm of Magpies is probably my favourite series, and listening to the audiobooks again put me in the mood for art ^_^
So, my Chinese (Mandarin) is pretty basic (apologies for the poor handwriting!). Certainly not good enough to be composing poetry. So I have Crane reciting the first two lines of the famous Tang Dynasty poem Looking At The Moon And Thinking Of One Far Away (望月怀远 ) by Zhang Jiuling (张九龄).
Completed November 2020
蘭葉春葳蕤， 桂華秋皎潔； 欣欣此生意， 自爾為佳節。 誰知林棲者？ 聞風坐相悅， 草木有本心， 何求美人折？ Tender orchid-leaves in spring And cinnamon- blossoms bright in autumn Are as self- contained as life is, Which conforms them to the seasons. Yet why will you think that a forest-hermit, Allured by sweet winds and contented with beauty, Would no more ask to-be transplanted Than would any other natural flower?
Orchid and Orange I (感遇其二) by Zhang Jiuling (張九齡). Tang Dynasty.
Zhang Jiuling (678-740), courtesy name, Zishou (子壽) and nicknamed Bowu (博物), was a notable poet and scholar of the Tang Dynasty. He was also Count Wenxian of Shixing (始興文獻伯) and was a prominent minister who served as a chancellor during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign. The poem’s first line is the arrival of tender orchid in spring, and sweet osmanthus in autumn. Osmanthus, known as sweet olive, or tea olive, is a symbol of love and romance. Zhang was also a commandant of the city of Guilin for a period of time. Guilin, meaning, “fragrant forest,” was distinguished for its fragrant blooming Osmanthus and as a destination of enlightenment for Buddhist monks.
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江南有丹橘， 經冬猶綠林; 豈伊地氣暖? 自有歲寒心。 可以薦嘉客， 奈何阻重深? 運命惟所遇， 循環不可尋。 徒言樹桃李， 此木豈無陰? Here, south of the Yangzi, grows a red orangetree. All winter long its leaves are green, Not because of a warmer soil, But because its' nature is used to the cold. Though it might serve your honourable guests, You leave it here, far below mountain and river. Circumstance governs destiny. Cause and effect are an infinite cycle. You plant your peach-trees and your plums, You forget the shade from this other tree.
Orchid and Orange II (感遇其四) by Zhang Jiuling (張九齡). Tang Dynasty.
Zhang Jiuling was a Tang Dynasty minister, poet and scholar. He also served as chancellor for Emperor Xuanzong for a period of time. Orchid and Orange II contains several symbolic motifs. The first line states that the narrator is in Jiangnan, south of the Yangtze River. The line is a play on words for red, the colour of fortune and luck in China. People lead wealthy lifestyles there and the weather is particularly warm. The orange tree is as symbol of luck, the plum is associated with winter, and the peach represents immortality. Combined, they are a symbol of youth.
View Zhang Jiuling’s Orchid and Orange I as previously featured by sinθ here.
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Since I cannot gather a handful of moonlight to give you, I shall go back to sleep and hope to meet you in a dream!
Zhang Jiuling
Since I cannot gather a handful of moonlight to give you, I shall go back to sleep and hope to meet you in a dream!
Zhang Jiuling
The moon, grown full now over the sea, Brightening the whole of heaven, Brings to separated hearts The long thoughtfulness of night.... It is no darker though I blow out my candle. It is no warmer though I put on my coat. So I leave my message with the moon And turn to my bed, hoping for dreams.
Looking at the Moon and Thinking of One Far Away by 張 九齡 Zhang Jiuling (tr. W. Bynner)