Seashell-Covered White Sandalwood Screen: (Walk Along a Brightened Path)
云 母 屏 低: 踏 莎 行
云 母 屏 低
流 苏 帐 小。
矮 床 薄 被 秋 将 晓。
乍 凉 天 气 未 寒 时
平 明 窗 外 闻 啼 鸟。
困 殢 榴 花
香 添 蕙 草
佳 期 须 及 朱 颜 好。
莫 言 多 病 为 多 情
此 身 甘 向 情 中 老。
Yun Mu Ping Di: (Ta Sha Xing)
Yun mu ping di
Liu su zhang xiao.
Ai chuang bo bei qiu jiang xiao.
Zha liang tian qi wei han shi
Ping ming chuang wai wen ti niao.
Kun ti liu hua
xiang tian hui cao.
Jia qi xu ji zhu yan hao
Mo yan duo bing wei duo qing
Ci shen gan xiang qing zhong lao.
Seashell-Covered White Sandalwood Screen: (Walk Along a Brightened Path)
Seashell-covered white sandalwood screen
Flowing curtains with a short fringe.
Low platform bed, thin quilt for an autumn morning just before daybreak.
Suddenly cooler weather, not yet into the cold season.
Outside the windows, dawn brings the sounds of cawing birds.
Her sleepless nights remembering when they both enjoyed pomegranate flowers and wine.
Lights her huicao fragrance to change the room’s atmosphere
She is afraid of waiting too long to get married past her prime beauty years.
She tells no one of her lovesickness
Still prefers to wait for this man all her life if necessary.
Notes:
Huicao fragrance: One of several grasses such as the Moxa. Traditionally hung above the home’s front door as good luck before the Qing Ming observances. If good fortune is not realized, then the household burns this grass to send off the bad omens.