Shadows Between Buildings: Qin Tower Moon
秦 楼 月
楼 阴 缺
阑 干 影 卧 东 厢 月。
东 厢 月 一 天 风 露
杏 花 如 雪。
隔 烟 催 漏 金 虬 咽
罗 帷 暗 淡 灯 花 结。
灯 花 结 片 时 梦
江 南 天 阔。
Qin Lou Yue
Lou yin que
Lan gan ying wo dong xiang yue.
Dong xiang yue yi tian feng lu
Xing hua ru xue.
Ge yan cui lou jin qiu ye
Luo wei an dan deng hua jie.
Deng hua jie pian shi meng
Jiang nan tian kuo.
Shadows Between Buildings: Qin Tower Moon
Shadows between buildings in criss-cross patterns
She lies down, eastern open countryside moonrise.
Eastern open countryside moon, one windy sky drops dew
Apricot blossoms like snow.
Waterclock and swallows in a layered mist, drops become coiled and golden
Shortened lantern wick produces a weak light, gauze curtains darken.
Fading light fosters dream remnants
One of a Jiangnan sky that is broad and vast.
Notes:
Jiangnan: Literally means “south of the river”. The area of Zhejiang Province that includes the cities of Shanghai, Ningbo and Hangzhou. The river is the Changjiang.