Author's Note: Several months ago, I had a very strange dream that saw me and my love in ancient China at the Mid-Autumn Festival. The strangest thing was that in my dream, we were conversing completely in Classical Chinese poetry, a language in which I am not very familiar at all (hell, a language in which most contemporary Chinese people would find challenging to understand). While I do not remember the words we said or the amazing poetry, I preserve the manner I know they were said, and perhaps even subconsciously introduced the messages of the poems. I've included a commentary at the end to act as a footnote for parts of the poem I felt needed extra explanation.
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A Dream of Jade Pavilions
Poet I see the face of her who plays Her zither, and I dare not think Of that face framed by the moon Or hair as dark as fragrant ink. Am I in the Jade Pavilion Which rests upon the starry brink? But level, we are not with stars That glassy shine upon my drink.
Maiden (To the Tune of Deep Longing) One more note, One more trill, Disappears with eastern wind, Occident tremors. Hands running, Sound like cloth, Agitated sheets of rain From my fingertips.
Poet Eyes had I, but Taishan's peak I missed! The mountaintops and bamboo, streams and mist Compare not to the silken clothes you wear, Nor thoughts of silken skin that clenched my fist.
Maiden (To the Tune of the Fisherman's Song) The final pluck, fingers lift, Golden nailpicks now silv'ry. I turn to bow to Chang'e. He is there, The impoverished scholar. Mistress of the moon, I pray, Grant me the strength of Mulan. I am as a struggling fish, Thrashing waves Slowly yield into my heart.
Poet The needle spins and points directions four Of east and south, and west and north. Water, metal, fire, wood, and ore: The elements are five in harmony. But in this balance you preserve the core, The softened center in the petals' midst.
Maiden (To the Tune of Painting a Spring Scene at the Temple) Ah! Foolhardy young scholar! Do you not know your doom? The elixir of Chang'e-- Its fragrant scent!-- Was consumed discipline, Bitter and astringent. I am but brittle incense, Fragile ashes.
Poet My cup is drained now of its wine, But two full cups gleam in your eyes. And shall I ride the wind again Until I reach your frozen realm? And reside, lonely, with the moon In temples carved from sacred jade? But I know where my true home lies, And I shall stay to watch the moon.
Maiden (To the Tune of Shadows of the Drunken Flowers) Leaning on the red railing, Gazing at the moon. I join you, watching, Remembering, I am silent now. Celestial guards, hear me, I release you now. Wistful moons no more, But a new peak. I clasp your hand now.
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Commentary - The poet's lines are in the style of the Tang shi, which was of consistently fixed meter and a consistent rhyme scheme. However, these rhyme schemes are not the Western schemes that you may be accustomed to. I have used Western metrical styles instead of Eastern syllabic styles in terms of meter, but I believe that this allows better flexibility. - The maiden's responses are in the style of the Song ci, which were poems set to music. On the surface they seem very freeform, and indeed they have no consistent rhyme scheme. However, the fact that the poems must match the music meant that each line has a specific number of syllables, basically making it your average haiku/tanka on steroids. - The zither is known as a guzheng in Chinese. If you've never heard it, please look it up. I know it was featured in the movie Hero as well as in the opening ceremony to the Bejing Olympics. It is one of the most hauntingly beautiful instruments you will ever hear. - Chang'e is the goddess of the moon. Her husband, the archer Hou Yi, fell out of favor with the Jade Emperor, and Chang'e and her husband were forced to live on Earth as mortals. Desperate to regain her immortality, she obtained an elixir of immortality, and instead of taking only half to regain her immortality as she was directed to, she took the whole elixir, which caused her to float up and up to the moon. There she stayed, separate from her husband for eternity on the moon. - "Eyes had I, but Taishan's peak I missed!" A literal transliteration of a Chinese idiom. - "Consumed discipline." From the Chinese chi jiaoxun, which literally means, "to eat discipline."
HOLY FLYIN FUDGE. That is reallllllyyyy good! I love the Asian Cultures, even though I know little about them. But I am taking Chinese next year as my language. This is amazing. Really really good. Beyond the average comprehension of the everyday american! and I love this line in your explination However, the fact that the poems must match the music meant that each line has a specific number of syllables, basically making it your average haiku/tanka on steroids. That one sent me laughing. XD Keep up your awesome work!
Wow...that was amazing. I don't know you all that well, so I have to ask are you actually planning on being a poet? Because if you were, I have no doubt that you would succeed with great ease.
No, and I doubt I would succeed. I've had some publication in one of those high school poem anthologies, but for the most part I don't write brilliantly or panderingly enough to the modern taste.
No, and I doubt I would succeed. I've had some publication in one of those high school poem anthologies, but for the most part I don't write brilliantly or panderingly enough to the modern taste.
Well, you don't write as bad as me. I'm sure anyone in ArmorGames can beat me at poems.
is this supposed to be like "hong lou meng?" "dream of the red chamber?" because While I was in china I had to read that as a part of the 6th grade curric :\\ and this is bringing back bad memories.
You caught the reference that the title makes...and if you're a male, I can see why that book would bring back bad memories for you LOL. It's a real romance to be sure (aka snoozefest to people who like more manly books like Water Margin).
well no, it was more there were a crap load of words I didnt know since it a really difficult read for a 6th grader at that. my teacher would beat the kids that couldnt read lines.
Still happens in China, to the best of my knowledge. Does make me wonder what the balls a 6th grader would be doing reading that. It would be the equivalent of a 6th grader reading Pride and Prejudice here.
DDX do you read Chinese or was the book translated into english?
chinese.
Still happens in China, to the best of my knowledge. Does make me wonder what the balls a 6th grader would be doing reading that.
its the course curric.
It would be the equivalent of a 6th grader reading Pride and Prejudice here.
My cousin read it when he was in 6th grade, I mean if anything it was hard to comprehend, it was just extremely dry. I read it in 8th grade when I came back.
How do you write like that Parsat? That was really good poetry.
And isn't Chinese difficult? Firstly, it's got an entirely different and relatively unique alphabet and secondly, not many of the European languages are influenced by Asian languages. I'm starting to take Latin (yeah, I know, it's geeky ) simply because it influnced English and the alphabet is similar, so it's not exactly difficult but it's also pretty cool. The trick to Latin is remembering all the damn cases.
