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Li Qingzhao. "To the tune “Immortal by the River”—"The Courtyard is Deep"." Global Medieval Sourcebook.Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 2. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 929. .
臨江仙 | To the tune “Immortal by the River”
Source Information
臨江仙 | To the tune “Immortal by the River”
by Li Qingzhao
Text Source:
Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 284.
Responsibility Statement:
- Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 2. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 929.
- Translation by Qian Jia
- Notes by Nina Du and Runqi Zhang
- Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Runqi Zhang
Editorial Principles:
Texts are translated into modern English with maximum fidelity to the original text, except where it would impair comprehension or good style. Archaisms are preserved where they do not conflict with the aesthetic of the original text. Creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.
Punctuation follows the edition.Publication Details:
Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.
The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
庭院深深深幾許， The courtyard is deep, how far does it extend?
雲窗霧閣常扃。 The windows and chambers, wrapped in mist, are always shut.
柳梢梅萼漸分明。 New willow shoots and plum blossoms grow.
春歸秣陵樹， Spring returns to the trees of Moling;
5
人客建康城。 I am a stranger in Jiankang Cityn
. Note: Both Moling and Jiankang are alternative names for the city of Nanjing, which is located in present-day Jiangsu Province, China.
感月吟風多少事， Moved by the moon and chanting to the wind, how many things have happened!
如今老去無成。 Now I am old and have achieved nothing.
誰憐憔悴更凋零。 Who would pity thin and withered me?
試燈無意思， I have no interest in the lantern trial
n
, Note: The fifth day of the first month in the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated with grand lantern displays. These displays are practiced beforehand in “lantern trials.”
10
踏雪沒心情。 I am not in the mood to walk through the snow. 庭院深深深幾許， The courtyard is deep, how far does it extend?
雲窗霧閣常扃。 The windows and chambers, wrapped in mist, are always shut.
柳梢梅萼漸分明。 New willow shoots and plum blossoms grow.
春歸秣陵樹， Spring returns to the trees of Moling;
5
人客建康城。 I am a stranger in Jiankang Cityn
. Note: Both Moling and Jiankang are alternative names for the city of Nanjing, which is located in present-day Jiangsu Province, China.
感月吟風多少事， Moved by the moon and chanting to the wind, how many things have happened!
如今老去無成。 Now I am old and have achieved nothing.
誰憐憔悴更凋零。 Who would pity thin and withered me?
試燈無意思， I have no interest in the lantern trial
n
, Note: The fifth day of the first month in the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated with grand lantern displays. These displays are practiced beforehand in “lantern trials.”
10
踏雪沒心情。 I am not in the mood to walk through the snow. Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 5
Note: Both Moling and Jiankang are alternative names for the city of Nanjing, which is located in present-day Jiangsu Province, China.Translation
Line number 9
Note: The fifth day of the first month in the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated with grand lantern displays. These displays are practiced beforehand in “lantern trials.” Sorry, but there are no notes associated with any currently displayed witness.