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Click to printYan Jidao. "To the tune “Picking Mulberries”—"Since we parted"." Global Medieval Sourcebook.

Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, .

採桑子 | To the tune “Picking Mulberries”

Source Information

採桑子 | To the tune “Picking Mulberries”

by Yan Jidao

Text Source:

Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 34.

Responsibility Statement:
  • Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965,
  • Translation by Qian Jia
  • Notes by Dante Zhu
  • Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Dante Zhu
Editorial Principles:

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

Texts are translated into modern American 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. Scribal errors and creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.

The original text of this ci is based on the edition by Tang Guizhang 唐圭璋 (Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965). Punctuation follows the edition. Since ci poetry rarely includes personal pronouns, and gender-differentiated pronouns did not exist in Classical Chinese of this period, the gender of the speaker as well as their perspective (e.g. first, second or third person) must often be deduced by the translator from context.

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Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.

The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Transcription
採桑子 To the tune “Picking Mulberries”
別來長憶西樓事， Since we parted, I often recall the time in the western building
c
Critical note:

See Introduction for a discussion of the image of the “western building” (西樓).
結遍蘭襟。 when we tied orchids to each other’s lapels.
c
Critical note:

Tying orchids to each other’s lapel is a token of love and intimacy.
遺恨重尋。 Searching the past, I end up with regrets;
弦斷相如綠綺琴。 the strings of Sima Xiangru’s Green Brocade are snapped.
c
Critical note:

Sima Xiangru 司馬相如 (179 BCE – 117 BCE), an outstanding rhapsody writer and zither player, was also known for the ideal love between him and his wife, who had great literary talent as well. "The Green Brocade" was the name of Sima Xiangru’s famous zither which he played to court her. The snapped strings of the zither imply that the intimate bond has been broken.
5
何時一枕逍遙夜， When will we be able to share the pillow again and have a night of joy,
細話初心。 to talk in detail about our feelings like when we were first together?
若問如今。 If she asks me about my feelings towards her now,
也似當時著意深。 I will tell her that my love is as deep as it was then.
Translation
採桑子 To the tune “Picking Mulberries”
別來長憶西樓事， Since we parted, I often recall the time in the western building
c
Critical note:

See Introduction for a discussion of the image of the “western building” (西樓).
結遍蘭襟。 when we tied orchids to each other’s lapels.
c
Critical note:

Tying orchids to each other’s lapel is a token of love and intimacy.
遺恨重尋。 Searching the past, I end up with regrets;
弦斷相如綠綺琴。 the strings of Sima Xiangru’s Green Brocade are snapped.
c
Critical note:

Sima Xiangru 司馬相如 (179 BCE – 117 BCE), an outstanding rhapsody writer and zither player, was also known for the ideal love between him and his wife, who had great literary talent as well. "The Green Brocade" was the name of Sima Xiangru’s famous zither which he played to court her. The snapped strings of the zither imply that the intimate bond has been broken.
5
何時一枕逍遙夜， When will we be able to share the pillow again and have a night of joy,
細話初心。 to talk in detail about our feelings like when we were first together?
若問如今。 If she asks me about my feelings towards her now,
也似當時著意深。 I will tell her that my love is as deep as it was then.
Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 1
Critical note:

See Introduction for a discussion of the image of the “western building” (西樓).

Translation
Line number 2
Critical note:

Tying orchids to each other’s lapel is a token of love and intimacy.

Translation
Line number 4
Critical note:

Sima Xiangru 司馬相如 (179 BCE – 117 BCE), an outstanding rhapsody writer and zither player, was also known for the ideal love between him and his wife, who had great literary talent as well. "The Green Brocade" was the name of Sima Xiangru’s famous zither which he played to court her. The snapped strings of the zither imply that the intimate bond has been broken.

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