Oh my goodness, this is such wonderful stuff.
Here is a
Cao Zhi piece.
The Spirit of the Luo River as written in Hugh Dunn's
Cao Zhi: The Life of a Princely Chinese Poet (p. 24-9, New World Press, Beijing, PRC, 1983) The poem was written between 221 and 222. Lady Zhen died in 221, so there is a very tragic possibility that the poem might have been partially inspired by her death.
Have a box of tissues next to you when you read this
***
Spirit of the Luo River
Leaving the capital, returning to the East,
I passed Yi Que and climbed Huan Yuan,
Went through Tong Gorge and up Mount Jing.
As the sun sank low, I grew chariot-weary and my horses spent.
So,
Stopping by the river, I fed them where rare herbs grew
And strolled in a willow grove to gaze at the stream.
Then,
My soul was moved, my spirit troubled, and sudden thoughts ran wild!
Below me I saw nothing, but, looking across,
I saw a lovely woman on the other craggy shore.
Later
I called my coachman, told him and said:
"Did you behold her? Who was she, so fair as that?"
My coachman replied:
"They say the river spirit is called Mi Fei;
Was it not she Your Highness has seen?
What was she like? I should like to hear."
I told him:
"She seemed -
To flutter like a swan alarmed - lithe as a wandering dragon,
Bright as an autumn chrysanthemum, fair as a pine in spring.
She looked like the moon half-hidden in light clouds -
As if breeze-borne - like snow whirled in the streaming wind.
Far off I beheld her - bright as the sun in morning mists;
Nearer I saw her - like a lotus glowing on green waves.
Perfect in figure, perfect in height,
Finely-formed shoulders, waist as if silk-bound,
A graceful neck, a lovely neck, its fair skin showing -
Cosmetics were needless and powder unused!
Cloudy hair set high - brows that met in long curves -
Red lips most vivid, white teeth ashine,
Bright eyes gleaming, cheeks so shapely -
Gaily beautiful, exquisite, sedate.
Calm in her movements, unhurried in person,
Mild-natured, gentle-mannered, charming in speech,
Excelling all in this empty world - a picture to see.
Her clothes were filmy and of splendid hues;
Delicate jade adorned her ears
And gold and kingfisher pins her hair.
Her dress was all emroidered with pearls
And on her feet were "far-wandering" shoes.
Trailing her light skirt of misty silk
She surpassed the fragrant beauty of dark orchids
As she wandered on the hillside.
Then,
Quickly, happily, she roamed at her pleasure
Leaning on rainbows
And shaded by flowers.
Baring white wrists on that fairy shore
She plucked mystic plants at the torrent's edge.
My soul took delight in her fair beauty -
My wild-beating heart could not be calmed!
But lacking a match-maker to join us in happiness
I asked the wavelets to carry my words.
Wanting my wishes to be known to her quickly
I held up my jade seals to seek to attract her -
Beauteous pledges to give to her beauty.
Alas!
Polite as the maiden reknowned in the Songs
She lifted her jewels in response to my move,
Pointed down to the water and waited my words.
But I, with this firm reply in my reach,
Feared lest the spirit might yet deceive me.
I was stirred by Jiao Fu's words ofr farewell
And stood in two minds, dissapointed yet happy.
Hiding emotions, I stilled my desire -
Thought of propriety, was cautious, held back.
Thereupon -
The Luo River Spirit was stirred and moved restlessly,
Her radiance fitful, now like day, now like night.
Her light form stood posied like a bird
Wishing to fly but not yet on the wing.
She trod underfoot the fairest of flowers
And trampled thin stems which poured forth their scent
She gave a great cry of eternal devotion -
A sound that was desolate, passionate, long.
At this there came
A crowd of spirits, a motley throng!
She called to her comrades, cried to her friends
Who played in the torrent and o'erflew fairy isles
Gathering pearls and kingfisher plumes.
There came the two maids from the southern Xiang
Hand in hand with the girl who roams the Han shore.
They lamented her "bitter fruit" as she "had no mate"
And sang of the Herdboy star dwelling alone.
They swung their soft jackets, gently, voluptuously,
Making fans of gay sleeves, ith slow movements and pauses.
Then their mood quickened - like wild geese flying,
Borne on the breeze, with a sudden like sprites!
Lightly they walked over hillocks and ripples
Their gauzy silk slippers stirring the dust.
Their movements kept changing, sometimes stiff, sometimes fluid,
As they drew nearer or stopped without any fixed plan -
Retreating, returning, their eyes full of meaning
Shining and elegant, an exquisite sight.
Restrained in voice, fragrant as flowers,
Their beauty enchanted me. I forgot I was hungry.
Then,
The Rainmaster stilled the wind, the River Queen calmed the waves,
The Count of the river drummed, and clearly sang Nu Wa.
There came prancing hooves and an awesome chariot
Ringing jade phoenix bells, to take her to the dead.
Six fearsome dragons, their heads in line,
Bore on high the graceful cloud chariot -
Huge fishes lept by the wheels as it came
And water birds soards around it as guards.
Then,
As they passed across the isle to the north,
And the colour faded from the hills to the south,
She looked back with a clear gaze
And her red lips spoke slow words
About the great net of our intermeshed lives:
"How sad that men's and spirits' ways must differ -
I grieve that our flourishing years did not match!"
She raised a gauze sleeve to brush away tears
Which wet the flowing flods of her coat.
"My soul is wounded - such happy meetings are not for me.
I mourn that once parted wth shall live apart.
My feelings are strong - I give you my love
And give you too these bright rings from Jiangnan.
Although I go to live in the deepest shade
My thoughts will dwell on my lord and prince.
Suddenly I no longer see where I go -
Sad at heart I rise, and my light goes dim."
At this,
Turning her back on all below she rose out of sight.
Her footprints faded - but her soul remained
After she went to the spirits' resting place.
Left to my feelings, I remembered her form
And gazed all around with a mournful heart
Hoping the spirit body would again take shape.
I took a small boat and went upstream;
Moving slow on the long river I forgot to turn back.
Full of tortuous thoughts ever more tangled,
My mind in turmoil, at night I could not sleep.
When dawn came coated in heavy frost,
I ordered my coachman to make ready the chariot
And prepared to return to the road to the East.
I took up the reins and grasped the whip -
But sad and irresolute, I could not leave.
).
), and I guess that's why his works have been most carefully kept (I have a copy of Cao Zhi's "Complete Works", but am not aware of "Complete Works" of Cao Cao or Cao Pi). Besides, I choose a poem to translate by whether I feel inspired enough by it, rather than whether it completes the bigger picture.
