Her jade-white staircase is cold with dew;
Her silk soles are wet, she lingered there so long
Behind her closed casement, why is she still waiting,
Watching through its crystal pane the glow of the autumn moon?
Original Poem:
「玉阶怨」
李白
玉阶生白露，夜久侵罗袜。
却下水晶帘，玲珑望秋月。
Interpretation:
This is a poem based on the original meaning of the tune's name, i.e., it is about a woman's grievances on the jade steps.
In the first two lines, the jade steps are covered with white dew at night, and the dew soaks the stockings when they stand for a long time late at night.
Autumn night has been cool, in the cool air, standing on the stone steps above the palace maid, perhaps there are countless things to talk about it. By her status as a courtesan, it can be assumed that she is waiting for the king's arrival, visible long time to wait for not to, let a person feel the courtesan that look forward to see the god, how she hoped to see the figure of the king, but all the expectations have fallen through.
After two sentences: had to go back indoors and put down the crystal curtain, gazing at the autumn moon through the transparent curtain.
The courtesan had been looking at the king for a long time, so she turned to look up at the moon, hoping to get a hint of comfort from the moon. But the result of looking up made her very disappointed, the moon is still noiselessly radiating light. Disappointed, she dropped the curtains and did not want to look at the moon again, but still could not help but cast an affectionate gaze at the moon through the crystal curtains - still full of expectations for the king, hoping that the king could enter his space like this exquisite moon color.
It is the artistic feature and uniqueness of this poem to reveal the heroine's heart and secret feelings with a single scene.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Li Bai (李白), 701 ~ 762 A.D., whose ancestral home was in Gansu, was preceded by Li Guang, a general of the Han Dynasty. Tang poetry is one of the brightest constellations in the history of Chinese literature, and one of the brightest stars is Li Bai.
