The fair one holds a zither, jade and rare,
Plays "Parting Cranes" with grief beyond compare.
South and north the paired birds now fly apart,
Once shared perches no more shelter the heart.
Surely not metal or stone's enduring core,
How could things stay as they were before?
Born as twin flowers on a single stem,
They'll fall at different times—farewell to them.
The autumn woods face the setting sun's ray,
As light and shade themselves now fade away.
Still hoping to make your heart understand,
Each dawn I wear orchids with trembling hand.
Original Poem
「美人」
陆龟蒙
美人抱瑶瑟，哀怨弹别鹤。
雌雄南北飞，一旦异栖托。
谅非金石性，安得宛如昨。
生为并蒂花，亦有先后落。
秋林对斜日，光景自相薄。
犹欲悟君心，朝朝佩兰若。
Interpretation
Living in the turbulent late Tang Dynasty—marked by political corruption and widespread disillusionment among scholars—Lu Guimeng formed literary societies with peers like Pi Rixiu, seeking solace in reclusion and poetic expression. His works often used object personification, metaphorical imagery, and emotional projection to convey personal and generational sorrow. This poem employs the persona of a "beauty"—not a literal figure but a symbolic vehicle—to express the pain of human separation and the fragility of affection through her act of playing the zither and mourning for cranes. Such poems carried profound implications: while superficially about romantic love, they also reflected wandering amid uncertain times and the difficulty of finding kindred spirits.**
First Couplet: "美人抱瑶瑟，哀怨弹别鹤。"
Měirén bào yáosè, āiyuàn dàn bié hè.
The beauty holds a jade zither,
Plays "Parting Cranes" with grief and longing.
The poem opens with the image of a beauty playing the zither, establishing a tone of melancholy. The music is symbolic: it is both an expression of sorrow and a vessel for emotion. "Parting Cranes" (别鹤 bié hè) uses the separation of crane pairs to symbolize human parting, elevating personal sadness into a universal reflection on loss.
Second Couplet: "雌雄南北飞，一旦异栖托。"
Cī xióng nán běi fēi, yīdàn yì qī tuō.
Male and female fly south and north apart,
Once sharing a roost, now perched separately.
This couplet extends the metaphor: the cranes, once together, are suddenly driven apart, symbolizing the impermanence of human relationships. The image conveys both the shock of separation and the loneliness of the poet’s own experience, reflecting the unpredictability of life.
Third Couplet: "谅非金石性，安得宛如昨。"
Liàng fēi jīnshí xìng, ān dé wǎnrú zuó.
Human hearts are not made of metal or stone—
How can they remain unchanged as yesterday?
Transitioning from cranes to human nature, the poet reflects on emotional vulnerability. Metal and stone symbolize steadfastness, but the poet laments that human affections are fragile and transient—yesterday’s intimacy can become today’s distance.
Fourth Couplet: "生为并蒂花，亦有先后落。"
Shēng wéi bìngdì huā, yì yǒu xiānhòu luò.
Even lotus blooms sharing one stem
Will wither, one before the other.
Using the metaphor of twin lotus flowers on one stalk—a traditional symbol of conjugal love—the poet suggests that even the most bonded relationships succumb to time and fate, deepening the theme of impermanence.
Fifth Couplet: "秋林对斜日，光景自相薄。"
Qiū lín duì xiérì, guāngjǐng zì xiāng bó.
Autumn woods face the setting sun,
The light and scene grow faint and sparse.
Shifting to nature imagery, the autumn forest and fading sunset symbolize decline and passage, mirroring the dissolution of affection and the relentless flow of time—both a literal scene and an emotional atmosphere.
Sixth Couplet: "犹欲悟君心，朝朝佩兰若。"
Yóu yù wù jūn xīn, zhāozhāo pèi lán ruò.
Still, I hope to enlighten your heart,
Each day wearing orchids as a pledge of constancy.
The poem concludes with the beauty’s voice. Orchids (兰 lán) symbolize purity and unwavering virtue. Despite acknowledging impermanence, she clings to ideals of faithfulness, representing the poet’s own spiritual perseverance amid disillusionment.
Holistic Appreciation
Using the persona of a beauty playing the zither, this poem layers motifs of separation and transience. It begins with music, moves through parting cranes, fading flowers, and autumn decline, gradually building a atmosphere of loss and impermanence. The ending, with its image of orchid-wearing, transforms sorrow into resolve, expressing the poet’s aspiration toward moral steadfastness.
More than a poem of romantic longing, it is a philosophical reflection. While depicting love’s sorrow, it also voices the scholar’s lament over unrecognized talent and the rarity of true understanding. The beauty symbolizes an ideal personality and noble sentiment; the conclusion affirms the poet’s commitment to integrity despite life’s vicissitudes.
Artistic Merits
- Symbolic emotional projection, rich layers: Cranes, twin flowers, autumn woods, and orchids serve as emotional symbols, carrying multiple meanings.
- Progressive scenes, clear structure: Moving from zither-playing to crane parting, flower decay, autumn decline, and finally orchid-wearing, the emotional depth unfolds step by step.
- Delicate metaphors, concise language: Natural imagery parallels human experience, creating visual beauty and philosophical depth.
- Elegant style, reason within emotion: The language is subtly refined; surface emotion conveys deeper ideals, blending personal feeling with universal truth.
Insights
The separation of cranes and the withering of flowers reveal the impermanence of love and life, reminding us to cherish and protect what is finite amidst change. Yet the symbol of orchid-wearing embodies unwavering constancy, illustrating how one can maintain integrity and clarity amid loneliness and turmoil. Through art, the poem transforms personal sorrow into shared wisdom, inspiring us to reflect on transience while striving for inner strength and moral persistence in a uncertain world.
About the Poet
Lu Guimeng (陆龟蒙 ？– c. 881 CE), a native of Suzhou, Jiangsu, was a Late Tang dynasty writer and agronomist. After failing the imperial examinations, he retreated to a reclusive life in Puli, Songjiang. He formed a famous literary partnership with the poet Pi Rixiu, and the pair are often referred to collectively as "Pi-Lu." His poetry is known for its social satire and a style that is incisive yet subtly restrained. His inclusion in the Biographies of Talents of the Tangunderscores his significance. The modern writer Lu Xun famously praised his essays, noting that they provided "a sharp radiance piercing through a world of muddle". Lu Guimeng is regarded as a uniquely distinctive voice in the literary scene of the late Tang.
