There's a perfume stealing moist from a shaft of red blossom,
And a mist, through the heart, from the magical Hill of Wu -
The palaces of China have never known such beauty -
Not even Flying Swallow with all her glittering garments.
Original Poem:
「清平调 · 其二」
李白
一枝红艳露凝香，云雨巫山枉断肠。
借问汉宫谁得似？可怜飞燕倚新妆。
Interpretation:
This poem is about Yang Guifei, who was highly favoured by the emperor because of her beauty.
The first line compares Yang Guifei with the dewy and fragrant peony flower, implying that the peony flower bears dew, just as Yang Guifei was favoured by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. In the second line, the dream of the meeting between the king of Chu and the goddess of Wushan is used to contrast the depth of Yang Guifei’s favour by Emperor Xuanzong. The Wushan goddess and the king of Chu only met in a dream, while the real Yang Guifei was “three thousand favourites in one”, so even the goddess was not as happy as Yang Guifei. In the last two lines, Zhao Feiyan was favoured by Emperor Cheng of Han Dynasty and compared with Yang Guifei, saying that Zhao Feiyan’s beauty had to rely on heavy make-up, which was not as good as Guifei’s “natural beauty” without any make-up!
This poem not only praises Yang Guifei’s extraordinary temperament, but also highlights her unique status among concubines.
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.
