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 palace-plaint poem by Li Bai follows the traditional melodic theme, depicting a palace maiden's melancholy on an autumn night. Under the Tang dynasty's rigid court system, countless women lived in splendid isolation—some never gaining imperial favor, others abandoned after brief affection. Through delicate environmental imagery, the poet conveys her quiet despair, embodying sympathy for all women trapped in the gilded cage of feudal aristocracy.
First Couplet: "玉阶生白露，夜久侵罗袜。"
yù jiē shēng bái lù, yè jiǔ qīn luó wà.
Jade steps breed crystal dew; Late night soaks her silken shoe.
The opening captures the maiden standing motionless as midnight dew permeates her thin stockings. This exquisite detail accomplishes triple symbolism: the autumn night's chill mirrors her emotional isolation; her prolonged vigil suggests futile expectation; the creeping dampness becomes time's cruel erosion of youth. The uncomplaining image makes her suffering more poignant.
Second Couplet: "却下水晶帘，玲珑望秋月。"
què xià shuǐ jīng lián, líng lóng wàng qiū yuè.
Retreating, she drops crystal beads; Through glimmering strands, the autumn moon she reads.
Admitting defeat, the maiden withdraws—yet even behind beaded curtains, her gaze clings to the moon. The translucent barrier becomes a metaphor for her fragile separation from hope, while the moon's cold perfection contrasts with her earthly disappointment. This silent communion with celestial beauty elevates personal sorrow to universal yearning.
Comprehensive Analysis
A masterclass in psychological portraiture through nature. The poem's progression—from dew-drenched waiting to moonlit resignation—traces an arc of extinguished hope using only environmental cues. Its power lies in omission: no direct complaint is uttered, yet every image thrums with unspoken grief. The restrained structure (observation → withdrawal → distant gazing) mirrors the compression of emotion demanded by palace life, where even despair must be aesthetically contained.
Stylistic Features
- Objective correlative perfected: Dew, silk, crystal and moonlight become emotional vectors—concrete yet infinitely suggestive.
- Cinematic sequencing: Each couplet advances the narrative (standing → retiring → gazing) while deepening psychological complexity.
- Linguistic alchemy: Simple words like "glimmering" (玲珑) acquire prismatic meanings—conveying both the curtain's sparkle and the maiden's tear-blurred vision.
- Symbolic density: The moon operates on three levels—unattainable lover, eternal witness, and mirror of the maiden's own luminous but ignored worth.
Insights
This poem unveils the cold indifference of feudal palace life through its portrayal of a palace maiden's solitude and melancholy on an autumn night, allowing readers to profoundly understand the inner torment of women confined within palace walls. Though surrounded by magnificent halls, these women remained powerless over their destinies, forced to waste their youth in endless waiting and disappointment. Such fate befell not only ancient palace women but also reflected the plight of countless oppressed individuals in feudal society, revealing the helplessness and sorrow of people under authoritarian systems.
Moreover, the poet employs highly symbolic natural imagery to express emotion, demonstrating a subtle yet profound mode of expression. This teaches us that in literary creation and emotional articulation, direct narration of suffering is often unnecessary - deeper sentiments can be conveyed through environmental descriptions, scenic depictions, and imagery, thereby resonating more powerfully with readers.
Furthermore, the poem's "gazing at autumn moon" symbolizes not merely the maiden's longing for the emperor's favor, but more broadly represents humanity's yearning for beauty and fulfillment. When reality fails our expectations, how should we respond? Should we drown in sorrow, or seek new meaning? Though permeated with melancholy, the poem ultimately reminds us that life inevitably brings disappointments and waiting periods. We must learn to find spiritual solace amidst frustration, adjust our perspectives, and move forward toward broader horizons of existence." is damp with dew, her spirit—like the moon she contemplates—remains undimmed.
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.
