Chinese Classics: Time-Honored Selections: New Odes from the Jade Terrace

Author: Tan Guoqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features:
To soar high and overshadow the sun, this is something I have yet to witness; a thousand doors and ten thousand households, once described by Zhang Heng. On the Jade Terrace of the Zhou King, in the Golden Pavilion of the Han Emperor, jade trees had coral branches, and pearl curtains had tortoiseshell edges. Among them were beautiful women. These women were from the noble families of the Five Mountains, selected for the Imperial Harem; they were of good family from the Four Surnames, renowned in the Eternal Corridor. There were also the lovely women from Yingchuan, Xinshi, Hejian, and Guanjin, originally known as delicate maidens, once famous for their charming smiles. In the palace of the Chu King, none did not praise their slender waists; in the beauty of, all spoke in awe of their delicate hands. They read poetry and upheld rituals, yet were not self-solicitous like the neighbor; their graceful charm and elegance were unlike Xi Shi, who was taught to be so. Their new pipa melodies did not need Shi Chong; their konghou harmonies were not related to Cao Zhi. They passed on the skills of playing the se to the Yang family, and learned the art of playing the xiao from the Qin girls. As for being favored in Changle, the Empress Chen felt injustice in knowing; their painted images of celestial fairies were admired by the concubine as if they were far away. Like the neighbor's charming smile, they served as attendants in the changing room; like Xi Shi's subtle frown, they were placed in the luxurious tent. Accompanying the emperor in leisurely outings, they displayed their slender waists in the wind; with the couple of Changle, they played new melodies in the measured tunes. Their hair adorned with thin cicada wings, their chignon like a fallen horse's tail. They flipped gold hairpins, and drew them across jade trees. The southern capital's stone dye, making double eyebrows on their hair; the northern land's almond rouge, opening two cheeks.