#liqingzhao #ci #plum #chinese poetry
A Single Line A single branch
Chinese poetry can be just as info compact as haiku.
While Li Qing Zhao's favorite flower seems to have been the Osmanthus for its fragrance she often mentions Plum Blossom.
Several people have books out translating her poetry.
I particularly recommend C. Pannam Music From A Jade Flute
On P. 134 he translate one line of chinese verse as three
"a single branch of plum blossom informs the east god of the coming of spring"
p. 251 has the chinese hanzi and a transliteration of the poem.
The 3 lines in the translation are one elegant seven character line in Chinese.
Yi zhi xi de dong jun xin
Some people find Li Qing Zhao's verse melancholy or bordering on sentimental but it has a certain power and I sometimes think if she'd born in the say the American South she would have been a Blues or Jazz Songtress?
Do read Pannams book if you can borrow or buy it!
A Gwailo's View of Han Zi ! A Blog featuring my experiments with Han Zi and digital typographic art and articles on Chinese derived characters. Also some articles on Chinese characters in general and their use of multiple Asian languages.
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