Ode to Chinese Flowering Crabapples
The breeze is sweeping gently, the autumn sky is clear and the air is crisp.
Within such a pleasant day, you can hardly image that in the Story of Stone,
a maiden was so sad that
“grieved over the years, flowers are moved to tears；
Seeing us apart, birds cry with broken heart.”
Enjoy it both in English version and Chinese version.
Ode to Chinese Flowering Crabapples
Translated by David Hawkes
Beside the half-raised blind, the half-closed door,
Crushed ice for earth and white jade for pot,
three parts of whiteness from the pear-tree stolen,
Chinese Pear Flower Painting
One part from plum for scent(which pear has not)-
Chinese Plum Flower Painting
Moon-maidens stitched them with white silken thread,
Chinese Flying Fairy Painting
And virgins' tears the new-made flowers did spot,
Which now, like bashful maids that no word say,
Lean languid on the breeze at close of day.
Chinese Lin Daiyu Painting
咏海棠花
半卷湘帘半掩门，碾冰为土玉为盆。
偷来梨蕊三分白，借得梅花一缕魂。
月窟仙人缝缟袂，秋闺怨女拭啼痕。
娇羞默默同谁诉，倦倚西风夜已昏。
