A Mortal Life, Born of One Thought · Stubborn and Foolish by Nature · 53 / 102
Qing Bei Ling · Finding Delight
A snap of the fingers and the years flow by; with no mind for it I set down a stone, and lying back watch the painted screen run through its illusions. On the long spring day I boil tea and prune the branches; the aloeswood sends up its scent and dizzies the eyes.
The pipa's thin string plucks up a clear song and a sigh; cup in hand I covet the mortal world's remoteness. The cool moon half lights the red rain of petals; ink on the hand makes plain a heart bound fast in tenderness.
Glosses—
The long spring day: a day of spring;
Aloeswood: the sinking incense-wood;
The thin string: the fourth string of the pipa, and by extension the pipa itself;
The cool moon: the moon;
Remoteness: distant, far away;
Red rain: fallen blossoms coming down like rain.
*This piece is an original work. If you repost it, please credit the original author Guang Zhi Shiyi; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued for legal liability. In addition, the accompanying illustration comes from the internet and belongs to its original artist, Hehewu.