Li Shangyin 李商隱 Lǐ Shāngyǐn (812-858) is the love poet par excellence in the Chinese tradition. His poems, particularly his ‘Untitled Poems’, set a trend for later Chinese love poetry.

 

春雨

怅卧新春白袷衣[1],

白门[2]寥落意多违。

红楼[3]隔雨相望冷,

珠箔飘灯独自归。

远路应悲春晼晚[4],

残宵犹得梦依稀。

玉珰[5]缄札[6]何由达,

万里云罗一雁飞。

诗人旧地重游,恰逢绵绵春雨飘洒,天空中阴云笼罩。题虽然作“春雨”,却并非直接写春雨,而是抒写在春夜雨中的相思之情。

注释:

[1]白袷衣:即白夹衣,唐人以白衫为闲居便服。

[2]白门:金陵的别称,即现江苏省南京市。

[3]红楼:华美的楼房,多指女子的住处。

[4]晼晚:夕阳西下的光景。

[5]玉珰:是用玉做的耳坠,古代常用环佩、玉珰一类的饰物作为男女定情的信物。

[6]缄札:指书信。

Spring Rain

Gloomy in early spring,I lie still clad in white;

How much I miss our rendezvous now in sad plight!

Your rosy bower chills my heart when viewed in rain;

Back when dim lamplight is screened,lonely I remain.

Far on your way,you should be grieved when spring is late;

Deep in the night,I but dimly dream of my mate.

How could I send my love letter with two jade rings?

Could miles of clouds be pierced by a swan on the wings?