Two Versions

The first line came into my mind and took me quite awhile to come up with a theme when I was visiting Arashiyama’s famous bamboo forest. The next day, while I was practising my calligraphy using the poem when I got an idea of a Chinese theme based on the keywords. I could not decide which poem is better and decided to keep both.

1 歌舞台上千層淚 Hidden in the songs and dances on the stage lies the many layers of tears,
2 尋香亭下無限醉 At the bottom of the Pavilion of Fragrance Seeker is deep stupor of no end.
3 浮世三味訴盡難 ’tis difficult for the shamisen in the Floating World to tell its every story,
4 渡月橋央何時聚 And when will we ever meet again at the Moon Crossing Bridge.

5 雲台歌舞千層淚Hidden in the songs and dances on The Cloud Terrace are the many layers of tears,
6 玉砌階下無限醉 And at the bottom of the jade imperial staircase is deep stupor of no end.
7 梅楊爭艷水烟夢 The plum and poplar blossoms vie in beauty but in the end, just a misty dream.
8 七夕長生莫再聚 After the Seventh Night in the Palace of Life Forever, reunions are no more.

1 歌舞 – Song and dance could be the short for the Kabuki Theater, 歌舞伎

3 浮世 – Ukiyo, the floating world of the pleasure quarters in the red light distract of old Japan

三味 – Three flavors, short for 三味線, the Japanese banjo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshiwara

4 The Togetsu Bridge is one of the scenic views in Arashiyama, Kyoto famed for the cherry blossoms and autumn colors on the slopes of Arashiyama.
5 It could mean the terrace is so high that it reaches the clouds

6 玉砌 - built from jade. Actually, high quality white bricks used exclusively by the imperial family. Green jade only gained popularity during the late Ch’ing Dynasty because the fondness of them by the Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi. “Mutton white fat “the most treasured jade color. 階 - steps leading to an elevated platform where the throne is situated. It can also refer to the emperor himself. 階下 is often translated as “your Majesty”.
When the Forbidden City was built by the Ming Emperor Yongle, “gold bricks” 金磚were used especially for laying out the palace grounds.

https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1806236982/

7 The plum here refers to 梅妃, the previous favorite before 楊貴妃 came along. It is said that the Plum Concubine is slender while the Poplar Concubine is full bodied.

8 Seventh Night – the Chinese version of Valentine. It is said that on this night, at the Palace of Eternal Life that the Emperor Tang Hsuan Tsung and his favorite, Lady Yang, pledge themselves to an eternal love. Perhaps, due to their hubris, a few months later, the An Lu Shan Rebellion erupted and on route to Szechuan, the imperial guard refused to proceed further unless the emperor forced her to hang herself for causing the woes of the empire.

Monday, August 9, 2021