Inspired by the words “sweet dreams”from the song, “Dream a Little Dream of Me”
1孤月花窗外 Outside the window lattice is
the moon alone,
2甜夢夜闌來 Sweet dreams should come drifting when night is deep.
3燈火早已滅 Long extinguished are the lights,
4又恐樓高礙 And yet fearing too high is my
tower…
5荷塘濃香伴 In the lotus pond where
fragrance is thick,
6鴛鴦葉下蓋 Mandarin ducks under the leaves
covered.
7鳳衾寂寞寒
Alas the phoenix quilt
in lonely cold,
8冷光牀前皚 That chilly
light, on his bedside, in gleaming white.
1 Latticed windows are often a sign of wealth. The bedroom represents the protagonist’s imprisonment, while the moon represents her husband whose position is lofty but alone. The lattice represents the bars of her cell.
2 Since the husband is not frequently around, she can only see him in her dreams.
3 The candlelight represents the light of her life – the husband.
4 The tower (his position) is too high and obstructs the view of the moon, i.e., unable to see her husband easily.
5 A pond is a simple thing, hence representing a spartan setting. The fragrance of lotus emanates from living things but not material wealth. Hence, she was happier when they are poor.
6 Mandarin ducks symbolize connubial bliss.
7 Motifs of dragon and phoenix have the same symbolism as Mandarin ducks. Finally, we can now deduce lines 5 and 6 are description of the scenes portrayed on the quilt and it is cold because no one was sleeping in it.
The placement of a traditional Chinese bed is aligned horizontally to the facing door or window. The inner side to the wall is where the woman sleeps while the husband sleeps on the outer side where curtains can be drawn or closed. The head and the end of the bed may lead into a smaller enclosure for morning abulations etc. and so are separated with more drapery or with some kind of separation. Only the very rich may have the wall covered. Usually there is a loose brick so that it can be removed easily to reveal a safe storage place. This line implies that the curtains are still withdrawn as she waits for her dreams to come. As such, translating 牀前 as the bed’s front would become “the foot of the bed” in western imagery.
Friday, April 03,
2020
