Chapter I: Have Seen a Road That Wanders in Green Shade, That Runs Through Sweet

FIELDS OF FLOWERS. MY EYES HAVE TRAVELED THERE, AND JOURNEYED FAR ALONG THAT COOL FINE ROAD.

BUT I WILL NEVER REALLY WALK THAT ROAD; IT DOES NOT REALLY LEAD TO WHERE SHE LIVES.

WHEN SHE WAS BORN, THEY BOUND HER LITTLE FEET WITH LEATHER BANDS; MY BELOVÈD NEVER WALKS THE ROAD OF SHADE AND FLOWERS.

WHEN SHE WAS BORN, THEY BOUND HER LITTLE HEART WITH LEATHER BANDS; MY BELOVÈD NEVER LISTENS TO MY SONG. [_Anonymous_]

FLOATING NARCISSUS

FADED NARCISSUS, FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER TO TIENOUAN.... IF YOU SEE THERE A YOUNG GIRL DREAMING, UNDER A CINNAMON TREE THAT HAS BLOSSOMED TWICE SINCE WE EMBRACED, TELL HER ... I SMELL A FRESH CARNATION TO REMEMBER HER PERFUME. [_Wan Ts’u_]

THE FRIENDS

YOU RODE A YELLOW HORSE, I RODE A WHITE ONE.... HORSES TWO COLORS, BUT OUR BOYISH HEARTS WERE ONE.

WE RODE TOGETHER THROUGH THE COUNTRY, A PAIR OF PRANCING PEACOCKS ... OUR JEWELED LONG SWORDS SHINING IN THE SUN, OUR TALL HEADDRESSES SCARLET, AND OUR PRECIOUS FURS WORTH THOUSANDS ... WE WERE GUESTS OF ALL FIVE ORDERS OF NOBILITY.

NOW, MY FIERCE TIGER FRIEND HAS CRASHED INTO A TRAP. IT IS FINE TO FACE FATE NOBLY ... BUT IF MY BRAVE COMRADE IS IN DANGER, WHAT PLEASURE CAN I FIND IN BEING FREE AND HAPPY? [_Li Po_]

A NEGLECTED WIFE

A WINDOW OPENS AND A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN LOOKS OUT. HER EYES ARE WET AS SHE LOOKS AT GRASS TURNING GREEN BEFORE HER HOUSE, AT WILLOWS IN NEW LEAF ALONG THE RIVER. IN TIMES PAST, WHEN SHE LOOKED OUT, SHE SANG.

WHEN YOU OWN A TREASURE YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO KEEP IT. MY FRIEND, YOURS HAS TWO BEAUTIFUL LEGS: BE CAREFUL, OR IT WILL RUN AWAY! [_Mei Chang_]

THE POET AND THE DANCERS

HERE, DAY AND NIGHT, THE PRETTIEST WOMEN OF THE EMPIRE ARE DANCING ... SONGS AND LAUGHTER ECHO FROM THE GOLDEN SCREENS.

WHEN ALL THE OTHERS ARE OVERCOME WITH DRINKING, I PUT DOWN MY WINE. I TAKE MY BRUSH, I WET THE GOLDEN INK, AND I WRITE SAD POEMS WITH SWAYING CHARACTERS THAT LOOK LIKE THESE ROSY BODIES STREWN ON A MARBLE FLOOR. [_Chang Wu-chien_]