Making Her Arise Like a Pipa: (Bag of Orchid Fragrances)
身 作 琵 琶: 蕙香囊
身 作 琵 琶，调 全 宫 羽
佳 人 自 然 用 意。
宝 檀 槽 在 雪 胸 前
倚 香 脐，横 枕 琼 臂。
组 带 金 钩，背 垂 红 绶
纤 指 转 弦 韵 细。
愿 伊 只 恁 拔 “梁 州”
且 多 时 得 在 怀 里。
Shen Zuo Pi Pa: (Hui Xiang Nang)
Shen zuo pi pa, diao quan gong yu
Jia ren zi ran yong yi.
Bao tan cao zai xue xiong qian.
Yi xiang qi, heng zhen qiong bi.
Zu dai jin gou, bei chui hong shou
Xian zhi zhuan xian yun xi.
Yuan yi zhi nen ba “Liang Zhou”
Qie duo shi de zai huai li.
Making Her Arise Like a Pipa: (Bag of Orchid Fragrances)
Making her arise like a pipa
Various tones rise, fall and mix
Naturally beautiful ladies fulfill their purpose.
Their hearts-minds entrance me with treasured wingceltis wood and grooves
Fragrant navel, across the pillows on her exquisite arm
Series of belts and golden hooks
Red silk ribbons hang over her shoulders and back.
Tiny fingers deftly turn the strings to produce sweet and delicate sounds
Want her to continue playing.
Repeat over and over the long and soft “Liang Zhou” melodies
So I can remain inside her embrace.
Notes:
Pipa: Popular lute-like four-stringed musical instrument.
Wingceltis wood: Tree native to China used as fine timber, and the bark for xuan paper.
Liangzhou melodies: Also known as Liang Province, it was located in the northwest border regions about the current province of Gansu.
With Ci poems, the title comes from the poem’s first line, and the title of the music appears inside the parentheses.