[updated September 2022]
Beginning of Summer
初 夏
绿 槐 高 柳 咽 新 蝉
薰 风 初 入 弦。
碧 纱 窗 下 水 沉 烟
棋 声 惊 昼 眠。
微 雨 过，小 荷 翻
榴 花 开 欲 然。
玉 盆 纤 手 弄 清 泉
琼 珠 碎 却 圆。
Chu Xia
Lu huai gao liu yan xin chan
Xun feng chu ru xian.
Bi sha chuang xia shui chen yan
Qi sheng jing zhou mian
Wei yu guo, xiao he fan
Liu hua kai yu ran.
Yu pen xian shou nong qing quan
Qiong zhu sui que yuan.
Beginning of Summer
Green scholar trees and tall willows with young cicadas
learning to sing
Sweet grasses on the wind, bowed-string musical instrument music,
Under bluish-green gauze window coverings, river water and the smell of chenyan incense
Surprised by the sounds of chess pieces, daytime sleepers awaken.
Light rain passed by small overturned lotus leaves
Pomegranate flowers open like small flames
Tiny, elegant hands hold a jade basin made clean at the springhead
Exquisite pearl water drops on the lotus leaves break up and scatter.
Notes:
Scholar trees: Trees native to Asia. Revered as signs of good fortune, and often planted near Buddhist shrines.
Chenyan incense: Special and expensive incense coming from the Zhang trees.