[updated September 2022]
Feelings of Leisure: (Seven Parts): No. 1
Emotions Leisured and Cultivated
闲 情 赋
(1)
初， 张 ( )作 “定 情 赋”
蔡 邕 作 “静 情 赋”
检 逸 辞 而 宗 澹 泊
始 则 荡 以 思 ( )
而 终 归 闲 正。
将 以 抑 流 宕 之 邪 心
谅 有 助 于 讽 谏。
綴 文 之 士， 奕 代 继 作
因 并 触 类， 广 其 辞 义。
余 园 闾 多 暇
复 染 翰 为 之。
虽 文 妙 不 足
庶 不 谬 作 者 之 意 乎？
Xian Qing Fu
(1)
Chu, zhang hen zuo “Ding Qing Fu”
Cai yong zuo “Jing Qing Fu”
Jian yi ci er zong dan bo
Shi ze dang yi si lu
Er zhong gui xian zheng.
Jiang yi yi liu dang zhi xie xin
Liang you zhu yu feng jian.
Zhui wen zhi shi, yi dai ji zuo
Yin bing chu lei, guang qi ci yi.
Yu yuan lu duo xia,
Fu ran han wei zhi.
Sui wen miao bu zu
Shu bu miu zuo zhe zhi yi hu?
Feelings of Leisure: (Seven Parts): No. 1
Emotions Leisured and Cultivated
Long ago Zhang Heng wrote a prose poem called “Emotions for Being Engaged”
Cai Yong wrote his prose poem entitled “Quiet Emotions”.
For romantic love, to restrain one’s words and emotions best
And according to these men, this will lead to long-term elegance and tranquility.
Only then take them as a model, to slowdown and reflect
In the end, it is right to proceed leisurely.
The challenge is to suppress and abandon a normal mind and heart
Expect your movements to be indirect, mild and tactful.
After these two men, poets and authors put their words together well
Following dynasties will continue to write the kinds of touching poems and prose of these combined works.
Facilitate more words of Eros
Remaining in my garden and neighborhood more possible.
Again I will use my writing brush to express these love emotions
Although my words not quite as brilliant.
Most people will not think my writings false or wrong
I follow their meaning and intent.
Notes:
Zhang Heng: (78-139): Famous astronomer, statesman and poet from the Han Dynasty. He innovated the seven-character line, and his work was foundational for later poetry based upon Nature. Tao admires him for his simple and minimal style. These characteristics influenced Cai Yong.
Cai Yong (132-192) Government official and poet during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Famous player of the qin (stringed musical instrument).
Commentary:
This and the other poems under the title listed above are love poems. Romantic love poems. Some Chinese poetry commentators have noted that the Chinese have very few poems of this type. Well, here are some examples.