<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 麗人行>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1971>
<BookName: CHINESE LYRICISM: Shih poetry from the second to the twelfth century>
<Translator: Burton Watson>
<TranslatedTitle: Song of the Beautiful Ladies>
<BookPage: 158-159>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
三月三日天氣新，
長安水邊多麗人。
態濃意遠淑且真，
肌理細膩骨肉勻。
繡羅衣裳照暮春，
蹙金孔雀銀麒麟。
頭上何所有，
翠微㔩葉垂鬢脣。
背後何所見，
珠壓腰衱穩稱身。
就中雲幕椒房親，
賜名大國虢與秦。
紫駝之峰出翠釜，
水精之盤行素鱗。
犀箸厭飫久未下，
鑾刀縷切空紛綸。
黃門飛鞚不動塵，
御廚絡繹送八珍。
簫鼓哀吟感鬼神，
賓從雜遝實要津。
後來鞍馬何逡巡，
當軒下馬入錦茵。
楊花雪落覆白蘋，
青鳥飛去銜紅巾。
炙手可熱勢絕倫，
慎莫近前丞相嗔。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
Third month, third day, in the air a breath of newness;
by Chang-an riverbanks the beautiful ladies crowd,
warm-bodied, modest-minded, mild and pure,
with clear sleek complexions, bone and flesh well matched,
in figured gauze robes that shine in the late spring,
worked with golden peacocks, silver unicorns.
On their heads what do they wear?
Kingfisher glinting from hairpins that dangle by sidelock borders.
On their backs what do I see?
Pearls that weight the waistband and subtly set off the form.
Among them, kin of the lady of cloud screens and pepper-scented halls,
granted titles to the great fiefs of Kuo and Chin.
Humps of purple camel proffered from blue caldrons,
platters of crystal spread with silvers of raw fish;
but ivory chopsticks, sated, dip down no more,
and phoenix knives in vain hasten to cut and serve.
Yellow Gate horses ride swiftly, leaving the dust unstairred,
bearing from royal kitchens unending rate delights.
Plaintive notes of flute and drum, enough to move the gods;
throngs of guest and lackeys, all of highest rank;
and last, another rider, with slow and measured stride,
dismount at the tent door, ascends the brocade carpet.
The snow of willow catkins blankets the white-flowered reeds;
a bluebird flies away, in its bill a crimson kerchief—
Where power is all-surpassing, fingers my be burned;
take care and draw no closer to His Excellency's glare!
<End Translation>