浣溪沙(莫许杯深琥珀浓) - 李清照
Washing Creek Sand (Do Not Permit the Cup’s Amber Wine to Deepen) - Li Qingzhao
Where Subtle Wine and Midnight Yearnings Converge
【Original Chinese】
莫许杯深琥珀浓，
未成沉醉意先融。
疏钟已应晚来风。
瑞脑香消魂梦断，
辘轳声断月沉中。
夜长争得薄情知？
【Literal English Translation (Line by Line)】
Do not let the cup fill too deep with amber wine;
Even before I am fully drunk, my thoughts begin to melt away.
A distant bell already responds to the late evening breeze.
Aloeswood incense is nearly burned out, severing my dream;
Above the sinking moon, the well’s pulley creaks to a stop.
How, in this long night, can the heartless one understand my plight?
莫许杯深琥珀浓，
未成沉醉意先融。
疏钟已应晚来风。
瑞脑香消魂梦断，
辘轳声断月沉中。
夜长争得薄情知？
【Literal English Translation (Line by Line)】
Do not let the cup fill too deep with amber wine;
Even before I am fully drunk, my thoughts begin to melt away.
A distant bell already responds to the late evening breeze.
Aloeswood incense is nearly burned out, severing my dream;
Above the sinking moon, the well’s pulley creaks to a stop.
How, in this long night, can the heartless one understand my plight?
In “Washing Creek Sand (Do Not Permit the Cup’s Amber Wine to Deepen),” Li Qingzhao composes a ci poem of just a few lines that brim with emotional urgency. Here, the poet sets the scene around late evening or the small hours of the night: soft lamplight, fading incense, and a gentle breeze stirring a distant bell.
The first stanza urges caution in indulgence—“do not let the cup fill too deep” with wine as lustrous as amber. Yet, even a modest taste stirs the poet’s thoughts, eroding her composure before she can fully surrender to inebriation. The background detail of a distant bell responding to the late breeze evokes a feeling of hush and a recognition that time flows on, regardless of the poet’s inward turbulence.
In the second stanza, the “aloeswood incense” (瑞脑) is nearly finished, an image that doubles as a metaphor for the poet’s dreamlike or hopeful reveries—snuffed out too soon. The mention of a well’s pulley (the “辘轳”) squeaking into stillness at moonset furthers the sense that all motion or contact with the outside world has ceased. This leaves her alone with her thoughts.
The final question—“How can the heartless one understand in this long night?”—cuts to the core of the poem’s lament. Despite the quiet artistry of the surroundings, the poet’s yearning remains isolated; the one who might bring solace is absent or unresponsive.
Throughout, Li Qingzhao’s typical blend of tiny details (wine’s hue, drifting incense, a creaking pulley) with deep emotional resonance shines through. Ordinary objects—wine cups, incense burners, well pulleys—become potent symbols of fleeting comfort and the unstoppable passing of the night. Within this elegant brevity, she captures not only a personal heartache but also the universal pang of solitary reflection.
This ci poem thus exemplifies Li Qingzhao’s mastery of layered allusions and atmospheric focus. On the surface, it is a moment in time—a brief pause with a cup of wine and half-spent incense. Yet, the hush and longing that envelop the poet reveal a more profound tension: an aching desire for empathy in a world lulled into slumber.
Key points
• Emphasizes the fragility of comfort, as even a small sip of wine dissolves the poet’s composure.
• Uses objects like incense and a well’s pulley to symbolize fading connections and the night’s stillness.
• Portrays unreciprocated yearning in a quietly evocative setting, typifying Li Qingzhao’s lyrical style.
• Concludes with a rhetorical question, underscoring how solitude intensifies sorrow when shared empathy is absent.
Comments
Blazing Boar30) A longer reflection: the poet merges parted illusions with mild indulgence. No raging lament, only hush-laden lines acknowledging heartbreak overshadowed by subdued refinement. Each swirl of the cup, each gentle note in the atmosphere underscores illusions undone, forging a vow that sorrow, though real, can remain elegantly concealed. Readers sense a quiet acceptance: illusions soared but cannot be reclaimed, overshadowed by an understated hush that never begs for pity. Instead, heartbreak rests in a calm vow that parted dreams might linger as a mild echo rather than a storm. By enveloping illusions in hush-laden elegance, the poem unveils heartbreak’s gentler side, reminding us that sorrow can coexist gracefully with refined settings, forging resilience in subdued acceptance.
DuskWarrio22) I love how each verse glides gently, overshadowing illusions with the mild hush of a refined setting, heartbreak unveiling itself as a soft chord rather than a raw cry.
Arctic Meteor9) Each verse reveals the poet stands at a threshold of gentle sorrow, overshadowed by quiet acceptance that illusions can’t reclaim old brilliance, forging heartbreak into a calm vow.
Fierce Black Hawk10) Compared anew with Li Qingzhao’s more comedic heartbreak in ‘如梦令(常记溪亭日暮),’ which transforms illusions parted with a half-smile misadventure, ‘浣溪沙(莫许杯深琥珀浓)’ quietly bathes heartbreak in refined surroundings, overshadowing illusions with mild hush rather than comedic relief.
Fierce Gray Bee Den15) Short note: illusions parted so softly that heartbreak never begs attention, overshadowed by a hush that merges sorrow with a calm vow: it was beautiful, but it can’t stay.
Atomic Raven20) Comparing once more with Li Bai’s flamboyant style, Li Qingzhao’s heartbreak remains subdued, overshadowed by hush-laden refinement rather than cosmic flights. Both revolve around sorrow, but one roars in cosmic exaltation, while this hush-laden approach acknowledges illusions parted with quiet dignity.
Neon StormA tender hush threads through every phrase, as if heartbreak gently lingers beneath a swirl of fragrant wine.
Swift Gold Shark27) Sometimes it resonates with personal stories of quietly parted couples, overshadowing illusions of a perfect romance, forging hush-laden heartbreak that glimmers in polite farewells. The poem’s subdued approach mirrors that gentle heartbreak.
Swift White Tiger16) I admire how the poet channels heartbreak into a refined hush, overshadowing illusions with mild acceptance. No tearful pleas, just a serenity acknowledging parted hopes in the subdued flicker of a half-lit lounge.
Galactic Breeze13) A middle reflection: it’s not about lamenting bitterly but acknowledging illusions parted under a veneer of elegance. The hush-laden vibe reveals heartbreak quietly overshadowed by the mild swirl of conversation, overshadowing illusions that once soared bright.
Silent Gold Eagle12) Another nowaday incident: certain exclusive bars in metropolitan hubs, where heartbreak often hides behind fancy cocktails. The poem’s hush-laden heartbreak parallels those mild illusions overshadowed by fleeting glamour, forging a vow that sorrow can endure even in curated indulgence.
Echo Nexus14) Sometimes it’s reminiscent of how people exit lavish dinners or art show openings, illusions overshadowed by the hush once the crowd disperses. The poem’s calm heartbreak resonates with that subtle anticlimax where parted illusions gently linger in the night air.
Sharp White Hawk26) The poem’s hush-laden style suggests parted illusions slip from the poet’s heart in mild regret, overshadowing sorrow with enough grace to keep tears at bay—a vow of dignified heartbreak.
Radiant Shadow32) Ultimately, ‘浣溪沙(莫许杯深琥珀浓)’ merges heartbreak with refined hush, illusions overshadowing bright hopes in gentle lines that never quite weep. Li Qingzhao crafts a subdued, quietly potent poem that champions a vow to carry sorrow with dignity, overshadowed by mild acceptance in an atmosphere of cultured calm.
Neon Quantum Vortex11) A short impression: illusions soared amid lively talk and shining cups, overshadowed now by a hush-laden heartbreak that hums behind polite conversation and dim lamps, forging acceptance instead of tears.
Lone Gold Fox Den24) Another parallel might be how corporate gatherings end with fancy cocktails, illusions overshadowed by final clinking glasses, forging heartbreak for those leaving uncertain futures. The poem’s hush-laden heartbreak resonates with that mild tension— illusions parted amid a quiet swirl of indulgence.
Electric Wave31) Short commentary: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak in a swirl of mild hush, forging a vow that sorrow can remain discreetly present in quiet corners of memory rather than driving the poet into loud despair.
Arctic Meteor5) A middle note: the poem suggests heartbreak overshadowed by refined pleasantries—subdued talk, faint music—like illusions parted remain a gentle chord in a small gathering overshadowed by mild acceptance.
Fabled ScorpionShort but vivid: illusions once soared but drift away in the hush of an evening glow, leaving heartbreak quietly overshadowed by acceptance rather than wails.
AstralGuar3) Compared to Li Qingzhao’s own ‘一剪梅(红藕香残玉簟秋),’ which captures heartbreak in an autumn hush, ‘浣溪沙(莫许杯深琥珀浓)’ embraces a more intimate night scene. Both revolve around illusions parted, but here the hush is tinted with mild indulgence—like heartbreak nestling amid a subtle swirl of wine rather than crisp autumn air.
FrostByteX2) Sometimes I’m reminded of how, in social media era, people share pictures of elegant gatherings that quickly dissolve once the camera’s off. The poem’s hush-laden heartbreak parallels that fleeting glamour overshadowed by parted illusions as soon as guests depart.
Raging Mantis7) Another modern parallel emerges in how certain classy parties highlight curated wines or cocktails, overshadowing heartbreak behind curated smiles. The poem’s hush-laden sorrow resonates with that sense of illusions overshadowed by a sophisticated façade, forging a mild vow that heartbreak can remain elegantly contained.
Sturdy Ibex8) Short but potent: each phrase frames heartbreak in a hush-laden air, illusions parted overshadowed by mild indulgence—a swirl of wine, a half-laugh that concedes illusions never truly return.
PixelWizar17) Another modern parallel arises in how entire social events revolve around curated dining experiences—once the plates are cleared, illusions overshadow any illusions of perfection. The poem’s hush-laden heartbreak merges sorrow with the mild aftertaste of indulgence.
Dynamic Pixel Fusion6) I love how each line neither roars despair nor begs pity. Instead, illusions fade calmly, overshadowed by the hush of subdued lights and the poet’s gentle sigh acknowledging parted hopes.
Loyal Gold Wolf4) Short reflection: illusions soared in bright times, overshadowed by heartbreak that now slips between delicate sips of wine and a quiet vow that sorrow will endure softly.
Wild Jade Cat Den18) Short reflection: illusions soared, overshadowed by heartbreak that stands softly in the hush, forging a vow that sorrow need not devour the poet’s spirit but can exist gently.
Calm Gray Owl Nest28) Short note: illusions overshadow heartbreak in each subtle reference to refined tastes—like a swirl of good wine gently overshadowing parted hopes, forging acceptance in the hush of a dimly lit gathering.
Zest Lime Bat Cave19) The lines elegantly portray heartbreak overshadowed by a hush-laden ambiance—somewhere intimate, candlelit, with illusions fading in half-lit corners, forging a vow of mild endurance.
Fierce Black Bat Cave29) Another modern incident arises in how pop-up high-end dining experiences create illusions of perfection for a night, overshadowed by reality once the event closes. The poem’s heartbreak-laced hush reflects that ephemeral brilliance overshadowed by parted illusions in the calm aftertaste.
Mystic Eagle25) A mid reflection: illusions soared once, overshadowed by heartbreak that emerges softly in the poet’s lines, forging a vow that parted hopes might remain dear, even if overshadowed by a calm hush of acceptance.
Brisk Red Dog Pit23) Short but resonant: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak in a hush-laden swirl of subtle scents, forging acceptance that sorrow merges quietly with the poet’s calm recollection.
Cosmic Pixel Motion1) A mild tension arises in each verse, suggesting illusions parted with no fierce protest, just a calm sense of regret enveloped by the hush of low lamplight.
Infinite Pulse21) A middle comment: illusions undone overshadow heartbreak but remain gracious. The poet stands in mild reflection, forging a vow that memory can preserve what parted illusions once illuminated, overshadowing sorrow’s heaviness.
