“Capturing the Essence: The Beauty of Lotus-Picking Maidens in Classical Chinese Poetry”
In the realm of classical Chinese poetry, the imagery of lotus-picking maidens evokes scenes of natural beauty and youthful exuberance. One such exquisite portrayal can be found in the Tang dynasty’s “Cai Lian Zi,” a lyric from the palace music repertoire, characterized by its lively depiction of maidens immersed in the playful pursuit of lotus-picking.
The poem begins with a picturesque setting: “Lotus flowers fill the pond, their fragrance wafting for miles.” This backdrop sets the stage for the carefree antics of the lotus-picking maidens, whose playful nature leads them astray from their intended task. The subsequent lines offer a close-up view, capturing the essence of their playful demeanor as laughter fills the air and their liveliness becomes palpable.
Tang Xianzu, a renowned critic of his time, praised this lyric for its vivid portrayal of human emotions and meticulous craftsmanship, which vividly captures the elegant customs of lotus-picking in Jiangnan. This lyric stands as the first masterpiece reflecting the beautiful customs of lotus-picking in southern China, originating from the Han Dynasty’s music and poetic style.
Emperor Liangwu later created “Cai Lian Qu,” a melody that would be sung for generations during the Liang, Chen, and Sui Dynasties, though many of these were fleeting and insubstantial. Huangfusong was a man of the Tang Dynasty, born in Jiangnan. His group of “Cai Lian Zi” is like the clear water emerging from a lotus, brimming with the vibrant and lively vitality of life.
The “Cai Lian Zi” of the Tang Dynasty is a palace song with seven lines and four lines, with a harmony at the end of the sentence. If the harmony is removed, it is no different from the seven-character quatrain, presenting a scene of a girl picking lotus, which is its first realm. Including the harmony is different, showing a scene where many girls pick lotus and sing harmony, which is its second realm. If this song and harmony are passed down, we should appreciate its full realm as a song with harmony rather than a quatrain without harmony.
The protagonists of the two lyrics are the same girl, and the two lyrics are inseparable. Let’s look at the first one. “The lotus fragrance connects ten acres of broken (lifting the oar).” The lotus is the lotus. Picking lotus is picking lotus seeds, but at this time there may be late blooming lotus flowers, so the artistic conception is more beautiful, and the lotus flowers and the red-skirted girls are reflected in each other. The pond is a pond, that is, a lotus pond. The fragrance of lotus flowers, with the clear fragrance of lotus flowers, connects ten acres of ponds, and introduces the singing girls into the depths of the lotus pond. This way of writing is ethereal. At the end of the sentence, the harmony “lifting the oar” is related to the current situation, clearly singing out the scene where many girls are rowing the boat.
Reciting it seems like a female singing sound is still lingering, and many girls have already sung together. “The younger sister is playful, and picking lotus is late (young).” The younger sister is the person in the song. In fact, she may be the singing girl. This way, it is dramatic and more subtle. The younger sister usually hides in the deep boudoir, and today she enters the lotus pond. The towering lotus leaves seem to separate the constraints of the world, and the clear water waves open her heart. The younger sister couldn’t help playing in the water, lingering.