“Reflections on Life and Transience: A Journey Through the ‘Pearls and Jade Lyrics'”
In the quietude of fleeting moments, life is but a transient journey, where ordinary partings can evoke profound sorrow. Rather than postponing gatherings due to frequent farewells, one should sing joyously and drink heartily in the limited span of existence. When the time comes to ascend and gaze upon the vast rivers and mountains, suddenly thoughts turn to distant loved ones; when the wind and rain scatter the blossoms, one realizes how swiftly spring fades, stirring melancholy and sorrow. Instead, cherish those present at the feast, as exemplified in this poignant verse from the ‘Pearls and Jade Lyrics’.
This lyric, known for its clarity and refined language, captures a serene elegance. Yet, the author shifts from the norm by employing expansive scenes and vigorous strokes, achieving a robust style. Expressing a sentiment of nostalgia and longing for spring, the verses are deeply contemplative yet brisk and bright, maintaining a gentle demeanor that prevents the emotions from becoming bleak and mournful, a hallmark of this piece.
“‘In the span of fleeting moments, life is finite; casual farewells easily bewitch the soul.’ The opening two lines of this lyric sharply convey the brevity of life. The phrase ‘in the span’ refers to a brief moment, a fleeting hour. Oh, how limited is our time on earth! The poet’s lamentation is timeless, an inevitable law of nature. Who wouldn’t wish for the beautiful years to continue? Lamenting the fleeting spring, feeling the prime of life slipping away—though such sighs are common in ‘Pearls and Jade Collection,’ in this lyric they are forcefully and directly shouted out, achieving a profound effect. The following line deepens the sentiment. ‘Dimly bewitching, only parting!’ However, what is depicted in the lyric is not a distant separation of the country, nor even a weeping and weeping farewell, but only a common parting!
“‘Casually,’ these two words are by no means common, fully revealing the poet’s deep love. In the brief span of life, partings will happen more than once, and each time you part, you take away a part of the limited years, how can this not be ‘easily bewitched’? ‘Feast and feast, don’t refuse often.’ The last sentence of the upper paragraph is to say that the feast and dance should not be refused. The poet can only broaden his own liberal interpretation. Pain is useless, it’s better to sing and sing, and express your feelings. ‘Often,’ meaning often in the banquet. Ye Mengde’s “Avoiding Summer Records” records that Yan Shu “only likes guests, never a day without feasting, every good guest must stay, and leave must be accompanied by songs and music.”
“‘Feast and dance,’ referring to these daily banquets. This sentence describes the timely pleasure, the comfort of this limited body. ‘The mountains and rivers are full of emptiness, and the falling flowers and rain are even more hurt.’ Change the first two languages to say that if it is time to ascend, look at the vast mountains and rivers, it is just thinking about the distant friends; even if it is alone at home, seeing the wind and rain destroy the flowers, it is more touching and easy to spend the spring.