Yuan Dynasty
碧玉箫·怕见春归
### 标题
静掩香闺，帘外晓莺啼。
宽尽衣，一搦腰肢细。
Translation
I fear the sight of spring departing, willow down drifting from the branches. I close the scented chamber in silence; beyond the curtain, morning orioles sing. I resent how few letters come from the far horizon. Only in dreams does my beloved know me beneath the green quilt. My clothes have grown loose; my waist is thin enough to clasp in one hand. Such foolish longing — quietly, day by day, it adds to my pallor.
Analysis
This lyric transforms spring scenery into a landscape of longing. Willow down and morning orioles would normally suggest brightness, but for a woman waiting in separation, they mark passing time and deepen loneliness. The opening line — “I fear spring’s departure” — immediately places seasonal beauty under emotional pressure. The sparse “brocade letters” indicate broken communication, while dreams become the only space where feeling can reach the absent beloved. The final lines move from emotion to the body: loose clothing, a thin waist, and hidden pallor. The single word “foolish” carries both self-pity and self-awareness.
About the Author
Guan Hanqing’s sanqu often turns vernacular speech into vivid emotional drama. His “Biyu Xiao” sequence includes pieces on longing, separation, pleasure, music, and reflection. Compared with more restrained classical verse, Guan’s lyric voice is immediate, embodied, and often theatrical.