Yuan Dynasty
碧玉箫·盼断归期
### 标题
一搦腰围，宽褪素罗衣。
拣口儿食，陡恁的无滋味。
Translation
She waits and waits for the day of return, marking time until even the short golden comb is worn down. Her waist has thinned to a single grasp; her plain silk robe hangs loose. What illness is this? It leaves people unable to understand. She picks at her food, and suddenly everything tastes of nothing. Doctor — such a sickness is all the harder to cure.
Analysis
This lyric is especially rich in concrete detail. The image of the golden comb worn down by marking days turns waiting into a physical trace. Longing is not merely an emotion; it becomes a repeated action engraved in an object. The latter half frames love-longing as illness: a thinning waist, loose clothing, tasteless food, and an incurable condition. Guan Hanqing combines the classical motif of lovesickness with the colloquial voice of drama. The word “Doctor” sounds almost theatrical, creating both tenderness and helplessness.
About the Author
Guan Hanqing brings immediacy to traditional themes. In his work, longing is not only an abstract sorrow; it appears in gestures, bodily change, and spoken complaint. “Biyu Xiao: Waiting for the Return Date” shows this dramatic gift through the comb, clothing, food, and the language of illness.