The Cornel Grove
July 6, 2023Temple Tree Path
July 6, 2023The Beautiful Xi Shi
Since beauty is honoured all over the Empire,
How could Xi Shi remain humbly at home? —
Washing clothes at dawn by a southern lake —
And that evening a great lady in a palace of the north:
Lowly one day, no different from the others,
The next day exalted, everyone praising her.
No more would her own hands powder her face
Or arrange on her shoulders a silken robe.
And the more the King loved her, the lovelier she looked,
Blinding him away from wisdom.
…Girls who had once washed silk beside her
Were kept at a distance from her chariot.
And none of the girls in her neighbours’ houses
By pursing their brows could copy her beauty.
Wang Wei
Wang Wei (701-761) was a Chinese poet, painter, and musician who is considered one of the most important figures of the Tang dynasty. Wei's poetry often dealt with themes of nature and the human condition, and his most famous works include "Deer Fence" and "The King of Chu at Shangyin." Wei was also a renowned painter and musician.