Original Chinese Poetry
The small river in the early morning is shrouded in a thin mist, and beneath the clear water, the aquatic plants are enchanting and soft as silk. The small island in the middle of the river, overgrown with reeds, became even more mysterious in the mist due to occasional bird songs.
By the slow flowing river, a man dressed in white plays a jade flute and gazes at the islands in the river.
That day, it was also a misty morning. Occasionally, as he passed by, he heard a crisp and pleasant song drifting from the reeds. With a sudden impulse, he took out his jade flute and blew along with the song.
Suddenly, a small boat slowly rowed out of the reed bed. On the boat sat a woman in red, with cascading long hair draped behind her head, a red agate hairpin nestled between her black hair, and a pair of bright black eyes on her full moon like face, gazing towards the shore. After seeing him, she smiled and lowered her head, and rowed the small boat deep into the water grass. Stretch out your lotus like jade arm and scoop up the water spinach. With a fleeting glance, the red figure was deeply engraved in his heart.
The next day, he arrived at the river early and played the jade flute, hoping that the red figure would appear again.
From that day on, every night, he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, his graceful figure and enchanting singing lingering in his mind. But that girl never appeared by the river again.
Deep longing makes it impossible for him to read poetry and books, and to enjoy delicious food. The mother saw her son getting thinner and thinner, so she came to her son’s room and asked him in detail why.
He told his mother the deep longing he felt after seeing the girl. Such a good girl is my lifelong companion, “he said to his mother. His mother smiled and told him that his father had proposed to the girl’s parents yesterday.
He was so happy that he jumped up like a child, completely forgetting the etiquette.
Half a year later, he married her with his ceremonial music. In the bridal chamber, his bride sat solemnly, with joy, shyness, and nervousness beneath her red veil. That silk is as thick as feathers, yet as heavy as a thousand pounds, and what he stirred up was the life they were about to spend together.
