English中文
Greeting the Golden Gate: The Wind Suddenly Rises
风乍起，
吹皱一池春水。
闲引鸳鸯香径里，
手挼红杏蕊。
The wind rises suddenly, wrinkling a pool of spring water. Idly I lead the mandarin ducks along the scented path, my fingers crumpling the red apricot stamens.
斗鸭阑干独倚，
碧玉搔头斜坠。
终日望君君不至，
举头闻鹊喜。
Leaning alone on the rail by the duck-fighting pen, my jade-green hairpin slipping aslant. All day I watch for you and you do not come; I lift my head, delighted to hear the magpie.
Reading notes
挼 means rubbing or crumpling with the fingers and is read ruó here. 搔头 is a hairpin. 斗鸭阑干 is a railing by a duck-fighting enclosure. The final line expresses delight at a magpie’s call, drawing on its association with good news.