English中文
Reduced Magnolia: Upon the Flower-Seller's Pole
卖花担上，
买得一枝春欲放。
泪染轻匀，
犹带彤霞晓露痕。
From the flower-seller's carrying pole I bought a branch of spring about to open. Its light even tint seems stained with tears; it still bears the mark of red dawn-cloud and morning dew.
怕郎猜道，
奴面不如花面好。
云鬓斜簪，
徒要教郎比并看。
I fear my love will guess and say my face is not so fair as the flower's. So I set it aslant in my cloud-dark hair, only to make him look and compare.
Reading notes
The attribution is debated. Wang Zhongwen includes it in the main collection of Li Qingzhao’s lyrics, while other scholarship regards it as doubtful. This page labels it “Attributed to Li Qingzhao.” 担, the flower-seller’s carrying pole, is read dàn.