Calming the Waves: For Yuniang, Attendant of Wang Dingguo

Wang Dingguo's singing-girl is called Rou Nu, of the Yuwen family; she has bright eyes and a fair face, is quick at repartee, and her family dwells in the capital. When Dingguo came back from his banishment in the south, I asked Rou: Is the country of Guangnan so very bad? She answered: Where my heart rests at peace, that is my home. So I composed this lyric for her.

I have always envied the jade-carved youth of the world, to whom Heaven allotted this maiden soft as cream. All say that her pure song comes forth from teeth of white; the wind rises, the snow flies — the burning sea turns cool.

Ten thousand li she has traveled, and comes home with a younger face. She smiles — and smiling, still carries the fragrance of the plum of the southern ranges. I ask: surely life south of the ranges was hard? She answers: where my heart is at peace, that is my home.