Easing My Grief: No. 1
English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.
自嫁黔娄百事乖。
顾我无衣搜荩箧，
泥他沽酒拔金钗。
野蔬充膳甘长藿，
落叶添薪仰古槐。
今日俸钱过十万，
与君营奠复营斋。
English translation
The youngest and dearest daughter of Lord Xie, since she married poor Qianlou, everything has gone ill.
Seeing me without a coat, she searched the wicker box, when I teased her for wine, she drew out her gold hairpin.
Wild greens for the pot, and she found the bean leaves sweet, fallen leaves for the fire, gathered from the old locust tree.
Today my salary runs past a hundred thousand, yet all I can do is arrange offerings and masses for her.
Meaning
You were like the most beloved daughter of Lord Xie, and you married me, a poor scholar, and nothing went well.
Seeing that I had no clothes, you searched through the chests; at my request you pulled out your gold hairpin to buy wine.
You filled your hunger with wild vegetables and called the food sweet, and burned the fallen leaves of the old locust tree for fuel without complaint.
Now I hold high office and a rich salary, but you have left the world, and I hire monks and priests to release your soul in the rites for the dead.
Background
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This poem was written in about 811 (the sixth year of the Yuanhe era), when Yuan Zhen was serving as investigating censor in charge of the eastern station; another account holds that it was written in 822 (the second year of the Changqing era). It was written by Yuan Zhen in memory of his deceased first wife.