Listening to the Zither
The sounding zither has golden-grained bridges;
Pale hands play before the jade zither rest.
Hoping to draw the listener’s glance,
The player now and then brushes the wrong string.
Notes
The zither is a plucked string instrument. The precise meanings of the decorated bridges and “jade room” or jade zither fitting are debated. Zhou Lang alludes to a story about Zhou Yu noticing mistakes in music; the listener need not literally be Zhou Yu.
Meaning
A zither player performs and sometimes brushes a wrong string, hoping to catch the attention of a discerning listener.
Appreciation
The poem begins with the instrument and hands, then reveals a small gesture meant to attract attention.
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The first lines are visual, and the names of the decorated fittings admit different explanations.
An allusion to a discerning listener makes the apparent mistake a playful action.
The poem leaves the larger scene and relationship open to interpretation.
About the poet
Li Duan, courtesy name Zhengji, was a Tang poet; accounts of his dates and origins differ.
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He held office and later lived in retirement; his poetry includes partings, landscapes and music.
Listening to the Zither is one of his better-known short poems.