Li Bai (701-December 762), whose name was Taibai, was named Qinglianjushi, also known as “The Immortal”. A great romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty, he was hailed as “The Immortal of Poetry” by future generations, and he was called “The Immortal of Poetry” together with Du Fu.
怨情
美人卷珠帘[1]，
深坐[2]颦[3]蛾眉[4]。
但看泪痕湿，
不知心恨谁。
在中国古代的爱情诗中，写怨情的居多，李白这首五言绝句就是一个例子。如果说《春思》写了女性的内心，这首小诗却只写了美人的外形。第一句写她卷帘，可见有所期待；第二句写她皱眉，可见期待成空；第三句写泪痕，可见她由怨而哭；第四句并不点破她怨谁，是“忽见陌头杨柳色，悔教夫婿觅封侯”呢？还是“感此伤妾心，坐愁红颜老”呢？作者给读者留下了想象的空间，使人觉得语短情长。
注释：
[1]卷珠帘：指卷起帷帘望向窗外。
[2]深坐：长久的坐。
[3]颦（pín）：皱眉。
[4]蛾眉：蚕蛾触须弯而细长，因此以此借称女子之眉。
Waiting in Vain
A lady fair uprolls the screen,
With eyebrows knit she waits in vain.
Wet stains of tears can still be seen.
Who,heartless,has caused her the pain?
In ancient Chinese love poems, most of them are about resentment. This five-character quatrain by Li Bai is an example. If “Spring Thoughts” describes the inner heart of a woman, this short poem only describes the appearance of a beauty. The first sentence describes her rolling up the curtain, which shows that she has expectations; the second sentence describes her frowning, which shows that her expectations are in vain; the third sentence describes the traces of tears, which shows that she cries out of resentment; the fourth sentence does not point out who she is blaming, is it “Suddenly seeing the willows on the street, I regret asking my husband to seek a title”? Or “I feel this and my heart is broken, and I am worried about my beauty fading”? The author leaves room for readers’ imagination, making people feel that the words are short but the feelings are deep.
