Her autumn face in pale hue framed by layered gates;
Seven tiers amassed until the pot brims white with snow.
Yang Guifei emerging from her bath, her shadow made of ice;
Xi Shi clutching her heart, her soul composed of jade.
The morning breeze cannot dispel a thousand specks of sorrow;
The lingering dew still crystallizes into one more round of regret.
Leaning alone against the painted railing, as if with intent,
She sends the dusk away with fulling-block and plaintive flute.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
Composed by Jia Baoyu. He compares the white begonia to two legendary beauties: Yang Guifei emerging from her bath and Xi Shi clutching her heart. 'A thousand specks of sorrow' and 'one more round of regret' hint at Baoyu's tenderness toward women. The ornate, emotional style is quintessentially Baoyu.
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