Yu Xuanji: Love Letter to Lord Zian (From Classical Chinese)

Love-letter to Lord Zian, written in sadness while gazing into the distance at Jiangling
By Lady Yu Xuanji
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

As maple leaves burst from the branches from a billion branches,
The river bridge at fall of dusk  lets late boats flicker through
My lord and dear — the heart is rushing as the west river rushes
Eastward without a second's rest all day and night to you


The Original:
Medieval Chinese transcribed using a system developed by David Branner

Han Characters 

江陵愁望寄子安 
魚玄機     

楓葉千枝復萬枝, 
江橋掩映暮帆遲, 
憶君心似西江水, 
日夜東流無歇時。 
Medieval Chinese 

kong2 leng3 dzrou3b màng33bx tsí3d an1
nguo3b ghwan4 ki3a

pung3b yap3b tshan4 tsyi3b bòu3b màn3a tsyi3b
kong2 gau3x ám3bx èing3a mùo1 bam3a dri3c
ek3 kwen3a sem33d sei4 kong2 sywí3c
nyet3b3 tung1b lou3b muo3c hat3a dzyi3d
Modern Chinese 

Jiānglíng chóu wàng jì zǐān 
Yú xuánjī  

Fēngyè qiānzhī fù wànzhī,  
Jiāngqiáo yǎnyìng mù fān chí,  
Yì jūn xīn sì xījiāngshuǐ,  
Rìyè dōngliú wú xiēshí.  

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