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
Click to hear me recite the original in my idea of what educated Medieval Chinese sounded like

As maple leaves burst from the branches, from a billion branches,
The river bridge at twilight lets the late boats flicker through.
My lord: the heart is rushing as the western 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 màng3 kì3bx tsí3d an1 nguo3b ghwan4 ki3a pung3b yap3b tshan4 tsyi3b bòu3b màn3a tsyi3b kong2 gau3x ám3bx èing3a mùo1 bam3a dri3c ek3 kwen3a sem3 zí3d sei4 kong2 sywí3c nyet3b yà3 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.