摊破浣溪沙.病起萧萧两鬓华 The moon climbs the screen, slowly waning

摊破浣溪沙。 病起萧萧两鬓华

原作：李清照

病起萧萧两鬓华，卧看残月上窗纱。豆蔻连枝煎熟水，莫分茶。

枕上诗书闲处好，门前风景雨来佳。终日向人多借借，木犀花

The moon climbs the screen, slowly waning

—  to the tune of Tanpo Huanxisha

Chinese original:Li Qingzhao ( 12^th century)    

English version: Julia Min

The moon climbs the screen, slowly waning;

Up from illness—my temples grey and thin.

Cardamom simmers gently, pod and stem;

I sip its warmth, avoiding tea while healing.

By my pillow lie favourite books of poems;

From my doorway, a landscape in misty rain.

The osmanthus whispers, subtly composed;

Her fragrance fills the day— a graceful refrain.

For Appreciation:

Traditionally dated to around 1132, this ci appears to have been composed while Li Qingzhao was recovering from a serious illness and the ordeal of her brief, disastrous second marriage. According to the traditional account, she courageously brought a case against Zhang Ruzhou, thereby securing their separation. Yet under Song law, a wife who accused her husband could herself be punished. Li Qingzhao was imprisoned and remained in custody for nine days before the intervention of Qi Chongli and other friends secured her release.

She was then about forty-eight years old. Having survived bereavement, war, displacement, illness, and now this bitter marriage, she resolved—with spiritual resilience and practical wisdom—to reclaim her life.

The poem carries the quiet cheer of one who has survived another trial. Grateful to have her life restored, she takes pleasure in convalescence: the books beside her pillow, the misty rain beyond her doorway, and the fragrance of her beloved osmanthus filling the day. Its happiness is neither exuberant nor carefree, but composed—the intimate contentment of solitude regained.

 Notes:

1. “Cardamom”: In traditional Chinese practice, cardamom was boiled in water as a warming herbal preparation to dispel internal chill. Its aromatic pods and seeds were also used medicinally and as a condiment.

2. “Avoiding tea while healing”: Traditional Chinese medical practice often advises against drinking tea while taking certain herbal preparations, in the belief that tea may lessen or alter their effects.

3. “Osmanthus”: Osmanthus is traditionally associated with modesty, gentle grace, cultivated refinement, and nobility. Its small, inconspicuous flowers release an exceptionally pure and far-reaching fragrance.