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The Songs 91 I lament the rose-complexioned [i.e. pretty women]; I also lament my lover. Love in this world can indeed be long-lasting. But our love? Why does our love end in failure? You have taken my love of earlier days and flung it into the river [i.e. he has rejected her]. My love for you sprung from the very depths of my heart. But my friend shifted the blame on to me [i.e. thus destroying their union]. Love turned to hate! Too often have I seen this happen. Try to see how people treat you, my lord. Reflect, my lord, on how you have treated me; Think over it, right from the beginning ... and then cast me aside. o Heaven, help me! Bring to ruin whoever is fickle in love. Yes, it is really true: I am driven to death; but lest I die suffering a wrong, Iundergo this ordeal. Song 20 This Weary World I feel weary of this world. Why have you hurt me in this way? You have squandered the devoted love my heart once cherished for you; You have practised so many deceits on me; but I was willing to suffer these hardships. Think of the past. Look into the future. Have I ever slighted you? Why have you left me for so long? You are no whit less callous than Wong Fooi.69 69 Wong Fooi (~EJtl;) was a scholar who failed to pass his examination at Peking. His friend persuaded him to visit the town of Pak Si (:ftrtJ), where he met a courtesan Yan Gwai-ying (~~ti~ ) with whom he fell in love. The next year, an imperial decree brought Wong Fooi back to Peking to offer his services to the government. Yan Gwai-ying accompanied him part of the way. In the temple of the sea-god (w:f$Jtij), Wong Fooi swore he would be faithful to her forever. They corresponded regularly. When Wong Fooi achieved the highest literary degree of the old system in China, Yan Gwai-ying wrote to congratulate him; but he did not reply. On becoming a magistrate Wong Fooi married a lady by the name of Chui (~). Yan Gwai-ying sent her lover a letter by a special messenger, but Wong Fooi drove the messenger from his door. When Yan Gwai-ying heard this, she cut her throat, and, after her death, haunted Wong Fooi - so that he too was driven to commit suicide. The Songs 91 I lament the rose-complexioned [i.e. pretty women]; I also lament my lover. Love in this world can indeed be long-lasting. But our love? Why does our love end in failure? You have taken my love of earlier days and flung it into the river [i.e. he has rejected her]. My love for you sprung from the very depths of my heart. But my friend shifted the blame on to me [i.e. thus destroying their union]. Love turned to hate! Too often have I seen this happen. Try to see how people treat you, my lord. Reflect, my lord, on how you have treated me; Think over it, right from the beginning ... and then cast me aside. o Heaven, help me! Bring to ruin whoever is fickle in love. Yes, it is really true: I am driven to death; but lest I die suffering a wrong, I undergo this ordeal. Song 20 This Weary World I feel weary of this world. Why have you hurt me in this way? You have squandered the devoted love my heart once cherished for you; You have practised so many deceits on me; but I was willing to suffer these hardships. Think of the past. Look into the future. Have I ever slighted you? Why have you left me for so long? You are no whit less callous than Wong Fooi.69 69 Wong Fooi (~EJtj;) was a scholar who failed to pass his examination at Peking. His friend persuaded him to visit the town of Pak Si (:itrfJ), where he met a courtesan Yan Gwai-ying (~~ti~ ) with whom he fell in love. The next year, an imperial decree brought Wong Fooi back to Peking to offer his services to the government. Yan Gwai-ying accompanied him part of the way. In the temple of the sea-god (w:f$!iJ), Wong Fooi swore he would be faithful to her forever. They corresponded regularly. When Wong Fooi achieved the highest literary degree...

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