A generation's fairest beauty followed the waves;
In the Wu palace, she could only dream of home.
Do not laugh at the village girl who mimicked her frown—
White-haired by the stream, she still washes silk.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
One of five poems on historical beauties by Daiyu in Chapter 64. Through five ancient beauties (Xi Shi, Lady Yu, Wang Zhaojun, Luzhu, Hongfu), she projects her own feelings about fate. 'Do not laugh at the village girl who mimicked her frown' subverts the 'Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi' story, showing sympathy for ordinary women.
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