She wished for purity but was never pure;
She claimed emptiness, yet was never empty.
Pity her nature, fine as gold and jade—
In the end she sank into the mire.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
This verdict concerns Miaoyu. She prided herself on purity and entered Buddhist orders, yet her heart was never truly empty of worldly attachments. 'Fine as gold and jade' praises her noble character, while 'sank into the mire' foreshadows her tragic fate of being abducted and defiled.
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