Cherishing her lovely form, she closes the door by day;
Herself she carries water in a jar to tend the mossy pot.
Rouge washed away reveals an autumn-stair shadow;
Ice and snow conjure a dewy spirit at the steps.
Only at the height of plainness does the flower seem most fair;
With so much sorrow, how can the jade remain unmarked?
To repay the White Emperor with her purity,
She stands in graceful silence as day darkens again.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
Composed by Xue Baochai. 'Cherishing her lovely form, closes the door' uses the flower as self-metaphor—reserved and dignified. 'Only at the height of plainness does the flower seem most fair' is a celebrated line: plainness heightens beauty, perfectly capturing Baochai's character of understated elegance. Li Wan judged this poem the best for its subtlety and depth.
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