Minneapolis Institute of Art

Two Poems by Yan Xiufu

Date

late 18th–early 19th century

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This text recites the two poems by the Chinese Tang Dynasty poet Yan Xiufu 嚴休復 (died 835/840) that are notated in Complete Tang Poems (Quan Tangshi), commissioned by Emperor Kangxi in 1705, and the largest compilation of poetry from that period. 終日齋心禱玉宸 魂消目斷未 / 逢真 不如一樹瓊瑤蕊 笑對藏 / 花洞裏人 香車潛下玉龜山 塵 / 世何由覩蕣顏 惟有多情枝 / 上雪 好風吹綴綠雲鬟 My heart, after day-long fasts, has prayed to the Jade Palace, / Yet soul has melted, eyesight failed without Encountering the True! / Much better is this entire tree of jade and jasper stamens, / Smiling as they face this visitor to the Cave of Hidden Flowers! The winged chariot once descended to the Mount of the Jade Tortoise: / In this dusty world, whenever again will we view the visage of Shun? / There are only these snowflakes, full of feeling on the branch, / Blown here by a lovely breeze to ornament green-cloud chignons! (Trans. Stephen Addiss) Japan, Asia

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