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JUN ZI XIE LAO

The husband's to their old age,
In her headdress, and the cross-pins, with their six jewels;
Easy and elegant in her movements;
[Stately] as a mountain, [majestic]as a river,
Well beseeming her pictured robes: --
[But] with your want of virtue, O lady,
What have you to do with these things?
How rich and splendid
Is her pleasant-figured robe!
Her black hair in masses like clouds,
No false locks does she descend to.
There are her ear-plugs of jade,
Her comb-pin of ivory,
And her high forehead, so white.
She appears like a visitant from heaven!
She appears like a goddess!
How rich and splendid
Is her robe of state!
It is worn over the finest muslin of dolichos,
The more cumbrous and warm garment being removed.
Clear are her eyes; fine is her forehead;
Full are her temples.
Ah! such a woman as this!
The beauty of the country!
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IATHPublished by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003 by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia