Boudoir Sentiments

李端Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

3.9

Word count: 3K words
Chapters: 48

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Summary

"Gui Qing" is a seven-character quatrain by the Tang poet Li Duan.

Editor's review

Li Duan was one of the Ten Talents of the Dali era. "Gui Qing" uses a seven-character quatrain to depict a woman's inner feelings in her boudoir; it is short yet clever in its turns. The quatrain form depends on clear progression from opening to development to turn to conclusion, and this poem's value lies in completing the advance and closure of emotion within limited words. As you read, notice how the perspective shifts between lines and how the scene brings the feeling to a close. Li Duan's style is clear and gentle, skilled at lodging feeling in everyday detail, and this short poem serves well as a beginner's sample for understanding the structure of Tang quatrains. This edition is printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company and is best read alongside boudoir-lament quatrains on the same theme, comparing how different poets shape similar subjects. Because the poem has only four lines, it is easy to skim in a single reading; reading aloud and copying are recommended, so that the point of each line becomes clear before returning to the emotional arc of the whole, which is how the quatrain's art of revealing much through little comes into view.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want to understand the structure of Tang seven-character quatrains through a short poem
Lovers of classical literature interested in the theme of boudoir feeling and boudoir lament
Language teachers who need material for classroom recitation or copying
Beginners who hope to develop habits of close reading of classical poetry through short works

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking complete poetry collections or systematic studies of an author
Readers who prefer long narrative and complex plot
Researchers who need detailed textual collation and scholarly annotation

Reading tips

Divide the four lines according to opening, development, turn, and conclusion, marking the shift of perspective and emotion line by line.
Read aloud several times and try to memorize it, experiencing the rhythm and pauses of the seven-character quatrain.
Find one or two quatrains on the same title or theme for comparison, comparing the quality of their endings.
Copy the whole poem and annotate in the margin your understanding of the key images and emotional words.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
【游景空寺兰若】孟浩然
【陪李侍御访聪上人禅居（一作陪柏台友访聪上人）】孟浩然
【游精思观回，王白云在后】孟浩然
【夏日辨玉法师茅斋】孟浩然
【与张折冲游耆闍寺】孟浩然
【游精思，题观主山房】孟浩然
【宿立公房】孟浩然
【寻陈逸人故居】孟浩然
【寻梅道士（一作寻梅道士张山人）】孟浩然
【陪姚使君题惠上人房】孟浩然
【晚春题远上人南亭】孟浩然
【题大禹寺义公禅房】孟浩然
【寻白鹤岩张子容隐居】孟浩然
【题融公兰若（一作题容山主兰若）】孟浩然
【过景空寺故融公兰若（或作过潜上人旧房、悼正弘禅师）】孟浩然
【题张野人园庐】孟浩然
【李少府与杨九再来】孟浩然
【寻张五回夜园作】孟浩然
【裴司士、员司户见寻（一题作裴司士见访）】孟浩然
【春中喜王九相寻（一题作晚春）】孟浩然
【李氏园林卧疾】孟浩然
【过故人庄】孟浩然
【张七及辛大见寻南亭醉作（一作张七及辛大见访）】孟浩然
【岁暮归南山（一题作归故园作，一作归终南山）】孟浩然
【南山下与老圃期种瓜】孟浩然
【溯江至武昌】孟浩然
【舟中晓望】孟浩然
【自洛之越】孟浩然
【途中遇晴】孟浩然
【归至郢中】孟浩然
【夕次蔡阳馆】孟浩然
【他乡七夕】孟浩然
【夜泊牛渚，趁薛八船不及】孟浩然
【晓入南山】孟浩然
【夜渡湘水（一作崔国辅诗）】孟浩然
【赴京途中遇雪】孟浩然
【途次望乡】孟浩然
【永嘉上浦馆逢张八子容（一题作永嘉浦逢张子容客卿）】孟浩然
【宿武阳即事（一作宿武阳川）】孟浩然
【渡扬子江】孟浩然
【田家元日】孟浩然
【九日得新字】孟浩然
【除夜乐城逢张少府】孟浩然
【岁除夜会乐城张少府宅】孟浩然
【寒夜】孟浩然
【赋得盈盈楼上女】孟浩然
【春意（一题作春怨）】孟浩然

FAQ

What is the main subject of the seven-character quatrain "Gui Qing"?

The poem writes of a woman's feelings in her boudoir, a common boudoir-feeling theme in the Tang. It has only four lines and conveys restrained emotion through the interplay of scene and mood; its focus is not narrative but atmosphere and turn, and readers can feel the emotion advance layer by layer from the point of each line.

What is Li Duan's place among Tang poets?

Li Duan was one of the Ten Talents of the Dali era, active in the early mid-Tang, and known as a poet in his time. His works are mostly short pieces in a clear and gentle style. Understanding this group helps grasp the poetic context of "Gui Qing," but specific biographical details require reliable sources and should not be inferred from a single poem.

What is special about reading a seven-character quatrain?

A seven-character quatrain has only four lines and limited capacity, so it pays particular attention to the arrangement of opening, development, turn, and conclusion and to the lingering resonance of the ending. As you read, notice how the third line turns and how the last line closes; often the excellence of a single line determines the meaning of the whole, which is why short poems reward rereading.

Is reading just one quatrain too thin?

A single quatrain is indeed easy to read through quickly. It is best to read it against works on the same theme, or to recite and copy it repeatedly, focusing on word choice and structural arrangement. The value of a short poem lies not in length but in the layers that keep emerging in close reading.

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About the author

李端 Author

Li Duan, whose dates of birth and death and native place remain unknown, can only be understood through his surviving works, as public information about him is limited. Nine of his works are included here, among them "Seeing a Guest Off Eastward," "Boudoir Feelings," "To an Old Man in the Mountains," "Song Lyrics: Mooring at Jingzhou," "Inscribed on the Room of Monk Zhun at Yunji Temple," and "Mooring at Baling at Evening," with some pieces recorded more than once. These titles show that Li Duan wrote mainly classical poetry on themes of farewell, boudoir longing, gifts and replies, travel, and inscriptions. He often expresses sorrow at parting and reflections on life through departing travelers, a woman's secluded feelings, quiet mountain dwellings, and night moorings on a journey. His language is concise and natural, his tone clear and gentle, and he skillfully entrusts subtle emotions to ordinary scenery, embodying the restrained resonance of classical poetry. The library classifies his work under ancient poetry and literary appreciation, indicating that it is still read and enjoyed as classical verse. Because biographical material is lacking, his family background, official career, and circle of friends cannot be described in detail; the assessment therefore centers on the themes and style noted above.