by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
Translation Singable translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Li‑Si
Language: French (Français)  after the Chinese (中文) 
Our translations:  ENG
Dans les jardins du palais,
la brise caresse les jeunes fleurs des lotus.
Etendu parmi les coussins de soie qui diaprent la terrasse,
l'Empereur se repose.
Li-Si, la belle favorite, danse,
plus légère que la première écharpe de brume,
plus brillante que la première étoile.
Elle vient de se coucher près du souverain.
Ses paupières battent, ses hanches ondulent.
Maintenant, elle baisse les yeux sous le regard impérial.

Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, La flûte de jade : poésies chinoises, Paris: H. Piazza, 1920, pages 99-100.


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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Li-Si", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2008-02-19
Line count: 10
Word count: 68

Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Gently the breezes caress the buds
and the leaves of the lotus flowers that are his.
On the silken cushions so soft and bright
his majesty reposes on the shady terrace.
Behold Li-Si, the lovely little dancer!
See how lightly she dances like a scarf of white vapour,
far more brilliant than the first star of morning.
Now she lingers to be wooed by her gracious lord.
See her eyelids tremble, her breast softly quivers.
Now behold how her beautiful eyes droop under his imperial gaze.

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  • Singable translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2008-02-19
Line count: 10
Word count: 86