by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762)
Translation by Shigeyoshi Obata (1888 - 1971)
The Northern Dipper has turned round in...
Language: English after the Chinese (中文)
The Northern Dipper has turned round in the sky, And now hangs over the west tower. In the Golden House there are none Save the fireflies sailing the gloom, While the moonlight falls Into the Palace of Long Gate, And deepens still more the sorrow of one in the secret bower.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Shigeyoshi Obata, The Works of Li-Po, the Chinese poet; done into English verse by Shigeyoshi Obata, London : Dent, 1923, p.64. Note: the Campbell score has a note as follows:
Lady Chen, who was Queen to Wu-Ti, a Han Emperor, lost his favour and was left in the solitude of the Long Gate Palace to pine alone. The Northern Dipper is Ursa Major, and The Golden House always refers to a palace for women.
Text Authorship:
- by Shigeyoshi Obata (1888 - 1971), "Sorrow of the Long Gate Palace I", appears in Li Po, the Chinese poet, done into English verse [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "長門怨一" [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Phyllis Campbell (1891 - 1974), "Sorrow of the Long Gate Palace", copyright © 2018 [ voice and piano ], from Three poems by Li-Po, no. 2, Wirripang Pty Ltd [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-04-17
Line count: 6
Word count: 51