What Makes A Good Life? Poetic Reflections from the Premodern World

Let the days do as they please
دع الأيام تفعل ما تشاء
Let the days do as they please
Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī
On April - to the Praise of its Creator
ܥܠ ܢܝܣܢ ܫܘܒܚܐ ܠܡܟܝܢܢܗ
On April - to the Praise of its Creator
Bar ‘Ebroyo
To the tune “Always Having Fun”—“The setting sun is like melted gold”
永遇樂 · 落日鎔金
To the tune “Always Having Fun”—“The setting sun is like melted gold”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “As If in a Dream”—“Last night the rain was sparse”
如夢令 · 昨夜雨疏風驟
To the tune “As If in a Dream”—“Last night the rain was sparse”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “As if in a Dream”—“I often recall the sunset by Xiting”
如夢令 · 常記溪亭日暮
To the tune “As if in a Dream”—“I often recall the sunset by Xiting”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “Bodhisattva Barbarians”—Sending off Shugu at West Lake
菩薩蠻 · 西湖
To the tune “Bodhisattva Barbarians”—Sending off Shugu at West Lake
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Bodhisattva Barbarian”—“The wind is gentle, the sunlight soft”
菩薩蠻 · 風柔日薄春猶早
To the tune “Bodhisattva Barbarian”—“The wind is gentle, the sunlight soft”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “Crane Soaring in the Sky”—“On the golden title board”
鶴沖天 · 黃金榜上
To the tune “Crane Soaring in the Sky”—“On the golden title board”
Liu Yong 柳永
To the tune “Fortune Teller”—“The waning moon hangs on the thinning sycamore tree”
卜算子 · 缺月挂疏桐
To the tune “Fortune Teller”—“The waning moon hangs on the thinning sycamore tree”
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Immortal by the River”—Returning at Night to Linggao
臨江仙 · 夜歸臨皋
To the tune “Immortal by the River”—Returning at Night to Linggao
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Immortal by the River”—“The courtyard is deep, how far does it extend”
臨江仙 · 庭院深深深幾許
To the tune “Immortal by the River”—“The courtyard is deep, how far does it extend”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “Like Fish and Water”—“Dallying in the capital”
如魚水 · 帝里疏散
To the tune “Like Fish and Water”—“Dallying in the capital”
Liu Yong 柳永
To the tune “Midnight Tune”—“Frozen clouds dim the sky”
夜半樂 · 凍雲黯淡天氣
To the tune “Midnight Tune”—“Frozen clouds dim the sky”
Liu Yong 柳永
To the tune “Note after Note, Long Song”— “Looking and searching, looking and searching”
聲聲慢 · 尋尋覓覓
To the tune “Note after Note, Long Song”— “Looking and searching, looking and searching”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “Prelude to Water Melody”—“How long will the full moon last?”
水調歌頭 · 明月幾時有
To the tune “Prelude to Water Melody”—“How long will the full moon last?”
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Qingping Music”—“The gold wind is gentle and tender”
清平樂 · 金風細細
To the tune “Qingping Music”—“The gold wind is gentle and tender”
Yan Shu 晏殊
To the tune “Revealing Inmost Feelings”—“At night, I was drunk and did not take off my makeup”
訴衷情 · 夜來沉醉卸妝遲
To the tune “Revealing Inmost Feelings”—“At night, I was drunk and did not take off my makeup”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “River Town”—Hunting in Mizhou
江城子 · 密州出獵
To the tune “River Town”—Hunting in Mizhou
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Ruan Returns”—“The dew on the metal palm at the edge of the sky has turned into frost”
阮郎歸 · 天邊金掌露成霜
To the tune “Ruan Returns”—“The dew on the metal palm at the edge of the sky has turned into frost”
Yan Jidao 晏幾道
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—
浣溪沙 · 一向年光有限身
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—"Moments of time and limited life
Yan Shu 晏殊
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—
浣溪沙 · 小院閒窗春色深
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—"Outside the window, the spring color deepens
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—“A single new song, a single cup of wine”
浣溪沙 · 一曲新詞酒一杯
To the tune “Sands of the Washing Stream”—“A single new song, a single cup of wine”
Yan Shu 晏殊
To the tune “Spring in Wuling”—“The wind stops, the dust is fragrant, and the flowers all gone”
武陵春 · 風住塵香花已盡
To the tune “Spring in Wuling”—“The wind stops, the dust is fragrant, and the flowers all gone”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
To the tune “The Fisherman Is Proud”—“I suddenly heard the strike of two oars”
漁家傲 · 花底忽聞敲兩槳
To the tune “The Fisherman Is Proud”—“I suddenly heard the strike of two oars”
Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修
To the tune “The Lost Soul”—“On a thin boat, the light sail is furled”
迷神引 · 一葉扁舟輕帆卷
To the tune “The Lost Soul”—“On a thin boat, the light sail is furled”
Liu Yong 柳永
To the tune “The Moon Over the West River”—Pingshan Hall
西江月 · 平山堂
To the tune “The Moon Over the West River”—Pingshan Hall
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “The Moon Over the West River”—“The moon shines on the wild fields”
西江月 · 照野瀰瀰淺浪
To the tune “The Moon Over the West River”—“The moon shines on the wild fields”
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Treading on the Sedges”—“On the narrow path, red flowers are few now”
踏莎行 · 小徑紅稀
To the tune “Treading on the Sedges”—“On the narrow path, red flowers are few now”
Yan Shu 晏殊
To the tune “Water Dragon Chant”—Matching the Rhymes of Zhang Zhifu’s Song about Willow Catkins
水龍吟 · 次韻章質夫楊花詞
To the tune “Water Dragon Chant”—Matching the Rhymes of Zhang Zhifu’s Song about Willow Catkins
Su Shi 蘇軾
To the tune “Waves Scour the Sand”—“I hold up the wine and toast the eastern wind”
浪淘沙 · 把酒祝東風
To the tune “Waves Scour the Sand”—“I hold up the wine and toast the eastern wind”
Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修
To the tune “Yearning for the Prince”—“Wind comes from the lake and the waves are misty and grand”
怨王孫 · 湖上風來波浩渺
To the tune “Yearning for the Prince”—“Wind comes from the lake and the waves are misty and grand”
Li Qingzhao 李清照
Your friend contests whomever you contest
صديقك من يعادي من تعادي
Your friend contests whomever you contest
Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī
“Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars”
ولو لا الشعر بالعلماء يزري
“Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars”
Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī