Pekinese Rhymes/17
XVII
石榴花兒的姐
茉莉花兒的郎
芙蓉花兒的帳子
繡花兒的床
蘭芝花兒的枕頭
芍藥花兒的被
綉球花兒褥子鬧囔囔
呌聲秋菊海棠來掃地
虞美人兒的姑娘走進了房
兩對銀花鏡
梳油頭桂花兒香
臉擦官粉玉簪花兒香
嘴點朱唇桃花瓣兒香
身穿一件大紅襖
下地羅裙拖落地長
呌了聲松花兒來掃地
松花掃起百合花香
茨姑葉兒尖
荷花葉兒圓
靈芝開花兒抱牡丹
水仙開花兒香十里
梔子開花兒嫂嫂望江南
NOTES
It appears this song has no other aim than to put together the greatest number of flowers and plants names. 石榴花 shih2 liu2 hua1, pomegranate flowers. 茉莉花 muo4 li4 hua1, Arabian jasmine (lat. Jasminum Sambæ), 芙蓉花 fu1 jung2 hua1, the Hibiscus mutabilis. 繡花 hsiou4 hua1, flowers embroidered by hand. 蘭芝花 lan2 chih1 hua1, and also 蘭花 lan2 hua1, the Cymbidium ensifolium. 綉球花 hsiou4 ch'iu1 hua1, sort of geranium (lat. geranium zonale). 鬧囔囔 nao4 jang1 jang1, to be noisy, here perhaps to be in confusion, to be meddled together. 秋菊 ch'iu1 chü2, autumn chrysanthemum. 海棠 hai3 t'ang2, pyrus spectabilis, cultivated for its flowers and fruits. 虞美人 yü2 mei2 jen2, papaver rhoeas, a double variety of the poppy. 桂花 kuei4 hua1, the Cassia flower ( lat. Cinnamomum Cassia). 官粉 kuan1 fen3, sort of good white cosmetic powder which ladies rub on their cheeks 玉簪花 yü4 tsan1 hua1, Funkia subcordata. 下地 hsia4-ti4, to reach the ground. 羅裙 luo2 ch'ün2, a long petticoat, made with a sort of silk called 羅 luo2. 拖落 t'uo1 lo4, is said of the dresses when they are too long and the skirts sweep the ground. 松花 sung1 hua1, pine-flower. The Chinese use to throw the flowers into the stove to prevent the bad smell of coal. 百合花 pae3-ho2-hua1 read also puo4-ho2-hua1, the lily ( lat. Lilium). 茨姑 tz'u2 ku1, an herb with arrowlike leaves ( lat. Sagittaria sagittifolia). 荷花 ho2 hua1, the Lotus blossom, the same as 蓮花 lien2 hua1, (lat. Nelumbium speciosum). 靈芝 ling2 chih1, the plant of long life. 水仙 shuei3 hsien1, the narcissus. 梔子 chih1-tzŭ, the gardenia 望江南 uang4 chiang1 nan2, means literally "looking towards the South of the river" but it is also a flower name.
TRANSLATION
The bride, is the pomegranate flower ― the bridegroom is the jasmin ― the curtains are covered with flowers of the Hibiscus mutabilis ― the bed is covered with embroidered flowers ― the pillow is covered with flowers of Cymbidium ensifolium ― and the coverlet is spread with peony flowers ― the mattress is strown with geraniums flowers, which are in disorder ― they call the autumn chrysanthemum and the flower of the pyrus spectabilis, to let them sweep the floor ― here miss poppy has entered the room ― there are two mirrors with frames inlaid with silver ― and she combs her hair as perfumed as the Cassia flower ― then she rubs her face with white cosmetic powder, with the smell of the Funkia subcordata ― and she marks a red spot on her lips, as scented as petals of the peach blossom ― she wears a big red overcoat ― and a petticoat so long that it sweeps the ground ― then she calls the pine flower that it may sweep the floor ― the pine flowers beegins to sweep the floor and a lily odour is smelt ― the leaves of the Sagittaria sagittifolia are pointed ― the leaves of the lotus blossom are round ― the plant of immortality opening the flowers embraces the tree peony ― the narcissus opens the flowers and the odour is smelt as far as ten lì ― the gardenia opens the flowers and the sister-in-law "looks toward South".