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Dear Professor Liu,
I have written you before that Wen-lin: Studies in the Chinese Humanities was delayed because of technical problem. Now I am happy to tell you that we have found a good printer who can print as many Chinese characters as we need and we will start to print very soon.
As a final editorial check, I reread your translation of the poems and find a few minor problems which you may like to take into consideration:
(1) Page 12, line 4; p.13, 1.16—In your changes in ink you romanize姮as Huan. This probably should be Heng?
(2) p.12, 1.9—In the poem“Frosty Moon”you translate the line“百尺楼高水接天”as“The hundred-foot tower is roofed with water that touches the sky”. Then in the passage following this you explain, “The second line, which in the original reads literally, ‘The hundred-foot tower is tall; water touches sky'evokes the picture of moonlight over the frost-covered roof of a tall tower.”It is certainly possible to describe moonlight as water such as Li's《宫中曲》：“云母滤宫月，夜夜白于水。”But in the line under discussion, because of the style of the writing, I rather doubt the“water”should be interpreted this way.“Water touches sky”（水接天，天接水or水连天）seems to be a quite common explanation in Chinese poetry. Moon, water, and tower are also often mentioned together. For instance, in a short poem“On a Full Moon”“赋得三五明月满”by Chiang Tsung江总of the Sui dynasty, there are such lines:
云前来往色，水上动摇明。
况复高楼照，何嗟揽不盈。
（Also Chang Cheng-chien张正见of the ch'en dynasty，《薄帷鉴明月》：“长河上月桂，澄彩照高楼。”[此长河或指银河]）
Actually, Li Shang-yin himself seems to have the habit of linking the three images. In the“Ch'ang-o”he mentions碧海and in the“Stockings”he relates踏月with渡水，both of which you have translated. Of course he also has沧海月明. But most interesting are the examples in two other poems, both titled“Moon”月in which all the three elements are brought together. In one of the poems he writes:
楼上与池边（一作“池上与桥边”），难忘复可怜。
帘开最明夜，簟转已凉天。
流处水花急，吐时云叶鲜。
姮娥无粉黛，只是逞婵娟。
In the other, he says:
过水穿楼触处明。
While流in the first poem definitely alludes to the moonlight，水花seems still to refer to water because of the parallel云叶. Chao Ku赵嘏of the T'ang dynasty (a contemporary of Li's) has the famous lines:
独上江楼思渺然，
月光如水水连天。（“连”一作“如”）
Here水still stands for water. Later the Hsi-K'un poet Ch'ien Weiyen钱惟演also wrote a poem on“Frosty Moon”霜月saying:
霜月正如钩，临池更上楼。
And Fan Chung-yen's tz'u《苏幕遮》has lines very similar to Li's:
山映斜阳天接水……明月楼高休独倚。
From these probably we can see how poets of the Sung interpreted Li Shang-yin. I certainly acknowledge that your interpretation is laudable. You may wish, however, to consider the other possibility or mention both interpretations. That is to say, the“water”may well refer to a river, lake or sea. Ch'u Fu屈复comments on“百尺楼高水接天”with“履高视远”.It may be acceptable.
(3) p.15, 1.11—Your translation of the first line of“只为时来早
，开花不见春”reads, “It is only because it came too late to court”. I would prefer not to add“to court”to the line. To add it may suit the poet's personal situation more clearly, but it will not better the poem as far as its subject matter, pomegranate blossoms, is concerned. It may somewhat lose its subtlety by limitation. As a matter of fact, time（“时”）is emphasized in the line instead of a place.
(4) p.18, 1.6—You translate“蜡照半笼金翡翠”as“The candlelight half encircles the golden kingfishers”and explain (p.20, 11.7－8) that the candlelight“half encompasses the kingfishers threaded in gold on the screen”. I wonder whether金翡翠may mean a kind of lamp-shade or a screen around a candlelight. The screen may be made or decorated with kingfisher feather and gold. From a few poems of pre-T'ang times we may find some clue to the picture of a candle-screen or lamp-shade:
楚辞《招魂》：“翡翠珠被，烂齐光些……兰膏明烛，华容备些。”
江淹《翡翠赋》：“备宝帐之光仪，登美女之丽饰。杂白玉以成文，糅紫金而为色。”
庾信《灯赋》：“翡翠珠被，流苏羽帐。”
The above describe bed-curtains or bed coverlets, but they often relate to candlelight or lamp. The following lines are particularly on these:
夏侯湛《
灯赋》：“尔乃隐以金翳，疏以华笼。”
梁简文帝《对烛赋》：“绿炬怀翠，朱蜡含丹。”
Also，《咏笼灯》：“动焰翠帷里，散影罗帐前。”The Line“糅紫金而为色”makes plain the meaning of金翡翠，i.e., the feather is mixed with gold in order to heighten the color. My guess, therefore, is that Li's line may mean, “The candlelight is half encircled by the screen of gold and kingfisher-feather”. I interpret笼as in the passive voice as怀in the line绿炬怀翠，in view of such description as“隐以金翳，疏以华笼”and“动焰翠帷里”.
(5) p.18, 1.8—Concerning line 7 of the same poem you mention Emperor Wu of Han and his fairy mountain P'eng (p.19, 11.4－5). It just comes to my mind that most part of the poem may show some influence from the story of the Emperor's episode with李夫人and李少翁as told in the Han Wu ku-shih and the biography of李夫人of the Han Shu .
诸家注此诗似多仅指其与蓬莱求仙事有关，而不及李夫人与少翁事。按《史记·封禅书》及《汉书·郊祀志》言少君事时仅道及蓬莱求仙而不及李夫人，言李夫人时则又未道及蓬莱。惟《汉武故事》兼及李夫人与“蓬山”。义山极重视李夫人故事，有《李夫人》诗三首，又其《汉宫》诗亦云：“王母不来方朔去，更须重见李夫人。”又《汉武故事》与《汉书·外戚传》中李夫人传在文字意境上亦颇类李诗。《汉武故事》云：“会所幸李夫人死，上甚思悼之。少翁云：‘能致其神。’乃夜张帐明烛具酒食，令上居他帐中，遥见李夫人，不得就视也……少翁……被诛后月余，使者……逢于渭亭。谓使者曰：‘为吾谢上，不能忍少日而败大事乎！上好自爱，后四十年求我于蓬山，方将共事，不相怨也。’于是上大悔，复征诸方士。”［刘郎已恨蓬山远］又《外戚传·李夫人传》云：“上思念李夫人不已，方士齐人少翁言能致其神，乃夜张灯烛，设帷帐，陈酒肉，而令上居他帐。（《北堂书钞》卷一三二引作‘乃设灯烛于幄帷，令帝别居他幄中’）[蜡照半笼金翡翠，有烛与帷，麝香微，复绣芙蓉，有帐。]遥望见好女，如李夫人之貌，还幄坐而步，又不得就视。上愈益相思悲感……上又自为作赋，以伤悼李夫人，其辞曰：‘……命樔绝而不长［去绝踪］……奄修夜之不阳。[月斜楼上五更钟]……欢接狎以离别兮，宵寤梦之芒芒。[梦为远别]……势路日以远兮，遂荒忽而辞去［远别，去绝踪］……悲愁於邑，喧不可止兮。（诸家注云：喧亦可作咺，泣不止也。）［啼］向［响］不虚应。（颜师古注：响之随声，必当有应，而今涕泣，从自已耳，夫人不知之，是虚其应。）［难唤，唤之不应也］既往不来申以信兮，去彼昭昭就冥冥兮……’[来是空言去绝踪]”
I believe your interpretation of the poem is essentially correct; Li Shang-yin must have written from his own experience and feelings; the allusion to李夫人certainly should not be taken too literally. Actually, although李夫人was dead, to the Emperor she seemed merely to have gone away, a situation which might not be very far from what is described in Li's poem. Thus难唤may be understood as“she is far away and hardly hears my call”. As for绣芙蓉I am inclined to interpret it as帐. It of course could be衣裳，帘or被. But Pao Chao鲍照says in his poem《拟行路难》：“七彩芙蓉之羽帐。”按苏鹗《杜阳杂编》云宝历二年（826）唐敬宗得二舞女飞鸾、轻凤，因琢玉芙蓉为歌舞台，“歌舞罢，令内人藏之金屋宝帐。宫中语曰：‘宝帐香重重，一双红芙蓉！’”苏雪林
以为义山与二女有涉，确否颇成问题。且此处芙蓉必自有别。但“宝帐香重重”则似“麝熏微度”之意境。尊译甚佳，惟页20，行8—9云bed coverlet，不知有据否？或可改为bed-curtains，更为切近。上述李夫人及少翁事是否应在文中或注脚中加一句提及，似不十分重要，一听尊意裁夺。鄙意亦不过以为义山在下意识上受其所喜读作品之影响耳。
All the above are just random thoughts. I hope you feel completely free to disregard any or all of them if you choose to. I do not intend to suggest any major revision to your article which interests me very much and is well written. At any rate, I would be very glad to have your opinion as soon as possible. I'll send your article to the press in two weeks or so, before I leave for Europe and Asia next September.
My best regards.
Very sincerely yours,
Chow Tse-tsung
按李义山《无题四首》，其第一首云：
来是空言去绝踪，
月斜楼上五更钟。
梦为远别啼难唤，
书被催成墨未浓。
蜡照半笼金翡翠，
麝薰微度绣芙蓉。
刘郎已恨蓬山远，
更隔蓬山一万重。
刘若愚教授在其英文大作《论李商隐诗之晦涩》（Ambiguities in Li Shang-yin's Poetry）一文中更将此诗译成英文，发表于余所编《文林：中国人文科学研究》（
Wen-lin: Studies in the Chinese Humanities
, Madison, Wis.
: University of Wisconsin Press, 1968）第一卷中。当时余有致刘先生英文函，商讨此诗意境之所据，承其探纳，见于其所著中文《李商隐诗评释》（《清华学报》，新七卷二期，一九六九年八月，页一二八）一文，及英文《李商隐诗》（
The Poetry of Li Shang-yin
, Chicago, Ill.
: University of Chicago Press, 1969, p.63）一书。若愚先生析论李诗，精审周密，既蒙称可，用敢将拙函略事疏理，译成中文发表，期读者作进一步之探讨。
——作者附识
此诗似大受《汉武故事》及《汉书·李夫人传》中所述武帝命李少翁求李夫人神故事之影响。古今来诸家注此诗，多谓其系指蓬莱求仙，而不及李夫人与少翁事。实则此诗与求仙事无关，不可不辨也。按《史记·封禅书》及《汉书·郊祀志》言少君事时，仅道及蓬莱求仙而不及李夫人；言李夫人时，则又未称蓬莱。惟《汉武故事》兼及李夫人与“蓬山”，恰与此诗相应。义山极重视李夫人故事，有《李夫人》诗三首；又其《汉宫》诗亦云：“王母不来方朔去，更须重见李夫人。”诸诗皆可作证。又李氏《碧城》诗：“武皇内传分明在。”亦可见其熟谙此书也。
且《汉武故事》与《汉书·外戚传》中李夫人传在文字与意境上尤类李诗。《汉武故事》云：“会所幸李夫人死，上甚思悼之。少翁云：‘能致其神。’乃夜张帐明烛，具酒食，令上居他帐中，遥见李夫人，不得就视也。”其后武帝因他故诛少翁，少翁“被诛后月余，使者……逢于渭亭，谓使者曰：‘为吾谢上，不能忍少日而败大事乎！上好自爱，后四十年求我于蓬山，方将共事，不相怨也。’于是上大悔，复征诸方士”。此所云武帝刘彻遥见李夫人神而“不得就视”，少翁诛后，杳去“蓬山”，于是“大悔”，实即李诗“刘郎已恨蓬山远”之所据也。
又《外戚传》中李夫人传云：“上思念李夫人不已，方士齐人少翁言：‘能致其神。’乃夜张灯烛，设帷帐，陈酒肉，而令上居他帐。（《北堂书钞》卷一三二引作‘乃设灯烛于幄帷，令帝别居他幄中’）遥望见好女，如李夫人之貌，还幄坐而步，又不得就视。上愈益相思悲感。”凡此所云“张帐明烛”，“令上居他帐中”，“夜张灯烛，设帷帐”，及“设灯烛于幄帷”，特著明“烛”与“帷”“帐”。李诗“蜡照半笼金翡翠”，有烛与帷；“麝熏微度绣芙蓉”，有帐，尤相类似。“金翡翠”一辞，人往往误认金制或金饰之翡翠鸟，实则应指蜡烛之笼帷。古人常杂紫金色于翡翠间以制灯笼烛帷，诗赋中时咏及之。楚辞《招魂》：“翡翠珠被，烂齐光些……兰膏明烛，华容备些。”庾信《灯赋》直引之云：“翡翠珠被，流苏羽帐。”则明以言灯。江淹《翡翠赋》更谓：“备宝帐之光仪，登美女之丽饰，杂白玉而成文，糅紫金而为色。”末句尤显示“金翡翠”一辞之确解。他如夏侯湛之《
灯赋》：“尔乃隐以金翳，疏以华笼。”梁简文帝萧纲之《对烛赋》：“绿炬怀翠，朱烛含丹。”及其《咏笼灯》诗：“动焰翠帷里，散影罗帐前。”皆可见当时翠帷灯烛之制。且“蜡照半笼金翡翠”之“笼”乃被动词，为“笼于”之意，与“绿炬怀翠”之“怀”相似，亦犹上文所引“设灯烛于幄帷”之谓耳。
至于“绣芙蓉”一词，冯浩注曰：“鲍照诗：‘七采芙蓉之羽帐。’此谓褥也，如杜诗：‘褥隐绣芙蓉。’”此释自颇合理。惟芙亦未尝不可指帐。唐苏鹗《杜阳杂编》云：宝历二年（826）唐敬宗得二舞女飞鸾、轻凤，因琢玉芙蓉，为歌舞台，“歌舞罢，令内人藏之金屋宝帐。宫中语曰：‘宝帐香重重，一双红芙蓉。’”苏雪林女士以为义山与二女有涉，确否颇成问题，且此处芙蓉义自有别；惟“宝帐香重重”则似“麝熏微度”耳。但李诗即使与二女无关，如鲍照《拟行路难》诗所云，芙蓉仍可指帐，此外如庾信《灯赋》“掩芙蓉之行帐”，刘长卿《昭阳曲》“芙蓉帐小云屏暗”，白居易《长恨歌》“芙蓉帐暖度春宵”，并可见此词义之流行。今与武帝少翁“设帷帐”事相对照，如释为帐，似亦未可厚非也。
《外戚传》于记武帝“愈益相思悲感”后，继称：“上又自为作赋，以伤悼李夫人，其辞曰：‘……命樔绝而不长……奄修夜之不阳。……欢接狎以离别兮，宵寤梦之芒芒。……势路日以远兮，遂荒忽而辞去。……悲愁於邑，喧（诸家注云：喧亦或作咺，泣不止也。）不可止兮，响不虚应。（颜师古注：‘响之随声，必当有应；而今涕泣，从自已耳，夫人不知之，是虚其应。’）……仁者不誓，岂约亲兮。既往不来，申以信兮；去彼昭昭，就冥冥兮。’”今按义山诗与武帝此赋，言意绝类。“命樔（纵案：字应同剿、劋或剼，斩绝也）绝而不长”者，义山诗所谓“去绝踪”也；“奄修夜之不阳”者，李诗所谓“月斜楼上五更钟”也；“欢接狎以离别兮，宵寤梦之芒芒”者，李诗所谓“梦为远别”也；“势路日以远兮，遂荒忽而辞去”，亦即“远别”与“去绝踪”之意；刘彻赋“悲愁於邑，喧不可止兮”，固类于李诗之所云“啼”，而“响不虚应”正如颜师古注作“虚其应”，相当于李诗之“难唤”，盖谓伊人已远，唤之不应也；至于刘赋“仁者不誓，岂约亲兮。既往不来，申以信兮；去彼昭昭，就冥冥兮”，更与李诗“来是空言去绝踪”之辞旨相合。凡以上李夫人故事，与义山诗中七行皆相应，且“刘郎”与“蓬山”已明白点出，其间影响，至为显著，决非强为附会，亦非偶然巧合也。
且武帝赋中又云：“函荾荴以俟风兮，芳杂袭以弥章。”言及“荴”与芳香。据《尔雅》诸书，吾人已习知芙蓉即今之荷。荾为香菜。《集韵》云：芙，荷也，通作扶。此“荴”字当即“芙”字，亦即芙蓉与荷也。《论衡·自纪》篇中“荴露”即荷露，可证。考《拾遗记》载李夫人事略异，于记李少君致李夫人事之前称：“汉武帝思怀往者，李夫人不可复得。时始穿昆明之池，泛翔禽之舟，帝自造歌曲使女伶歌之。……帝闻唱动心，闷闷不自支持，命龙膏之灯，以照舟内，悲不自止。……帝息于延凉室，卧梦李夫人，授帝蘅芜之香，帝惊起，而香气犹著衣枕，历月不歇。帝弥思求，终不复见，涕泣洽席。遂改延凉室为遗芳梦室。”凡此所云“荾荴”“芳梦”“涕泣洽席”等，亦未尝不可为“梦为远别啼难唤”与“麝熏微度绣芙蓉”辞意之所本。
以上所述，自亦不必太凿，谓义山此诗即为咏李夫人事而作。实则诗人当系自纪其经验，自抒其感情。弟之所论，不过谓义山在意识上或下意识上，确受其所喜读作品与故事之影响，且借此以发抒其感触耳。吾人若不抉发此中底蕴与关连，则亦不能充分了解诗人之作。质之高明，以为然否？
（一九六六年七月二十九日）
[1] 刘若愚（1926—1986），字君智，原籍北京，文艺学家，曾任教于英国伦敦大学、香港大学、美国夏威夷大学、匹兹堡大学等。著有 The Art of Chinese Poetry （《中国诗学》，1962）、 The Chinese Knight － errant （《中国之侠》，1967）、 Major Lyricists of the Northern Sung , A . D . 960—1126（《北宋六大词家》，1974）、The Interlingual Critic: Interpreting Chinese Poetry（《中国古诗评析》，1982）等。