64
CHIU LING-YEONG
of tusks (ivory), hides, feathers (kingfisher) and hairs (skins) and that of fish, salt, clams and oysters can, on the one hand, meet the needs of the treasury and, on the other hand, satisfy the demands of the Chiang-hui region.27
It was due to the opening of the Ta-yü Ling Pass which enabled the Persians and Arabs to transport their goods from Canton to other centres without any difficulty. The convenience of transportation also enabled Persians and Arabs to move from one place to another; thus they were no strangers to many of the cities.
In the capital, life was more colourful than in any other cities. In T'ang times, there were two great markets in Ch'ang-an, the Tung-shih (the Eastern Market) and Hsi-shih (the Western Market). The Hsi-shih was also known as Chin-shih (the Gold Market), and the Tung-shih was also known as Chün-ming-men (the Bright Spring Gate).28 The Hsi-shih was more or less treated as the foreign settlement in the capital. There you could find all kinds of bazaars situated by the side of the main road. Wineshops employed exotically beautified Western girls with blue eyes and golden hair to serve their customers with rare wines in cups of amber or agate. Sweet singing and seductive dancing were also introduced in order to increase their sales.29 These blue-eyed and golden-haired beauties confounded our versatile poets. Li Po, on more than one occasion, dedicated his works to these beauties, like:
The zither plays "The Green Paulownias at Dragon Gate',
The lovely wine, in its pot of jade, is as clear as the sky.
As I press against the string, and brush across the studs, I'll drink with you, milord;
Vermilion will seem to be grass-green when our faces begin to redden.
The Western houri with features like a flower
She stands by the wine-warmer, and laughs
With the breath of spring,
Dances in a dress of gauze!
'Will you be going somewhere, Milord, now, before you are drunk.'30
The presence of these beautiful girls was the principal cause of the intoxication of many of these poets whose work enables us to trace the activities of the foreigners in China. In the T'ang period,
64
CHIU LING-YEONG
of tusks (ivory), hides, feathers (kingfisher) and hairs (skins) and that of fish, salt, clams and oysters can, on the one hand, meet the needs of the treasury and, on the other hand, satisfy the demands of the Chiang-hui à region.27
It was due to the opening of the Ta-yü Ling Pass which enabled the Persians and Arabs to transport their goods from Canton to other centres without any difficulty. The convenience of transpor- tation also enabled Persians and Arabs to move from one place to another; thus they were no strangers to many of the cities.
In the capital, life was more colourful than in any other cities. In T'ang times, there were two great markets in Ch'ang-an, the Tung-shih (the Eastern Market) and Hsi-shih (the
東市
Western Market). The Hsi-shih was also known as Chin-shih
(the Gold Market), and the Tung-shih was also known as Chün- ming-men (the Bright Spring Gate),28 The Hsi-shih was more or less treated as the foreign settlement in the capital. There you could find all kinds of bazaars situated by the side of the main road. Wineshops employed exotically beautified Western girls with blue eyes and golden hair to serve their customers with rare wines in cups of amber or agate. Sweet singing and seductive dancing were also introduced in order to increase their sales.29 These blue- eyed and golden-haired beauties confounded our versatile poets. Li Po é, on more than one occasion, dedicated his works to
李白 these beauties, like:
The zither plays "The Green Paulownias at Dragon Gate',
The lovely wine, in its pot of jade, is as clear as the sky.
As I press against the string, and brush across the studs, I'll drink with you, milord;
Vermilion will seem to be grass-green
when our faces begin to redden.
The Western houri with features like a flower
She stands by the wine-warmer, and laughs
With the breath of spring,
Dances in a dress of gauze!
'Will you be going somewhere,
Milord, now, before you are drunk."30
The presence of these beautiful girls was the principal cause of the intoxication of many of these poets whose work enables us to trace the activities of the foreigners in China. In the T'ang period,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.