柳貫《枇杷》“The loquat” by Liu Guan (1270-1342)

四月江南盧橘熟，

離離佳實滿枝黄。

丹青偶向圖中見，

漬蜜猶思配一觴。

The loquat ripens in the south of the [Yangtze] River during the fourth month,

Fine fruits in profusion turn yellow along the branches.

Sometimes found in a painting of cinnabar and azurite,[1]

[They are sweet as if] steeped in honey, making one yearn for a cup.

* From Chen Bangyan 陳邦彥 (1603-1647) ed., Lidai tihua shi lei 歷代題畫詩類, Yingyin Wenyuange Siku quanshu 景印文淵閣四庫全書 (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1987) edition, vol. 1436, 92.13b.

[1] Danqing 丹青 (cinnabar and azurite) refers to the mineral pigments for red and green-blue. This compound word came to represent traditional Chinese painting as red and green-blue are two of the most used colours.

Album leaf by Li Di 李迪 (971-1047)

Image credit: National Palace Museum, Taipei

CC BY 4.0 @ www.npm.gov.tw

Looking forward to the first loquat fruits in my garden