Art Platform ~ 琵琶行－白居易 - Song of the Pipa Player by Bai Juyi by Lim Tze Peng

Lim Tze Peng
琵琶行－白居易 - Song of the Pipa Player by Bai Juyi, 2014
Ink on Rice Paper
100 x 104 cm
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忽闻水上琵琶声，主人忘归客不发。寻声暗问弹者谁，琵琶声停欲语迟。移船相近邀相见，添酒回灯重开宴。千呼万唤始出来，犹抱琵琶半遮面 These lines are from Pipa Xing (琵琶行), a famous Tang Dynasty poem by Bai Juyi (白居易). The poem describes the poet’s encounter with a pipa (a Chinese lute) player, evoking deep emotions about sorrow, nostalgia, and the impermanence of life. Translation & Explanation: 1. 忽闻水上琵琶声，主人忘归客不发 Suddenly, from over the water, the sound of a pipa is heard; The host forgets to go home, and the guests remain motionless. → Bai Juyi, who is on a boat, suddenly hears the melancholy music of a pipa. The sound captivates everyone, making them forget their plans to leave. 2. 寻声暗问弹者谁，琵琶声停欲语迟 Following the sound, I quietly ask who the musician is; The music stops, but the performer hesitates to speak. → Curious about the player, Bai Juyi inquires about their identity. However, the pipa player, seemingly reluctant, pauses before responding. 3. 移船相近邀相见，添酒回灯重开宴 I move my boat closer and invite the musician to meet us; We add more wine, relight the lamps, and resume the feast. → The poet is so drawn to the music that he asks to meet the player. The gathering is reignited with wine and light, creating an intimate setting. 4. 千呼万唤始出来，犹抱琵琶半遮面 After much urging, she finally emerges, Still holding her pipa, half covering her face. → The musician is reluctant and shy. Even as she appears, she shields part of her face with the pipa, hinting at her reserved nature and perhaps a deeper sorrow. Context: Bai Juyi wrote Pipa Xing in 816 AD after being exiled to Jiangzhou (present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi). One evening, while hosting a gathering by the river, he heard the haunting sound of a pipa. He learned that the player was a woman who had once been a famous entertainer in the capital but had fallen into obscurity. Their shared sorrow—his political exile and her faded glory—resonated deeply, leading to this moving poem.

He pioneered with a breakthrough style in 2005, called ‘hutuzi’ or muddled calligraphy - a melding of painting and calligraphy.

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