寒菊 – 郑思肖 – Winter Chrysanthemum – Zheng Si Xiao

花开不并百花丛，独立疏篱趣未穷。

宁可枝头包香死，不曾吹落北风中

The chrysanthemum flower does not bloom with the rest,

She stands alone against the rest in her beauty;

When the flower’s life ends, it would rather wilt on its stem,

Than to blow into the north wind.

Episode 4 – Recited by Shen Mei Zhuang

Shen Mei Zhuang recites this poem in response to why she favors Chrysanthemum flowers. The poem is not only referencing the flower, but a reference to the time when the poem was written – the Song Dynasty when the Mongols were invading China from the north. The Song scholar purposefully mentions the north wind as a way to say that they would rather die than be subject to Mongolian rule.

For Shen Mei Zhuang to like this line and to like this poem, shows that her mind is resolute in what she wants. If she has an idea of what she wants, she will stick to it and not back down. Historically, in China, women have been described as flowers whether it be in books or poems etc. This drama is no different. Shen Mei Zhuang is the chrysanthemum flower.

金缕衣 – Golden Threaded Clothing – Unkown

劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君惜取少年时。

花开堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝

I urge you to not value the wealth and riches of the Golden Threaded Clothing,

I urge you instead to value your youth and capture that time,

Just like flowers on a branch which require you to pick at the right moment,

Do not wait until there are no flowers left on the tree and pick empty tree branches.

Episode 16 – Sung by An Ling Rong

An Ling Rong sings this song in order to gain the attention of the Emperor. While it is not only her angelic voice that stops him in his tracks, it is also the words of the poem. The Emperor is reminded that he should not wait until the flowers have wilted before enjoying what he has. While the poem in this drama helps push An Ling Rong to favor, I feel that this poem is also an important reminder to focus on what one has in our youth rather than chase riches before what we have is gone.

洛神赋 – 曹植 Excerpts from The Goddess of the Luo – Cao Zhi 

翩若惊鸿，婉若游龙，荣曜秋菊，华茂春松。

仿佛兮若轻云之蔽月，飘飖兮若流风之回雪

远而望之，皎若太阳升朝霞。迫而察之，灼若芙蕖出渌波

Her body soars lightly like a startled swan,
Gracefully, like a dragon in flight,
In splendor brighter than the autumn chrysanthemum,
In bloom more flourishing than the pine in spring;
Dim as the moon mantled in filmy clouds,
Restless as snow whirled by the driving wind.

Gaze far off from a distance;
She sparkles like the sun rising from morning mists;
Press closer to examine:
She flames like the lotus flower topping the green wave.

Episode 13 – An Ling Rong sings these verses as Zhen Huan dances this Jing Hong Wu

Zhen Huan dances to this song when pressed by Cao Qin Mo to show her skills. With this dance, she enraptures the attention of all in attendance and most importantly, the Emperor.

The 3 words, separately mean Surprised Goose Dance. Jing means surprising or amazing, Hong in this context is a bird, and Wu means dance. The name of this dance has its roots back to the Tang dynasty, about 1000 years before this.