# Pekinese Rhymes/17

XVII
石榴花兒的姐 茉莉花兒的郎 芙蓉花兒的帳子 繡花兒的床 蘭芝花兒的枕頭 芍藥花兒的被 綉球花兒褥子鬧囔囔 呌聲秋菊海棠來掃地 虞美人兒的姑娘走進了房 兩對銀花鏡 梳油頭桂花兒香 臉擦官粉玉簪花兒香 嘴點朱唇桃花瓣兒香 身穿一件大紅襖 下地羅裙拖落地長 呌了聲松花兒來掃地 松花掃起百合花香 茨姑葉兒尖 荷花葉兒圓
靈芝開花兒抱牡丹 水仙開花兒香十里 梔子開花兒嫂嫂望江南
NOTES
It appears this song has no other aim than to put together the greatest number of flowers and plants names. 石榴花 shih$^2$ liu$^2$ hua$^1$, pomegranate flowers. 茉莉花 muo$^4$ li$^4$ hua$^1$, Arabian jasmine (lat. Jasminum Sambæ), 芙蓉花 fu$^1$ jung$^2$ hua$^1$, the Hibiscus mutabilis. 繡花 hsiou$^4$ hua$^1$, flowers embroidered by hand. 蘭芝花 lan$^2$ chih$^1$ hua$^1$, and also 蘭花 lan$^2$ hua$^1$, the Cymbidium ensifolium. 綉球花 hsiou$^4$ ch'iu$^1$ hua$^1$, sort of geranium (lat. geranium zonale). 鬧囔囔 nao$^4$ jang$^1$ jang$^1$, to be noisy, here perhaps to be in confusion, to be meddled together. 秋菊 ch'iu$^1$ chü$^2$, autumn chrysanthemum. 海棠 hai$^3$ t'ang$^2$, pyrus spectabilis, cultivated for its flowers and fruits. 虞美人 yü$^2$ mei$^2$ jen$^2$, papaver rhoeas, a double variety of the poppy. 桂花 kuei$^4$ hua$^1$, the Cassia flower ( lat. Cinnamomum Cassia). 官粉 kuan$^1$ fen$^3$, sort of good white cosmetic powder which ladies rub on their cheeks 玉簪花 yü$^4$ tsan$^1$ hua$^1$, Funkia subcordata. 下地 hsia$^4$-ti$^4$, to reach the ground. 羅裙 luo$^2$ ch'ün$^2$, a long petticoat, made with a sort of silk called 羅 luo$^2$. 拖落 t'uo$^1$ lo$^4$, is said of the dresses when they are too long and the skirts sweep the ground. 松花 sung$^1$ hua$^1$, ​pine-flower. The Chinese use to throw the flowers into the stove to prevent the bad smell of coal. 百合花 pae$^3$-ho$^2$-hua$^1$ read also puo$^4$-ho$^2$-hua$^1$, the lily ( lat. Lilium). 茨姑 tz'u$^2$ ku$^1$, an herb with arrowlike leaves ( lat. Sagittaria sagittifolia). 荷花 ho$^2$ hua$^1$, the Lotus blossom, the same as 蓮花 lien$^2$ hua$^1$, (lat. Nelumbium speciosum). 靈芝 ling$^2$ chih$^1$, the plant of long life. 水仙 shuei$^3$ hsien$^1$, the narcissus. 梔子 chih$^1$-tzŭ, the gardenia 望江南 uang$^4$ chiang$^1$ nan$^2$, means literally "looking towards the South of the river" but it is also a flower name.
TRANSLATION
The bride, is the pomegranate flower ― the bridegroom is the jasmin ― the curtains are covered with flowers of the Hibiscus mutabilis ― the bed is covered with embroidered flowers ― the pillow is covered with flowers of Cymbidium ensifolium ― and the coverlet is spread with peony flowers ― the mattress is strown with geraniums flowers, which are in disorder ― they call the autumn chrysanthemum and the flower of the pyrus spectabilis, to let them sweep the floor ― here miss poppy has entered the room ― there are two mirrors with frames inlaid with silver ― and she combs her hair as perfumed as the Cassia flower ― then she rubs her face with white cosmetic powder, with the smell of the Funkia subcordata ― and she marks a red spot on her lips, as scented as petals of the peach blossom ― ​she wears a big red overcoat ― and a petticoat so long that it sweeps the ground ― then she calls the pine flower that it may sweep the floor ― the pine flowers beegins to sweep the floor and a lily odour is smelt ― the leaves of the Sagittaria sagittifolia are pointed ― the leaves of the lotus blossom are round ― the plant of immortality opening the flowers embraces the tree peony ― the narcissus opens the flowers and the odour is smelt as far as ten lì ― the gardenia opens the flowers and the sister-in-law "looks toward South".