Idioms Lesson 31 A broken mirror joined together 破镜重圆

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589), in the state of Chen, there lived a beautiful, intelligent princess named Lechang. She and her husband, Xu Deyan, loved each other dearly. But before long, their country was in danger of being invaded by the troops of the Sui Dynasty (581-618). Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan had a premonition that their county would be occupied by the invaders, forcing them to leave the palace and go into exile. They might even be forced to separate and lose sight of one another. Thus, they broke a bronze mirror, a symbol of the unity between husband and wife, into two parts. Each kept a half of the mirror. They agreed that each would take their half of the mirror to the fair during the Lantern Festival (which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month) the next year, in hopes that they would meet again.

Alas, their premonition soon came true. Amid the chaos of war, the princess lost touch with her husband and was taken to be a concubine of a powerful minister, Yang Su.

During the Lantern Festival the next year, Xu Deyan took his half of the mirror to the fair, hoping that he could see his wife again. It so happened that he came upon a servant who was selling the other half of the bronze mirror. Xu Deyan recognized it immediately and asked the servant about his wife. As he heard about her bitter experiences, tears rolled down his cheeks. Xu Deyan wrote a poem on the half of the mirror that was his wife's: "You left me with your broken mirror, now the mirror is back but you are not. I can no longer see your reflection in the mirror, I can only see the bright moon."

The servant then took the inscribed half of the mirror back to Princess Lechang. She cried for several days because she knew her husband was still alive and missed her, but they could never meet again.

When Yang Su heard of Princess Lechang's sadness, he was moved by their true love for one another and realized it was impossible for him to capture her love. Thus, he sent for Xu Deyan and allowed them to reunite.

From this story comes the idiom "a broken mirror joined together." It suggests the happy reunio of a separated couple.

pò jìng chóng yuán
破镜重圆

       南北朝时期，陈国公主乐昌美丽且有才华。她与丈夫徐德言感情深厚。但当时，隋朝正入侵陈国，陈国即将灭亡。乐昌公主和徐德言都预感到他们的国家将被入侵者占领，他们也会被迫离开王宫，背井离乡。战乱中，他们可能失去联系。于是，他们将一枚象征夫妻的铜镜一劈两半，夫妻二人各藏半边。相约在第二年正月十五元宵节那天，将各自的半片铜镜拿到集市去卖，期盼能重逢。

       不久，他们的预感就成为了现实。战乱中，公主与丈夫失散了，并被送到隋朝一位很有权势的大臣杨素家中，成了他的小妾。

       在第二年的元宵节上，徐德言带着他的半边铜镜来到集市上，渴望能遇见他的妻子。碰巧，有一名仆人正在卖半面的铜镜。徐德言马上认出了这面镜子。他向那名仆人打听妻子的下落。当他得知妻子的痛苦遭遇后，他不禁泪流满面。他在妻子的那半面铜镜上题了首诗：“镜与人俱去，镜归人不归。无复嫦娥影，空留明月辉。”

       那个仆人把题了诗的铜镜带回来，交给了乐昌公主。一连几天，她都终日以泪洗面，因为她知道丈夫还活着而且想念她，但他们却无法再相见了。

       杨素终于发现了这件事。他也被两人的真情所打动，觉得自己也不可能赢得乐昌的爱。于是，他派人找来了徐德言，让他们夫妻团圆了。

       “破镜重圆”这个成语就是从这个故事来的。形容夫妻分开后，又高兴的团圆。

ài bù shì sh?u
爱不释手
to be so fond of something that one can hardly put it down; cannot tear oneself away from something; can scarcely take one's eyes off something
ài mò néng zhù
爱莫能助
would like to help, but not in a position to do so; willing to help, but one's hands are tied

fēng hé rì lì
风和日丽
gentle breeze and bright sunshine; sunny and warm weather (in spring)

fēng tiáo yǔ shùn
风调雨顺
kind winds and rains; favorable weather (for the crops)

tān dé wú yàn
贪得无厌
extremely greedy

tān shēng pà s?
贪生怕死
cowardly cling to life instead of braving death; crave for nothing but saving oneself; to be mortally afraid of death