[10] Variant “firm,” i.e. was firmly laid.
[11] Here the poet makes a mistake. These two were not contemporaries.
[12] Alluding to the huge gilt images of Buddha to be seen in all temples.
[13] The other two were Li Po and Tu Fu.
[14] Graves are placed by preference on some hillside.
[15] Referring to a famous beauty of the Han dynasty, one glance from whom would overthrow a city, two glances an empire.
[16] Referring to A-chiao, one of the consorts of an Emperor of the Han dynasty. “Ah,” said the latter when a boy, “if I could only get A-chiao, I would have a golden house to keep her in.”
[17] A fancy name for the women’s apartments in the palace.
[18] The mandarin duck and drake are emblems of conjugal fidelity. The allusion is to ornaments on the roof.
[19] Each bird having only one wing, must always fly with a mate.