A Melancholy Spring: Reflections of Love in Ancient Chinese Poetry
A Melancholy Spring
As spring arrived, the green leaves and red flowers seemed to carry a hint of sorrow, reflecting my restless heart. The sun had risen high above the treetops, and the orioles began their cheerful song, weaving through the willow branches. Yet, I remained wrapped in my embroidered quilt, unwilling to rise. My once smooth, tender skin had become emaciated, and my lush hair fell in disarray. Each day, I found myself listless, uninterested in even the simplest tasks like grooming.
The cause of my distress was the unfeeling lover who left without a word. No letter, no message—nothing. Had I known it would come to this, I would have locked his prized steed away. How I regret not keeping him close, making him stay at home with pen and paper, composing poetry, never leaving my side. I wouldn’t need to hide or shy away; we could spend our days together, me with my needlework, leaning against him. With him by my side, my youth wouldn’t be wasted in this bitter waiting.
This passage is a poignant expression of love and longing, typical of the folk style of the Song dynasty poet Liu Yong. Writing from the perspective of a young woman (or perhaps a courtesan), Liu Yong vividly portrays her feelings of longing and frustration after being separated from her lover. The poem captures the innocence and purity of a young woman’s love, infused with the flavor of folk songs. It incorporates elements of folk traditions while reflecting the distinct characteristics of its era.
Liu Yong avoids traditional poetic techniques like metaphor and allusion. Instead, he opts for direct emotional expression and lyrical outpouring. The poem’s raw and passionate tone reflects the urban sophistication of Liu Yong’s time. From an ideological perspective, the poem carries a sense of urban consciousness. The growing urban middle class, fueled by commercial prosperity, is less constrained by feudal ideology and more willing to challenge its oppressive norms. In an era where men and women were expected to maintain strict separation, this poem reveals a new mindset, as reflected in the female voice in Liu Yong’s “Ding Feng Bo”:
“Stay with me always, don’t shy away. Pick up the idle needlework and sit by me. Promise me, so that our youth is not wasted.”
The poem’s language is simple and natural, using straightforward descriptions. This approach demonstrates Liu Yong’s success in learning from folk songs. He expanded the scope of “vulgar words,” enriched the content and expressive power of the poems, and empathetically depicted the thoughts and feelings of the lower-class courtesans. It reflects their pursuit of happiness and their inner turmoil and regret.
Incorporating Emotions into the Scene
The first half of the poem integrates emotions with the scenery. The vibrant spring contrasts sharply with the protagonist’s weariness and melancholy. The bright, lively nature only serves to highlight her despondent mood. The second half delves into her psychology, revealing her yearning for a free and happy life.
This poem is one of Liu Yong’s representative works. Before Liu Yong, the world of poetry was dominated by short verses that demanded subtlety and elegance. Liu Yong, however, created many long verses, with ample descriptions and elaborations. The young lovers in his poems are essentially the “talented scholars and beautiful ladies” of the urban middle class, embodying Liu Yong himself and his beloved courtesans.
To portray this kind of life and mindset, Liu Yong adopted a colloquial style and language. This literary pursuit is closely linked to his life experiences. After losing favor in the officialdom, he found solace among the courtesans, leading to a strong resonance between the disillusioned scholar and the literate courtesans. This poem is a product of that resonance. No wonder Yuan dynasty playwright Guan Hanqing adapted Liu Yong’s poems for the stage, spreading their non-conformist spirit through another medium. For the urban populace of that time, it was precisely this kind of unvarnished, fervent love that felt most relatable. Consequently, such heartfelt yet somewhat coarse poems, though not recognized by orthodox literati, became widely popular among the common folk, reaching the point where “wherever there is a well, people can recite and sing them.”
Artistic Significance
Artistically, this poem represents a vulgarization of traditional poetic style. Liu Yong’s approach marked a departure from the elegant and refined to the straightforward and passionate, resonating deeply with the urban middle class of his time. His works reflect a blend of personal experience and broader social dynamics, capturing the spirit of an era where commercial prosperity began to challenge feudal constraints.
By expressing the unrestrained emotions of urbanites, Liu Yong’s poetry carved a niche for itself, offering a voice to those marginalized by mainstream literary traditions. His success in integrating folk elements into his poetry not only enriched its content but also broadened its appeal, making his works a true reflection of the lives and aspirations of the urban middle class.