“Longing: A Poetic Journey Through Sorrow and Separation”

In the rich tapestry of classical Chinese poetry, “Longing” stands as a testament to the enduring theme of love and separation. Derived from the poetic form known as “Changxiangsi,” this lyrical expression captures the essence of deep emotional turmoil and longing for a loved one who is far away.

The poem opens with a poignant reflection: “Thoughts of my husband flow southward like the Bian River and the Si River, ceaselessly running until they reach the Guazhou ferry. My sorrowful thoughts resemble the hills of Jiangnan, undulating and persistent.” This evocative imagery sets the stage for the protagonist’s profound sense of yearning and heartache, comparing her emotions to the meandering rivers and picturesque landscapes of southern China.

The initial stanza employs the repetition of “flow” three times to depict the winding course of the rivers, creating a melancholic and lingering atmosphere. The subsequent use of “prolonged” twice intensifies the depth of sorrow and longing. Particularly, the cascading moonlight enhances the mournful ambiance, heightening the artistic appeal and revealing the poem’s simplicity yet profound depth. Longing is a universal emotion and one of the best themes for poets and literati to express their emotions. Ancient poems often use the word “longing” in three words, such as “the above says long and full of feelings,” “recorded with long feelings,” and “it’s difficult for travelers to stay long, and they all say long and full of feelings.” Chen Houzhu, Du Ling, Jiang Zong, Tang Li Bai, and others have all tried. The content mostly describes women’s longing for their husband who has been away for a long time. The Bai Yue poem “Longing” has its specific thoughts, that is, his concubine Fan Su. Fan Su is good at singing “Yangliu Zhi” and is also called Liu Zhi. For various reasons, Fan Su sought to leave. In the last quatrains of “Bie Liu Zhi”, Bai said: “Two willow branches in the small building, for many years with the drunkard. Tomorrow after release, the world should not want the spring breeze.” It can be seen that the author is very sad about Fan’s departure. This “longing” word also expresses the same emotions. The upper part of the song describes Fan’s return route. Because she is a native of Hangzhou, the author is worried about Wu Shan. Bianhe and Sihe are gone and will never return. The departure of Fan Su, who traveled south, is probably the same as that of the river, and the author imagined that the Wu Zhong mountains were like sorrow and hatred. In just a few words, the return of the travelers and the focus of sorrow and anger are summarized simply and deeply. Although the beauty has gone, the makeup tower is empty, but the author is deeply in love, and it is difficult to forget. In the lower quadrant, he expressed his pain. Two “prolonged” delineated the depth of the poet’s thoughts. This intense emotion can only stop when the lover returns. However, it is just a fantasy. He can only lean on the building and look forward to remembering the past happiness and dispelling the depression in his heart. Although the form of this work is small, it uses a looping and rambling sentence structure, a rhythmic flow like running water, and a consistent rhyme at each interval endpoint, creating a long-lasting flavor that perfectly depicts the pain of longing and the bitterness of separation.