Crossing River Han by Song Zhi-wen

I longed for news on the frontier
From day to day, from year to year.
Now nearing home, timid I grow,
I dare not ask what I would know.

Original Poem:

「渡汉江」
岭外音书断，经冬复历春。
近乡情更怯，不敢问来人。

宋之问

Interpretation:

Crossing the Han River was written by Song Zhiwen, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. In his youth, Song experienced poverty and a difficult career path, often being exiled. During one of his exiles, he passed through the Han River, which triggered deep homesickness and nostalgia for his homeland. The poem conveys the poet's feelings of longing and sadness during his journey. With its concise language and profound emotion, the poem expresses both the poet's yearning for home and his helplessness on the road.

Line-by-Line Translation and Core Summary

First Line:“岭外音书断，经冬复历春。”
(I am far from home, with no news from there, enduring the long winter and entering spring again.)
These lines set the scene for the poet's isolation and separation from his homeland. The lack of communication symbolizes the poet's loneliness, and the passing of time ("from winter to spring") highlights the long duration of his absence, intensifying his feelings of homesickness.

Second Line:“近乡情更怯，不敢问来人。”
(As I approach home, my emotions grow more hesitant; I dare not inquire of travelers coming from there.)
These lines illustrate the poet's complex emotions as he nears home. The closer he gets, the more fearful he becomes of hearing bad news, causing him to hesitate and avoid asking travelers for information. This expresses his inner conflict and anxiety, revealing the deep uncertainty in his heart.

Writing Characteristics

1. Layered Emotional Expression
   The poet uses a gradual build-up of emotions, starting with the loneliness of being far from home and extending to the fear and anxiety he feels as he nears home. This layered emotional development reveals the complexity and helplessness of the poet's situation.
2. Concise and Precise Language
   The poem is known for its succinctness, and through this economy of words, Song Zhiwen powerfully captures the loneliness and emotional turmoil of a traveler. His language is simple but profoundly conveys the complexity of his inner world.
3. Deep Psychological Insight
   One of the poem’s unique aspects is its nuanced portrayal of psychological activity, especially in the lines “As I approach home, my emotions grow more hesitant; I dare not inquire of travelers coming from there.” The use of “hesitant” and “dare not ask” reflects the anxiety and fear of having no news for such a long time, capturing the emotional contradictions faced by someone returning home after a long absence.

Overall Analysis

Crossing the Han River uses simple yet profound language to depict Song Zhiwen's loneliness and homesickness, as well as the emotional complexity he feels as he nears home. The poem begins with the sentiment of homesickness through the lines "no news from home" and "passing through winter into spring," and then deepens the poet’s anxiety and inner conflict with "my emotions grow more hesitant." Through the poet’s concise and accessible expression, the poem vividly portrays the emotional fluctuations of a long-separated traveler. The complex emotions and intense longing for home are conveyed beautifully, making it a classic example of expressing homesickness in Chinese poetry.

Inspiration

This poem teaches us that emotional expression does not always require lengthy prose; sometimes, concise and focused language can have a greater impact. Through brief descriptions, the poet conveys both his prolonged solitude and the psychological conflict of returning home. The poem also shows the power of gradually intensifying emotions in writing, offering valuable insight into expressing complex feelings in a way that resonates with the reader. This technique can serve as a helpful reference for anyone wishing to express deep emotions through writing or personal reflection.

Poem translator:

Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)

About the Poet:

Song Zhiwen (宋之问), 656-712 A.D., was a native of Fenyang, Shanxi, and it is also said that he was a native of Lingbao, Henan. He was admitted as a jinshi in 675 AD. At the time of Wu Zetian, he was a courtier with literary talent and was quite favored. Later, he was convicted for befriending Zhang Yi Zhi and was relegated to the rank of senator in Takizhou. In 708 A.D., he was transferred to the rank of "Examining Officer" and became a bachelor of Xiuwenkuan with Du Shenyan and Xue Ji, but he was also relegated to the rank of "Chief Historian of Yuezhou" on the charge of accepting a bribe. In 710 AD, he was exiled to Qinzhou. In 710, he was exiled to Qinzhou. Emperor Xuanzong gave him death in 712 AD. He had a collection of Song Zhiwen.