With this cold night-rain hiding the river, you have come into Wu.
In the level dawn, all alone, you will be starting for the mountains of Chu.
Answer, if they ask of me at Loyang:
"One-hearted as ice in a crystal vase."
Original Poem
「芙蓉楼送辛渐」
王昌龄
寒雨连江夜入吴，平明送客楚山孤。
洛阳亲友如相问，一片冰心在玉壶。
Interpretation
This poem was composed after 741 AD during Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era, when Wang Changling was demoted to Jiangning County magistrate and resided in Zhenjiang. The Farewell Pavilion (Furong Tower), located northwest of Zhenjiang facing the Yangtze, gained its poetic fame from this work. As one of two farewell poems for his friend Xin Jian departing to Luoyang, its seemingly light touch conveys profound sentiment through pristine imagery, becoming an immortal masterpiece of parting poetry.
First Couplet: "寒雨连江夜入吴，平明送客楚山孤。"
Hán yǔ lián jiāng yè rù wú, píng míng sòng kè chǔ shān gū.
"Cold rain merging with river flows through Wu at night; / At dawn I bid farewell to lonely Chu mountains' sight."
The scene-setting couplet uses nature to mirror emotion. The night's endless rain across the Wu region reflects the poet's sleepless melancholy, while "lonely Chu mountains" externalize his solitude after parting. Scene and feeling merge in restrained sorrow.
Second Couplet: "洛阳亲友如相问，一片冰心在玉壶。"
Luò yáng qīn yǒu rú xiāng wèn, yī piàn bīng xīn zài yù hú.
"If Luoyang friends and kin should ask how I fare, / A heart of ice in jade vase—that's what I bear."
These iconic lines declare the poet's moral integrity. The "ice heart" metaphor (originating from Bao Zhao's Six Dynasties verse and Tang poetic tradition) asserts his unsullied character despite political exile. Wang's reinvention of the classical allusion feels freshly natural—both answering inquiries and embodying his lofty ideals.
Holistic Appreciation
The poem transforms farewell into self-expression and moral affirmation. Cold rain, solitary peaks, and the ice-in-jade imagery construct an atmosphere of lonely purity. Without overt lament or self-pity, its quiet strength resonates deeply. The four concise lines progress seamlessly, with the culminating "ice heart" becoming an eternal symbol of noble character—elevating this work to the pinnacle of Tang farewell poetry.
Artistic Merits
- Emotion-scene fusion: River rain and lonely mountains create profound farewell atmosphere
- Allusion mastery: The reinvented "ice heart/jade vase" metaphor enriches cultural depth
- Restrained expression: Conveys complex feelings through clarity and subtlety
- Formal precision: Each heptasyllabic line contains vivid imagery and layered meaning
Insights
Beyond farewell, this poem models moral constancy. It teaches that true purpose withstands circumstance—like the ice heart remaining pure in its jade vessel. Especially in adversity, one must maintain clarity and integrity. The self-discipline and moral courage embodied here established an enduring paradigm of character, ensuring the poem's timeless relevance.
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet
Wang Changling (王昌龄), circa A.D. 690 - 756, was a native of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Wang Changling's poems were mostly about the Border Places, love affairs and farewells, and he was well known during his lifetime. His seven poems are equal to those of Li Bai, and he is known as the “Master of seven lines”.
