Longing for Her Husband by Shi Jian-wu

Often looking back to her shadow by cold lamplight,
She only sees the dusty loom drowned in dark night.
Having never received news from her husband dear,
She blames the fortune-teller to say he'd appear.

Original Poem:

「望夫词」
手爇寒灯向影频，回文机上暗生尘。
自家夫婿无消息，却恨桥头卖卜人。

施肩吾

Interpretation:

This poem, written by Tang Dynasty poet Shi Jianwu, delicately portrays a woman anxiously waiting for her husband’s return, though no news of him ever arrives. Through vivid imagery and meticulous detail, the poem reflects the solitude, anxiety, and helplessness of a wife during a long, sleepless night. Brimming with emotional depth, it captures the essence of love and the pain of waiting.

First Line:“手爇寒灯向影频”
The woman lights a cold lamp and frequently turns to glance at her shadow.
This line sets the scene of her lonely night. Under the dim lamp, she paces, her heart consumed by thoughts of her absent husband. The cold lamp symbolizes solitude, while her repeated glances at her shadow convey her longing and anxiety as she waits for his return.

Second Line:“回文机上暗生尘”
The loom has become covered in dust, as she has ceased weaving.
This detail highlights the woman’s overwhelming longing for her husband. The dusty loom symbolizes her neglect of daily tasks, showing that her thoughts are entirely preoccupied with her absent spouse. It subtly reflects the passage of time and the depth of her melancholy.

Third Line:“自家夫婿无消息”
Her husband has sent no word at all.
This line reveals the core of her sorrow: the extended absence of her husband and the lack of any news from him. It encapsulates her sense of disappointment and helplessness.

Fourth Line:“却恨桥头卖卜人”
She turns her frustration toward the fortune-teller by the bridge.
Through the figure of the fortune-teller, the poem hints that the woman once sought solace and hope through divination, hoping for news of her husband. However, the empty predictions only deepened her despair, and her resentment is directed at the false promises rather than at her husband.

Writing Features:

1. Delicate Emotional Expression: The poet skillfully conveys the woman’s solitude and anxiety through everyday details, such as “lighting a cold lamp” and the “dust-covered loom.” These vivid images reveal her inner turmoil and make her emotions palpable.
2. Contrast and Conflict: The juxtaposition of the “cold lamp” with the fortune-teller underscores the woman’s inner conflict. On one hand, she clings to hope for her husband’s return, but on the other, she grows increasingly disheartened by false reassurances.
3. Foreshadowing and Emotional Reversal: The poem gradually unfolds the woman’s complex emotions, ultimately revealing that her frustration is not directed at her husband but at the fortune-teller’s empty words. This reversal adds depth and dimension to the poem’s narrative.

Overall Analysis:

This poem vividly captures a woman’s anxiety as she waits for her husband, masterfully portraying her complex emotions. The poet uses the imagery of the cold lamp and the dusty loom to depict her longing and preoccupation, while the fortune-teller introduces an unexpected twist to the narrative. Instead of directly expressing her yearning for her husband, the poet conveys her pain and disappointment through her resentment of the fortune-teller’s empty promises. With concise yet evocative language, the poem paints a poignant picture of loneliness, helplessness, and unwavering hope.

Insights:

This poem reminds us of the intricacies of human emotion, which often extend beyond surface-level expressions. Through detailed imagery and subtle narrative shifts, the poet reveals the depth of the woman’s anxiety and inner conflict. In life, we, too, may misdirect our frustrations toward unrelated people or events, masking deeper feelings of pain and disappointment. The poem encourages introspection and empathy, showing the resilience of hope even in the face of despair.

Poem translator:

Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)

About the Poet:

Shi Jian-wu (施肩吾), 780-861 AD, was a poet and Taoist scholar of the Tang Dynasty. He was a native of Tongxian Village (later known as Xiande Village) in Fen Shui County, Muzhou. In 820 AD, he passed the imperial examination and became the first Zhuangyuan (top scholar) from the Hangzhou region.