Your bashful face could hardly bear the weight of tears;
Your long, long brows would easily feel sorrow nears.
Of all the moonlit nights on earth when people part,
Two-thirds shed sad light on Yangzhou with broken heart.
Original Poem:
「忆扬州」
徐凝
萧娘脸薄难胜泪，桃叶眉尖易觉愁。
天下三分明月夜，二分无赖是扬州。
Interpretation:
This poem expresses the poet's deep longing for his hometown of Yangzhou, reflecting his sorrow and nostalgia as he faces the separation from it. The poet is filled with sadness during the farewell, particularly in his yearning for Yangzhou. Through detailed descriptions and layered emotions, the poem conveys the poet's profound state of mind.
First couplet: “萧娘脸薄难胜泪，桃叶眉尖易觉愁。”
(Xiao Niang’s delicate face cannot hide the tears of parting; her peach-shaped brows easily reveal her sorrow.)
The poet describes Xiao Niang's sorrowful expression during the farewell, showing how her emotions, overwhelmed by the sadness of parting, are hard to conceal. The words "thin face" and "tears difficult to hold back" emphasize the girl’s vulnerability and the pain of separation, while "peach-shaped brows reveal sorrow" further illustrates how her sadness is visible. Through these delicate descriptions, the poet conveys the sorrow of their parting, representing endless longing.
Second couplet: “天下三分明月夜，二分无赖是扬州。”
(The moonlight that should cover three parts of the world, yet two parts of it are stubbornly claimed by Yangzhou.)
In these two lines, the poet uses the bright moon to symbolize his deep nostalgia for Yangzhou. At this moment, the moon is not just a natural phenomenon but becomes a vessel for the poet’s emotions. By describing the moon as being "unreasonably split," the poet suggests that Yangzhou’s moonlight deepens his sorrow, making his longing for the place increasingly unbearable. The moon, which is devoid of emotion, becomes a witness to a pain that cannot be soothed.
Writing Features:
- Delicate Emotional Expression
Through the lines "Xiao Niang’s delicate face cannot hide the tears of parting" and "peach-shaped brows easily reveal sorrow," the poet subtly portrays the outward expression of emotions. Xiao Niang’s sorrow is evident in her face and brows, reflecting the helplessness and inner pain of the farewell. These delicate depictions allow the reader to feel the profound sadness and lasting longing brought by parting. - Clever Use of Symbolism and Metaphor
The poet uses the "moon" to symbolize the distant Yangzhou, connecting the moonlight with his feelings of longing. Through the line "The moonlight that should cover three parts of the world, yet two parts are stubbornly claimed by Yangzhou," the poet not only expresses his deep nostalgia for Yangzhou but also highlights the close connection between the place and the moon, making the moonlight a metaphor for the emotions attached to it. - Repetition and Deepening of Emotions
In expressing longing, the poet uses repetitive and contrasting words like "difficult to hold back tears" and "easily reveals sorrow," which progressively enhance the emotions, creating an enduring train of thought. This technique intensifies the depth of the poet’s longing, making the sorrow of parting even more inescapable.
Overall Analysis:
The poem is heartfelt and profound, particularly in its depiction of parting. Through delicate portrayal, the poet expresses the endless longing after separation. The moon, as a symbol of emotion, illuminates the pain in the poet’s heart and also brings forth his yearning for his distant hometown. The artistic strength of the poem lies in the poet’s ability to evoke strong emotional resonance with simple imagery and delicate emotional depictions, allowing the reader to deeply experience the sorrow and longing of parting.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
About the poet:
Xu Ning (徐凝) was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, living around 813 A.D. He was a native of Muzhou, Zhejiang Province. His poems are simple and unadorned, with a far-reaching meaning.
