Farewell at Huating
- Poetry of Liu Fangping
Huating Pavilion gleams in morning's fresh rain-washed air,
Your mast vanishes where distant clouds drift without care.
Do not wonder why the stream's depth shifts near the hill—
The Huai's clear waters rise and fall twice daily still.
This poem was written around the second year of the Qianyuan era (759 AD) during the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang. The An Lushan Rebellion remained unresolved, and the Tang Dynasty—transitioning from prosperity to decline—was plagued by frequent warfare and widespread suffering. Living in this historical context, Liu Fangping experienced an unsuccessful official career, often traveling as a commoner and engaging with literary circles while enjoying the landscapes of Jianghuai. "Farewell" emerged from this backdrop of turmoil, where separations among friends and family became commonplace. Composed while seeing off a friend near the Huai River, the poem uses scenery to convey emotion, expressing the sorrow of parting among scholars in a disordered era and their well-wishes for the journey ahead.
华亭霁色满今朝，云里樯竿去转遥。
莫怪山前深复浅，清淮一日两回潮。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.