On Hearing a Flute at Night From the Wall of Shouxiang
- Poetry of Li Yi

Seven-character-quatrain

Composed during the mid-Tang Dynasty when national power was declining and border conflicts were frequent, this poem captures the intense homesickness of garrison soldiers stationed long-term at the frontier. The Surrender-Receiving Fortress, once a symbol of triumph in early Tang, had by this time transformed into an emblem of endless warfare and separation. On an autumn night, the poet ascended a tower to behold the desolate frontier scenery. The melancholy sound of reed pipes carried by the night wind stirred profound empathy for the soldiers' longing, inspiring this timeless frontier poem.