White Yi's poems

Author: Bai Juyi (Commentary)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Bai Juyi's poetry was excellent even in his youth. At the age of 16, the line "Wild Fire and Spring Wind" became a timeless masterpiece. For fame, the narrative long poem "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow," a masterpiece of ancient Chinese poetry, was written when he was 35 and served as the county magistrate of Zhouzhi. The poem draws on the folk tales of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, adding fictional elements, and is vividly and colorfully written. It is considered by critics as the best long poem in the Tang Dynasty's gexing style and holds a prominent position in the history of Chinese poetry. In this poem, he dares to criticize Emperor Xuanzong's debauchery, as seen in lines like "The Han Emperor valued beauty and longed for a woman" and "From then on, the emperor no longer attended early morning court sessions." Later, the poem depicts the deep affection between the two, subtly mocking yet filled with sorrow. When describing the pain of separation and death, his brushwork is deeply emotional. The entire poem rises in waves from the winding story, brimming with rich and complex emotions, leaving a profound impact on the reader. At the age of 45, he wrote another highly acclaimed gexing-style long poem, "The Lute Song," which was equally celebrated. After being demoted to the position of Marshal of Jiangzhou, he bid farewell to his friends by the Xunyang River. At a farewell banquet on the boat, moved by sorrow, he suddenly heard the sound of a lute being played on a neighboring boat. He moved his boat to invite the player, only to find an aging courtesan, alone and guarding an empty boat, filled with boundless sorrow, expressing her grievances through the lute. Hearing her story, Bai Juyi not only deeply sympathized with her but also reflected on his own misfortunes, giving rise to the sentiment "If we are both drifters at the ends of the earth, why must we have known each other before?" He then composed this long poem, rivaling "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow." The first part narrates the courtesan's life and tragic fate, while the latter part shifts to his own perspective with the line "Since last year, I have left the imperial capital and been exiled to Xunyang, lying ill in seclusion." In the end, he writes, "Who shed the most tears at the table? The Marshal of Jiangzhou's blue robe is soaked." "The blue robe of the marshal" thus became a literary allusion. This poem excels in artistic technique, with detailed descriptions, harmonious rhythms, and particularly the passage depicting the lute's sound, which is truly hauntingly beautiful. Most importantly, however, is the sincerity of his emotions. These two long poems are invaluable treasures left by Bai Juyi for future generations.