Selected Poems of Bai Juyi

Author: Bai Juyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Bai Juyi's poetry was excellent from 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, one of the greatest works of ancient Chinese poetry, was written when he was 35 and served as the county magistrate of Zhouzhi. The poem is based on the folk tales of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Lady Yang, with fictional additions, vividly depicting the story. It is considered the best Tang-era gexing-style long poem by critics and holds a prominent position in Chinese poetry history. In this poem, he dares to criticize Emperor Xuanzong's debauchery, as seen in lines like "The Han Emperor, obsessed with beauty, longed for a peerless woman" and "From then on, the emperor no longer held early morning court." The later portrayal of the deep affection between the two is subtly satirical 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 beingished as the Marquis of Jiangzhou, he bid farewell to his friends by the Xunyang River. At the 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 her over and discovered she was an aging courtesan, left alone and full of grievances, expressing her sorrows through the lute. Hearing her story, Bai Juyi not only felt deep sympathy but also reflected on his own misfortunes, leading to the sentiment "Fellow travelers in this vast world, why must we have known each other before meeting?" He composed this poem, rivaling The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, which narrates the courtesan's tragic life and, later, transitions to his own story with the lines "I left the imperial capital last year and now reside in Xunyang, suffering from illness and exile." The poem concludes with "Who shed the most tears at the table? The Marquis of Jiangzhou's blue robe is soaked." The phrase "blue robe of the Marquis of Jiangzhou" has since become a literary allusion. This poem excels in artistic technique, with detailed descriptions, harmonious rhythms, and particularly the passage describing the lute's sound, which is truly haunting. Most importantly, it is the sincerity of emotion. These two long poems are invaluable treasures left by Bai Juyi for future generations.