At that time, it was just considered ordinary: a true portrayal of emotions in the lyrics of Na Lan

Author: An Yiru
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Among the most widely recognized instances of the word "meeting" in literature, none is more famous than the line from Qin Shaoyou's "Qu Bridge Fairy" in the poem "Golden Wind and Jade Dew, a single meeting surpasses countless days in the mortal world." At least, whenever I see the characters "meeting," the first person that comes to my mind is Shaoyou, followed by Rongruo. The two ci poems, with their different styles, are like these two men who had completely different life experiences. This short ci poem "Like a Dream" is remarkably similar to Rongruo's life—its first half depicts a young man's fleeting romance, with scattered flowers and cold red petals, his eyes and thoughts in turmoil, while the latter half portrays the melancholic and sorrowful scenes of sleeping mats and dim lamp shadows. Due to his unfulfilled love, Rongruo's poems are always so heart-wrenchingly sorrowful that they seem to tear one's heart apart. This tragic beauty, like falling flowers, has made countless lovers in later generations adore his work, believing him to be "too deep in love to live" and a "t Talented man cursed by fate," making him a pitiable and lamentable Romeo. Although he lived for only thirty-one years and spent eleven years entangled in love for several women, compared to the countless geniuses throughout history who were thwarted in their talents and lived in constant turmoil, Rongruo was hardly a tragic figure. As a man, he had everything he should have. He had a wife who loved him, a concubine who admired him, a lover who remained devoted to him until the end, and a group of friends who supported him through thick and thin. He also came from a distinguished family with noble blood. His father, whom he despised, arranged for him a life of luxury, ensuring he never had to worry about survival. His own talent and exceptional status brought him success in literature and a smooth career path, earning him the favor of Kangxi, who selected him as a close aide at a young age. Compared to Shaoyou, who was renowned throughout the world but only passed the imperial examination at the age of thirty-six, served in office for a short time before being repeatedly, and ultimately died on a exile journey, I wonder how one could call Rongruo's life tragic. Tragedy is when heaven grants you ambition, ideals, and the talent to achieve them, yet denies you the opportunity to fulfill them, cruelly shattering your dreams. Du Fu, who starved to death on a raft while yearning for the world, was a tragic figure, but Li Bai was not. Qin Guan, who had fate but no luck, was a tragic figure, but Rongruo was not. Moreover, even if it is a tragedy, can all the blame be placed on "fate"? Can people simply shrug their shoulders and claim no responsibility? Rongruo was merely unhappy, his heart desolate amidst a sea of luxury—this was due to his own nature. His suffering was not imposed by society or his family. Social morality and family responsibilities trap every person living in this world. Whether to break free or to endure willingly is a personal choice. Rongruo's meeting was on earth, by a golden-walled well, in the late spring when petals littered the steps. The glances of young lovers were innocent and pure, their first encounter. Shaoyou's meeting was in the heavens, on the temporary magpie bridge of the annual Qixi Festival, where a couple who were immortal yet destined never to be together, their meeting or separation alike brought eternal sorrow. But why, after meeting, the earthly outcome was "sleeping mats and dim lamp shadows"; yet after meeting, the heavenly outcome was "If true love lasts forever, why does it matter if we meet every day or not"? The reason for his unhappiness was that Shaoyou, after enduring hardships in the mortal world for a long time, learned to hope for happiness and no longer clung to obtaining it. Rongruo, who had everything, was instead easily consumed by regrets, always tormented by what he had not achieved. In the beginning of falling in love, everyone's heart blooms with joy, but even with the same meeting, the outcomes can be vastly different. P1-2