Chinese poem illustration: 送元二使安西(渭城曲) See Mr. Yuan Envoy to Anxi (Song of Wei City) by Wang Wei
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The most famous farewell poem since it created till today, so simple of its wording, so simple the typical situation depicted, yet the most touching sentences till today.
Parting sadness is the most common feeling shared with everyone, definitely would be encountered from time to time. That is why there are so many farewell poems in Tang poetry. The only difference between us and Tang people is that the Tang people equals parting alive to parting to a dead(生离死别), which means most probably they could never see each other again alive.
With further exploring into the mood in this poem, I do believe this poem was written when Wang Wei was much old, it has a great chance that the poem expressed Wang’s own sadness secretly and subtly : When coming back to Wei city some years later , Mr. Yuan, my friend, you might not see me again, Another Toast!
Writing technique of contrasting sad feeling with happy views, embedding feeling into view depicting(乐景写哀情,寓情于景) was employed seamlessly.
There is another story about Chang’an, 日近长安远, which means : the sun is closer when compared to Chang’an City. For those parted person, Chang’an is not just about friends, it is also his life goal: keeping in mind that all the famous Tang poets are political ambitious, that is why the capital city Chang’an is their life centricity for sure. Away from life goal make the situation sadder.
送元二使安西 ( 渭城曲)
王维
渭城朝雨浥轻尘，
客舍青青柳色新。
劝君更尽一杯酒，
西出阳关无故人。
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