Leaving Yangzi: To Editor Yuan
Sadly I leave those dear to me;
My boat drifts into the mist.
The returning boat carries a person bound for Luoyang;
A fading bell sounds among the trees of Guangling.
Today we part here;
Where shall we meet again?
Human affairs are like a boat upon waves:
Moving downstream or upstream, how can it stay?
Notes
Yangzi is an old place name near modern Yangzhou. Yuan Da is the recipient, with “Da” indicating seniority among siblings; jiaoshu was an editorial office. Guangling is an old name for Yangzhou. The final line speaks of moving with or against the current.
Meaning
Setting off by boat, the poet writes to a friend, moving from mist and a fading bell to uncertain reunion and the image of life as a boat on waves.
Appreciation
Loved ones left behind and a boat entering mist establish the farewell.
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The returning boat and bell among trees give direction and sound to the scene.
The question asks directly where another meeting could take place.
A boat on waves extends personal parting into a reflection on changing circumstances.
About the poet
Wei Yingwu (c. 737–c. 792) was a Tang poet associated with the area of present-day Xi’an; accounts of his dates differ.
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He served in places including Chuzhou, Jiangzhou and Suzhou, and often wrote about landscape and daily life.
His works include West Stream at Chuzhou and An Autumn Night Sent to Qiu.