Song on Ascending Youzhou Tower
Before me, I see no people of the past;
Behind me, I see no people yet to come.
Thinking of heaven and earth stretching on without end,
Alone, in sorrow, I let my tears fall.
Notes
Youzhou Tower is traditionally associated with a place where an ancient ruler sought worthy advisers; its precise location is debated. “People of the past” and “those to come” can also be read as worthy rulers or kindred spirits. Youyou suggests vastness and duration; chuangran means sorrowful.
Meaning
From Youzhou Tower, the speaker looks across past and future, then contemplates the vastness of heaven and earth and weeps alone.
Appreciation
The poem sets one person’s loneliness against the breadth of time and space.
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The first two lines look toward past and future; their figures can be read generally or in connection with stories of rulers seeking talent.
The final lines widen the view to heaven and earth, then return to a single person through the word “alone.”
This collection places the poem under Yuefu following a traditional anthology grouping. Its lines vary in length.
About the poet
Chen Zi’ang (c. 661–702), courtesy name Boyu, was an early Tang poet from the area of present-day Shehong, Sichuan.
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He served at court and traveled with military campaigns; his writing influenced the development of early Tang poetry.
His works include the Encounter poems and Song on Ascending Youzhou Tower.