Ascending Yueyang Tower
Long ago I heard of Lake Dongting;
Today I climb Yueyang Tower.
Wu and Chu seem divided by its waters;
Heaven and earth float upon it day and night.
From family and friends not a word arrives;
Old and ill, I have only a solitary boat.
War horses remain north of the passes;
Leaning at the window, I let my tears flow.
Notes
Lake Dongting lies in present-day Hunan. Wu and Chu evoke regions divided by the vast water. Heaven and earth seem to float in the lake. A word means a letter; war horses stand for fighting.
Meaning
From Yueyang Tower, the poet sees a vast lake while reflecting on isolation, illness and fighting in the north.
Appreciation
Hearing of the lake in the past and climbing the tower now establish a span of time.
Read the full appreciationCollapse
The waters seem to divide regions and hold heaven and earth, an expansive poetic image.
Missing letters and a solitary boat return the view to the speaker’s vulnerable situation.
The final turn to northern warfare joins personal and wider concern.
About the poet
Du Fu (712–770), courtesy name Zimei, was a major Tang poet.
Read about the poetCollapse
His poetry records personal experience and the upheaval of his age, including the An Lushan rebellion.
He lived in Kuizhou in later years; his works include Spring View and Ascending the Heights.