To Secretary Linghu
Clouds over Song and trees in Qin: we have long lived apart;
From far away a letter comes, like the paired carp of old.
Do not ask after the former guest of Liang Garden;
In autumn rain at Maoling, Xiangru lies ill.
Notes
Song and Qin evoke separated places. Paired carp allude to an old story of a letter hidden inside a fish. Sima Xiangru was a guest at Liang Garden and later lived near Maoling; the poet uses these details to describe himself.
Meaning
A letter arrives after a long separation, and the poet describes his own situation through allusions to Sima Xiangru.
Appreciation
Clouds and trees evoke the two places where friends have long lived apart.
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The paired-carp allusion gives a distant letter a vivid traditional image.
Liang Garden and Maoling both recall Sima Xiangru, whose experiences serve as a comparison for the poet.
“Do not ask” gives the reply an understated tone rather than a complete account of his feelings.
About the poet
Li Shangyin (c. 813–c. 858), courtesy name Yishan, was a late Tang poet. His family came from the area of present-day Qinyang, Henan; accounts of his dates differ.
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He served in regional offices and wrote works including The Patterned Zither and poems titled Untitled.
Readers differ on the addressee of Night Rain Sent North and the specific meaning of Chang’e.