Night Thoughts at Zhangtai
The clear zither laments the long night;
Wind and rain seem to grieve around its strings.
Beside a lone lamp I hear the Chu horn;
A fading moon descends over Zhangtai.
The season of fragrant grasses is already late;
My old friend still has not come.
A letter home cannot be sent;
Autumn geese turn south again.
Notes
The se is an ancient stringed instrument; the Chu horn evokes sound from the region of Chu. Zhangtai’s precise reference is debated. A letter home cannot be sent as autumn geese fly south.
Meaning
Through music, wind, rain, a lone lamp and a fading moon, the speaker expresses longing for an absent friend and home.
Appreciation
Zither, wind and rain establish the long night through sound.
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A lone lamp, horn and fading moon create a distant nocturnal scene.
The passing season and absent friend make the wait perceptible.
The unsent letter and southbound geese recall a traditional messenger image without claiming delivery.
About the poet
Wei Zhuang (c. 836–910), courtesy name Duanji, was a poet and lyric writer of the late Tang and Five Dynasties from Duling near Chang’an.
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Wei Zhuang lived through the unrest of the late Tang and later served in Shu. His works include poetry and lyrics, among them Qin Woman’s Lament and A Picture of Jinling; accounts of his birth year differ.