{"id":8587,"date":"2019-10-31T14:24:45","date_gmt":"2019-10-31T14:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-reading\/parting-poems-in-ancient-china\/"},"modified":"2019-10-31T14:24:45","modified_gmt":"2019-10-31T14:24:45","slug":"parting-poems-in-ancient-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/mm\/parting-poems-in-ancient-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Parting Poems in Ancient China"},"content":{"rendered":"
The custom of giving the branch of a willow tree to departing friends presumably comes from the Qin Dynasty (221B.C.-206B.C.), and it became a fixed tradition through later dynasties. People chose a willow branch as a gift for several reasons. Firstly, the willow in Chinese is called “ \u67f3\u6811 ” (li\u01d4shù), because “ \u67f3 ”(li\u01d4) shares a similar pro<\/em>nunciation with “ \u7559 ” (liú, “to stay”), an ex<\/em>pression of unwillingness to part. Secondly, the willow has vitality and takes root wherver it is planted, so giving friends a branch of willow co<\/em>nveys good wishes. Lastly, the willow was believed to be able to protect people from evil ghosts, a way of wishing them a safe journey.<\/p>\n

There are several poems co<\/em>ncerning this custom. For example, in Wangzhihuan’s (\u738b\u4e4b\u6da3) poem, Seeing Off (\u300a\u9001\u522b\u300bSòngbié), the poet writes: “\u8fd1\u6765\u6500\u6298\u82e6, \u5e94\u4e3a\u522b\u79bb\u591a\u3002” (Jìnlái p\u0101nzhé k\u01d4, y\u012bng wèi biélí du\u014d. ” Too many partings here, the willows flourish no lo<\/em>nger “).<\/p>\n

Music is also part of the parting ceremony. In ancient China, instruments played on this occasion often included the ancient zither\uff08\u53e4\u7b5d g\u01d4zh\u0113ng\uff09and the Chinese lute\uff08\u7435\u7436 pípa \uff09. The music played was usually melodious, but also very sorrowful. Many classic literary works have the record of this custom. For example, the background to Bai Juyi’s (\u767d\u5c45\u6613) famous long poem Pipaxing\uff08\u300a\u7435\u7436\u884c\u300b\uff09, in which the poet vividly depicts the music played by a female Chinese lute player, is the poet seeing his friend at a port in the evening.<\/p>\n

Drinking wine to see someone off was also the custom. On a snowy nightfall, as depicted by Bai Juyi in his poem To My Friend Liu Shijiu\uff08\u300a\u95ee\u5218\u5341\u4e5d\u300bWèn Liú Shíji\u01d4\uff09\uff1a\u665a\u6765\u5929\u6b32\u96ea\uff0c\u80fd\u996e\u4e00\u676f\u65e0\uff1f\uff08 W\u01cen lái ti\u0101n yù xu\u011b, néng y\u01d0n yì b\u0113i wú? ” Evening comes and the sky threatens snow, why not come and drink a cup ? ” \uff09Wine also co<\/em>nsoles some people, and helps them to temporarily forget their troubles, as with the idiom “\u501f\u9152\u6d88\u6101”\uff08 jiè ji\u01d4 xi\u0101o chóu “, cry in one’s beer ).<\/p>\n

Time is also a factor. In ancient China the best time to see friends off was early morning, which provided co<\/em>nvenience for the departing friend. Dusk was also a popular time.<\/p>\n

So, as schoolmates say goodbye, perhaps they’ll want some sorrowful music, willow leaves, and a cup of booze, all as you watch your good friends ride into the dusk.
<\/div>\n