I didn't know this about Lu You. How poignant are the poems? How sad for Lu You and Tang Wan. How Tang Wan emulates Lu You's poem and follows its rhythm! 悲悲悲！
Interestingly, Lu You is more well-known for his patriotic poems, which urge the rulers of the Southern Song dynasty to reclaim control of the north through warfare. His personal tragedy—being forced to separate from his wife—is less well-known. We thought it would be a good idea to translate these two poems, as they are beautifully written and profoundly moving.
Oh this is so sad. Reminds me of the ancient poem by bhartrahari: In former days we’d both agreeThat you were me, and I was you.What has happened to us two,That you are you, and I am me?
I'm glad you like them. This kind of 'response poem' about love was quite popular in ancient Chinese poetry, especially between lovers—one would write a poem, and the other would compose a reply, often mirroring the same rhythm. These poems are not widely translated, so we thought it would be a good idea to translate these two.
I didn't know this about Lu You. How poignant are the poems? How sad for Lu You and Tang Wan. How Tang Wan emulates Lu You's poem and follows its rhythm! 悲悲悲！
Interestingly, Lu You is more well-known for his patriotic poems, which urge the rulers of the Southern Song dynasty to reclaim control of the north through warfare. His personal tragedy—being forced to separate from his wife—is less well-known. We thought it would be a good idea to translate these two poems, as they are beautifully written and profoundly moving.
Oh this is so sad. Reminds me of the ancient poem by bhartrahari: In former days we’d both agreeThat you were me, and I was you.What has happened to us two,That you are you, and I am me?
This is lovely and fascinating. Thank you for sharing these.
I'm glad you like them. This kind of 'response poem' about love was quite popular in ancient Chinese poetry, especially between lovers—one would write a poem, and the other would compose a reply, often mirroring the same rhythm. These poems are not widely translated, so we thought it would be a good idea to translate these two.
Well thank you for that work.