— Li Shangyin
In the bamboo grove by the clean poolside I stay;
Separated from you by towns, I miss you far away.
The autumn gloom undispersed and late frost remain;
Only the withered lotus listen to the rain.
Note
Li Shangyin (c. 813–858) was one of the most evocative and introspective poets of China’s late Tang Dynasty, renowned for his emotionally layered, symbol-laden verse that often blends personal grief, unspoken longing, and philosophical reflection. His poetry is admired for its musicality, ambiguity, and profound sensitivity to the passage of time and human connection.
His poem For the Cui Brothers at Luo’s Pavilion (“Staying Overnight at Lord Luo’s Pavilion, Sending Thoughts to Cui Yong and Cui Gun”) was written in 834 during a period of personal hardship. After failing the imperial examinations in 833, Li sought refuge with his uncle-by-marriage, Cui Rong, who treated him with great kindness and became both a familial and professional mentor. Tragically, Cui Rong died suddenly in 834 shortly after assuming a new post in Yanzhou. Left adrift, Li traveled alone and stayed at a pavilion belonging to a family surnamed Luo. In this moment of solitude, he deeply missed Cui Rong’s sons – his close cousins Cui Yong and Cui Gun – and composed this short but deeply resonant poem.
The verses begin with serene imagery: a dust-free bamboo grove and a clear waterside railing, suggesting outward calm. Yet this tranquility is pierced by emotional distance – “longing stretches far, blocked by city beyond city.” Under persistent autumn clouds and delayed frost, the season lingers in limbo. The final line delivers one of the most famous images in Chinese poetry: “Only the withered lotus leaves remain – to listen to the sound of rain.” Here, decay becomes beauty; silence becomes companionship. The rustling rain on dry lotus leaves echoes the poet’s quiet sorrow and enduring affection.
More than just a note to friends, the poem is a meditation on loss, memory, and the fragile solace found in nature when human bonds are severed by distance or death.
宿骆氏亭寄怀崔雍崔衮
— 李商隐
竹坞无尘水槛清，
相思迢递隔重城。
秋阴不散霜飞晚，
留得枯荷听雨声。
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