— Wang Bo
You’ll leave the town walled far and wide
For mist-veiled land by riverside.
I feel on parting sad and drear
For both of us are strangers here.
If you have friends who know your heart,
Distance cannot keep you apart.
At crossroads where we bid adieu,
Do not shed tears as women do!
Note
Wang Bo (650–676CE) was one of the “Four Great Poets of the Early Tang” and a prodigious literary talent known for his elegant diction, emotional depth, and innovative spirit. Though he died young, his works helped shape the mature style of High Tang poetry. He often wrote about friendship, parting, and the life of scholar-officials with both grace and philosophical insight.
His famous poem “Farewell to Vice-Prefect Du Heading for Shuzhou” transforms a conventional farewell into a timeless affirmation of spiritual connection. The poem opens with grand geography: the capital’s towers stand guarded by the Three Qins, while misty winds stretch toward the Five Ferries of distant Sichuan – setting the stage for separation. “Three Qins” here is a general term referring to the Guanzhong region surrounding Chang’an. Historically, after the fall of the Qin dynasty, this area was divided among three surrendered Qin generals, hence the name “Three Qins.” In poetry, it evokes the heartland of imperial power and serves as a symbolic contrast to distant frontier posts like Sichuan.
Yet Wang Bo quickly shifts tone: “Our parting feelings are the same – / for we are both officials adrift in service.” Instead of sorrow, he offers comfort through one of Chinese literature’s most quoted lines:”So long as true friends remain in this world, / even at the ends of the earth we’re close as neighbors.” Distance, he insists, cannot sever genuine bonds.
He concludes by gently chiding emotional excess: “Let us not, at this crossroads, / weep like children and soak our sleeves.” The poem thus blends classical restraint with heartfelt warmth, turning grief into courage and isolation into unity.
送杜少府之任蜀州
— 王勃
城阙辅三秦，
风烟望五津。
与君离别意，
同是宦游人。
海内存知己，
天涯若比邻。
无为在歧路，
儿女共沾巾。
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