— Li Yi
The swallows’ twitter seems to grieve over the old dynasty’s spring;
To dust have returned palace flowers on the wing.
Since the overthrown dynasty closed its splendid scene,
They have come many times but nobody is seen.
Note
Li Yi (748–829 CE) was a prominent poet of the mid-Tang Dynasty, best known for his poignant frontier songs (biansai shi) and nostalgic historical poems that blend lyrical beauty with reflections on the rise and fall of dynasties. His works often convey a sense of melancholy, impermanence, and quiet observation.
His poem “Swallows of the Sui Palace” (Sui Gong Yan) uses swallows – birds that traditionally return each spring to nest in familiar eaves – as silent witnesses to history. The poem describes how these birds now fly freely through what was once the magnificent palace of the short-lived Sui dynasty (581–618), now reduced to ruins overgrown with weeds. Unaware of the grandeur or tragedy of the past, the swallows simply seek places to build their nests, even among broken halls and crumbling walls.
Through this gentle yet powerful image, Li Yi contrasts the transience of human power with the cyclical constancy of nature. The swallows’ innocence underscores the futility of imperial ambition: empires crumble, but life goes on – indifferent, resilient, and quietly enduring.
隋宫燕
— 李益
燕语如伤旧国春，
宫花一落已成尘。
自从一闭风光后，
几度飞来不见人。
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