— Li Yi
I married a merchant bound for Qutang Gorge;
Day after day, he breaks the promised rendezvous.
Had I known the tide keeps its faith without fail,
I’d have wed instead the lad who rides the billows pale.
江南曲
— 李益
嫁得瞿塘贾，
朝朝误妾期。
早知潮有信，
嫁与弄潮儿。
Note
Qutang Gorge: The first of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, historically a perilous passage essential for merchant vessels.
In Tang poetry, there exists a notable number of “poems of boudoir plaints.” These poems depict the grievances of lonely or resentful wives, whose sorrow stems from separation from their husbands. The husbands who left their wives behind primarily fell into two categories: conscripted soldiers and merchants.
During the Tang dynasty, the economy flourished, commerce was highly developed, and the Silk Road flourished during this period. In addition to trade with Central Asian countries, an increasing number of merchants within China engaged in long-distance trade. Merchants spent years away from home conducting business, leaving their wives to endure empty households and giving rise to profound resentment and longing.
A Journey through the South of the Yangtze is just another popular poem of this kind.
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