He was born on the Qixi Festival and died on the Qixi Festival. Silently, he ascends the western tower, with the moon like a hook; the lonely phoenix tree in the deep courtyard locks up the clear autumn. The sorrow of parting is intertwined, an indescribable flavor in the heart. It is said that this "Xiangjian Huan" has remained unmatched for six hundred years. The author of this poem is the most down-and-out poet emperor of ancient times, as well as the most tragic king. Later generations lamented: Being a talented person is truly exceptional, but it's a pity to have a short life as a king.
Through his poetry, we come to re-know this eternal master of lyrics—Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang. As an emperor, he is seen as a foolish ruler in the eyes of the world; as a poet, he is an unparalleled genius. He did not want to be an emperor, yet by a twist of fate, he became a monarch; he only wanted to write good poetry, but because of a single lyric, he lost his life.
Li Yu was born on the Qixi Festival in 937, and he was the sixth son of Wang Jingtong of the Southern Tang. From a young age, he witnessed the bloody power struggles of the royal family and dreamed of being a carefree prince, living freely throughout his life. However, fate did not favor his wishes; as several of his older brothers passed away one after another, the least interested in vying for the throne, Li Yu became the crown prince. No one asked if he liked it, nor did anyone ask if he was willing.
At the age of 25, he became the ruler of the Southern Tang, marking the beginning of his tumultuous emperor career. In 974, the iron hooves of the Song dynasty broke through the gates of Southern Tang, advancing directly to Li Yu. The city of Jinling fell, Southern Tang was destroyed, and Li Yu, at the age of 39, became a captive of the Song dynasty. The nation was unfortunate, but the poets were fortunate; as fate changed dramatically, the palace poetry began from here.
The hatred of a fallen country and the humiliation of a defeated monarch truly elevated Li Yu to the throne of the Emperor of Poetry. In 976, Li Yu was taken to Bianjing, and Song Taizu, in order to humiliate him, titled him "Marquis of Disobedience," thus placing him under house arrest in a separate residence. He was no longer the emperor who was revered by others; his anguish and solitude could only be expressed through poetry. Fortunately, he suddenly discovered that poetry allowed his wandering soul to settle, gave his heart a place in the homeland of his spirit, and enabled him to be reborn as a literati rather than as an emperor.
The flowers in the forest have withered in the spring red, too hastily. It is helpless, with the cold rain in the morning and the late wind. Rouge tears, lingering in drunkenness, when will we meet again? It is simply the long-lasting regret of life that the water flows eastward.
On the occasion of Li Yu's 42nd birthday, the homeland was lost, the old friends were no longer present, and he wrote "Yumeiren": When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end, how much do past events know? Last night the small building faced the easterly wind again, the homeland is unbearable to look back at under the bright moon. The carved railing and jade steps should still be there, but only the red face has changed. I ask you, how much sorrow can you have? It's just like a river of spring water flowing eastward.
A talented man born in a royal family, three thousand brushes and ink cannot compare to swords and iron horses. In the end, all the helplessness can only turn into a kind of sorrow. Li Yu's life was a tragic one; he failed to illuminate the Southern Tang, yet with his final masterpiece, he burned himself and lit up the world of lyrics. This poem cost him his life, but it also granted him eternal fame.
Many of us go through life without truly experiencing joy, without truly experiencing sorrow, and without fully investing our hearts into anything. This is the regret of life. To live earnestly, to feel joy, to feel pain, to feel oneself — this is probably the most important lesson we learn from the ancient poet Li Yu.
