Liu Yuxi, with the courtesy name Mengde and the literary name Lushan, was a literary scholar of the Tang Dynasty and was hailed as a “poet”. He excelled in poetry and prose, covering a wide range of subjects. He was known as “Liu Liu” along with Liu Zongyuan and “Three Heroes” along with Wei Yingwu and Bai Juyi. Let’s learn about the story of Liu Yuxi together with the editor of History Encyclopedia.
In the ninth year of the Zhenyuan era (793 AD), Liu Yuxi passed the imperial examination and was praised in the “Old Book of Tang” as “proficient in ancient Chinese literature, skilled in five character poetry, and talented in modern writing.” Liu Yuxi wrote excellent poetry and articles, and had his own political ideals. He participated in the political reform of the Wang Shuwen group and became one of the core members. But this reform soon failed, Wang Shuwen was killed, and Liu Yuxi, Liu Zongyuan, and others were demoted to remote areas as “Sima”.
At the age of 34, Liu Yuxi began a long life of exile, which was a heavy blow to him. However, he did not succumb or become depressed, and remained steadfast in his beliefs.
Liu Yuxi was first demoted to Sima of Langzhou (now Changde, Hunan), and later transferred to the positions of Governor of Lianzhou (now Qingyuan, Guangdong) and Governor of Kuizhou (now Fengjie, Sichuan). In the Tang Dynasty, witchcraft was prevalent in the Jingchu region where Langzhou and Kuizhou were located, and there were many folk worship activities. During the worship, folk songs were always sung, which deeply attracted Liu Yuxi.
Although Liu Yuxi, who had been repeatedly demoted, found it difficult to make a difference in politics, he did not falter and enthusiastically devoted himself to collecting and organizing local folk songs. Among these folk songs and ballads, he felt the beauty of a different kind of life. The Old Book of Tang states: “The barbarians were fond of shamans, and every time they were encouraged by the brothels, they would sing and recite vulgar language. Yu Xi may have been engaged in this activity, but he used the works of poets to create new words to teach shamans and bless them. Therefore, the folk songs in the caves of Wuling Creek are often sung by Yu Xi
Liu Yuxi did not look down upon folk songs because of their vulgar lyrics. He not only personally participated in folk song and dance activities, but also created new words for them. Therefore, many folk songs in the Dongting Lake area were later organized and adapted by Liu Yuxi. His’ Bamboo Branch Lyrics’ is the crystallization of learning from folk songs, and it is still sung endlessly to this day:
Yangliu Qingqing River level, hear the sound of walking songs on the Langjiang River.
The sunrise in the east and the rain in the west, the road may not be clear but it is clear.
Peach blossoms and red flowers fill the head, and the spring water of the Shu River beats the mountain streams.
Red flowers are prone to decay like Lang Yi, and infinite water flows like Nong Chou.
In front of the west gate of the city lies a pile of dust, which cannot be destroyed by waves every year.
Regretting that people’s hearts are not as good as stones, they often go back and forth when they are young.
Qutang is noisy with twelve beaches, and this road has been difficult since ancient times.
Everlasting hatred is not as good as water in people’s hearts, as it creates waves on the plain.
Liu Yuxi is known as the “Poet Hero” by later generations, and he is worthy of the word “Hero”. His firm optimism and persistent belief in life have never changed during his more than twenty years of exile. This is fully reflected in his poetry, such as this poem ‘Autumn Poems’:
Since ancient times, autumn has been melancholic and lonely. I say that autumn is better than spring.
A crane on the clear sky brings poetic emotions to the blue sky.
He firmly rejected the previous concept of autumn sadness, showing the vitality and vigor of autumn, and more importantly, showcasing his lofty spirit and noble sentiments.
For example, this song ‘Waves Washing Sand’:
Do not slander like deep waves, and do not move guests like sand sinking.
Although it’s hard to go through countless trials and tribulations, blowing away the wild sand leads to gold.
Although slander is like waves and migration is like sand, he firmly believes that true gold will always shine.
It was not until the second year of Baoli reign of Emperor Jingzong of Tang Dynasty (826 AD) that Liu Yuxi was summoned back to the court from his position as Governor of Hezhou. On the way back to Beijing, I met my long lost good friend Bai Juyi in Yangzhou. Thinking about Liu Yuxi’s 23 year exile, both of them were filled with emotions. At the banquet, Bai Juyi wrote a poem titled ‘Drunken Gift to Liu Twenty Eight’ as a gift to him, which included the sentence ‘I also knew that he was talented and talented, and had suffered too many setbacks in 23 years’, expressing sympathy and injustice towards Liu Yuxi’s plight. Liu Yuxi wrote a poem titled “To Pay Tribute to the Enjoyment of Yangzhou’s First Meeting at a Banquet” as a gift:
Bashan Chu River is desolate, abandoned for 23 years.
Nostalgic empty chanting and listening to flute music, flipping through the countryside like a rotten Ke person.
A thousand sails sail by the sunken boat, and ten thousand trees spring in front of the sick tree.
Today, listening to a song by Jun, I will temporarily rely on the spirit of drinking for a long time.
This is a famous poem by Liu Yuxi, which shows his broad mindedness towards the changes in the world and the rise and fall of officialdom, demonstrating a firm belief and optimistic spirit, while also implying the profound philosophy that new things will inevitably replace old things.
The poet has been exiled to the desolate area of Bashan and Chushui for twenty-three years. Now that I have returned, many of my old friends have passed away, and I can only recite the “Ode to the Flute” in vain to express my condolences. It feels like a world apart, and everything is completely different. He then compared himself to a sinking boat and a sick tree, with thousands of sails racing on the side of the sinking boat; In front of the sick tree, all trees are in spring. The poet, amidst his melancholy, displayed a considerable level of insight. He comforted Bai Juyi not to be sad about his loneliness and procrastination. He could face the changes in the world and the ups and downs of the officialdom with an open mind. The two lines of the poem “A thousand sails sail by the side of a sunken boat, and ten thousand trees spring in front of a sick tree” are vivid and often quoted by later generations, giving them new meanings and indicating that new things will inevitably replace old things. The last two lines of the poem indicate the purpose of rewarding Bai Juyi, demonstrating that he has not lost faith in life and expressing his desire and unwavering will to return to life.
