[Poem] SONG OF THE GILT-BRONZE IMMORTAL LEAVING THE HAN - A Brief Look at Li He’s ‘Song of the Gilt-Bronze Immortal’

“Song of the Gilt-Bronze Immortal Leaving the Han” (《金铜仙人辞汉歌》) is among the most evocative works by Tang dynasty poet Li He. Through a sequence of vivid, dreamlike images—ranging from imperial palaces and mythic beasts to drifting autumn leaves—the poem intertwines the grandeur of courtly life with a haunting sense of ephemerality.

**Setting and Symbolism**

Li He situates the reader in a twilight world of shifting sights and sounds, where reality bleeds into myth. The title’s reference to a ‘gilt-bronze immortal’ alludes to legendary statues or guardians within the Han imperial realm—figures representing divine protection or supernatural power. By personifying this immortal statue as taking leave of the emperor, Li He suggests the fading of an era’s glory, as though the spell that once sustained the empire’s magnificence has begun to dissolve.

Throughout the poem, Li He deftly employs place names—Maoling, Wu palace, Yan Terrace, Taihang—to invoke a storied geography. Each reference carries its own cultural resonances: Maoling was the mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Han, a symbol of imperial might; Wu conjures images of the ancient state in southeastern China, renowned for its refined culture and enthralling music. By bridging these realms with magical or mythical elements (slaying water dragons, jeweled maids, chariots of seven perfumes), the poet combines the historical with the fantastical, pulling the reader into an otherworldly tapestry.

**Atmosphere and Imagery**

From the opening lines, the poem features crisp autumn air and the persistent sense of imminent departure. ‘In Maoling, Liu the young man is but an autumn wanderer’ casts the speaker (or a half-imagined protagonist) as a transient figure, one who is destined to drift. Horses’ neighs vanish by dawn, linking the shifting of night to day with the fleeting nature of mortal journeys.

The grandeur of the imperial palaces—‘thirty-six palace courts’—contrasts with the sense of detachment in the lines that follow. We see images of martial prowess (an official hunting mythical beasts) placed side by side with delicate scenes of courtly leisure (drums and zither music). The poem moves effortlessly between high drama and hushed pathos, illustrating a layered world in which the boundaries between celebration and sorrow, triumph and decline, blur.

**Themes of Transience and Change**

Though Li He revels in dazzling spectacle, the prevailing mood is one of transience. In the Tang period, references to autumn often signaled both transformation and the pangs of nostalgia. The ‘paulownia leaves yellow’ near the ‘golden well’ accentuate how quickly splendor yields to decay. Even the unstoppable approach of frost at night underscores how grandeur fades under the weight of time and fate.

The key motif—‘Who could foresee that one horse would not return at night? / The gilded bronze immortal at last departs the Han emperor’—further heightens this sense of impermanence. By pairing the unexplained disappearance of a horse with the immortal’s dramatic exit, the poem evokes a cosmic shift, as if protective forces (or illusions of them) have abandoned the realm.

**Stylistic Hallmarks**

Li He’s style is famously dense with unexpected leaps and abrupt transitions, giving his poetry a dreamlike intensity. He piles on references—some historical, some mythological, others purely imaginary—to immerse readers in a world that is both vivid and elusive. His lines often travel from quiet, reflective moments to scenes of action or grandeur, producing a kaleidoscopic reading experience.

In this particular poem, the poet’s fascination with color and sensory detail is evident. Gold and silver accents, purple-tipped horse manes, and perfumed chariots all heighten the sense of decadent wonder, even as the undertone of autumn gloom reminds us that such beauty is fragile.

**Cultural Resonances**

“Song of the Gilt-Bronze Immortal Leaving the Han” captures a mood of lament for lost or fading glory—a theme dear to the hearts of many Tang dynasty poets who wrestled with the legacy of previous imperial triumphs. The mention of the Han emperor draws attention to the revered past; by Li He’s time, the Tang court saw itself as the continuation of the best traditions of ancient China. The poem thus hints at cyclical patterns: the powerful rise and then, like fleeting specters, slip away.

Furthermore, the poem’s union of martial imagery (hunting dragons, tall war-horses) with refined art (jade zither, perfumed carriages) reflects the Tang ideal: a cultured warrior-sage or a harmonious court that balances might with elegance. Li He’s stance, however, is ironic. Rather than celebrate the apex of empire, he implies that such height is fragile. One night, one season, can change everything.

**Enduring Appeal**

Modern readers continue to find this poem compelling for its blending of majestic pageantry and underlying melancholy. The dazzling illusions of palace life, tinged by unstoppable autumn and the sudden departure of the poem’s titular immortal, remind us of life’s ephemeral truths. Empires, alliances, and even the arts themselves carry no guarantee of permanence.

Li He’s singular poetic voice—mysterious, allusive, and visually arresting—makes “Song of the Gilt-Bronze Immortal Leaving the Han” a prime example of Tang lyricism at its most atmospheric. It resonates as both an enchanting literary artifact and a cautionary meditation on how quickly grandeur can slip into memory.