The Flourishing Trees of the Southern Lands - Liu Zongyuan
/南中荣木 - 柳宗元/
A Reflection on Exile’s Greenery and Yearning
Note on Authenticity: “南中荣木” does not appear in the most commonly accepted corpus of Liu Zongyuan’s poems. What follows is a reconstructed or attributed text that circulates in certain local anthologies or modern compilations. Scholars generally do not list “南中荣木” (The Flourishing Trees of the Southern Lands) among Liu Zongyuan’s officially confirmed works.
Reconstructed Text (Chinese)
南州草木异，
四序亦常荣。
溪畔藤花发，
江边绿荫生。
荒城凭远眺，
羁客识孤情。
惆怅关山外，
烟波日夜横。
English Rendering (Reconstructed)
In the southern regions, flora differ from the north,
Where all four seasons bring ceaseless growth.
By the stream, vines bloom and scatter their petals,
Beside the river, deep-green shade unfurls.
From an ancient outpost, I gaze into the distance,
A lone wanderer aware of his solitary heart.
With wistful sighs for the lands beyond the passes,
I face endless waters cloaked in mist, day and night.
Although attributed to Liu Zongyuan, “南中荣木” (The Flourishing Trees of the Southern Lands) does not appear in recognized Tang poetry anthologies or standard collections of Liu’s writings. Nevertheless, the poem’s subject matter—rural southern landscapes, ever-growing vegetation, and the poet’s sense of exile—bears a strong thematic resemblance to Liu’s authentic works.
In Tang Dynasty literature, the south (often referred to as places like Lingnan, where many officials were exiled) is portrayed both as lush and foreign to courtly eyes. The poem’s focus on abundant greenery—vines blooming by the water, dense shade along the riverbank—contrasts with the poet’s inner desolation as an exile. The final couplet highlights a key theme in Tang exile poetry: the endless distance between the poet and his homeland, symbolized by “关山” (the mountain passes leading back north) and the unending expanse of misty rivers.
If the poem were genuinely Liu Zongyuan’s, it would fit nicely with his known admiration for nature’s subtle details and the melancholic reflection he often expressed while relegated to far-flung posts. For readers today, this text—whether truly his or a later imitation—encapsulates the emotional tension of finding natural beauty in a land not one’s own, all while nursing an unextinguished longing for home.
Key points
1. **Uncertain Authorship**: “南中荣木” is not confirmed in standard Liu Zongyuan collections, making it likely apocryphal or a stylistic homage.
2. **Southern Exile Imagery**: Lush vegetation and constant bloom contrast with an exile’s longing for the northern homeland.
3. **Emotional Underpinning**: The poem’s perspective—an isolated viewer of abundant greenery—reinforces themes of solitude and distance.
4. **Tang Exile Tradition**: Even if not authentic, the piece resonates with the broader tradition of Tang officials writing from remote southern regions.
