[Poem] FENG QI WU (STANDING BY THE TALL TOWER IN A GENTLE BREEZE) - A Look into Love’s Longing and Subtle Melancholy

“Feng Qi Wu (Standing by the Tall Tower in a Gentle Breeze)” by Liu Yong is an iconic ci (lyric) poem from the Northern Song Dynasty. The name “Feng Qi Wu” is the musical tune or melody to which these words were once performed—a practice common in classical Chinese poetry, where each poem was meant to harmonize with an existing tune.

Central to this poem is the theme of longing, expressed in exquisitely understated images of spring, twilight, and the speaker’s quiet solitude. From the first line, Liu Yong creates an atmosphere of hushed yearning: the speaker stands alone on a high tower, observing the gentle breeze and the fading light of day. In Chinese literature, towers or pavilions often serve as vantage points for contemplating the distance—both physical and emotional—that separates the speaker from a beloved or from the happiness they desire.

The phrase “the sorrow of spring” (春愁) is a staple of traditional Chinese poetry, evoking the wistful realization that the season of renewal also underscores human frailty and transient joys. This melancholic tinge is intensified by the merging shades of grass and mountain under the dimming sun. Liu Yong’s choice to emphasize silence in the line “Silent, who can understand this heart?” reflects a common motif in ci poetry: the speaker’s inner turmoil is set against a vast, impersonal landscape, making that yearning feel especially profound.

In the second half of the poem, the speaker contemplates alleviating sorrow through wine and song—a typical response in classical Chinese verse, where poetic gatherings often include a hint of inebriation as both artistic inspiration and emotional relief. However, Liu Yong undercuts this escape by noting the hollowness of forced revelry. Rather than delivering true solace, the act of drinking and singing only emphasizes the speaker’s underlying loneliness.

One of the most quoted lines from this poem is “衣带渐宽终不悔” (Though my belt grows looser, I do not regret). This vividly illustrates the speaker’s consuming passion, suggesting that physical decline—losing weight or becoming worn from heartache—is a price willingly paid for love. The concluding sentiment—“为伊消得人憔悴” (All for you, I willingly grow haggard)—solidifies the poem’s devotion, turning the speaker’s sorrow into an emblem of unwavering dedication. In many ways, it resonates with the broader tradition of romantic or courtly love lyrics in China, which often portrayed longing not simply as suffering but also as a testament to the depth of one’s feeling.

Throughout, Liu Yong’s language is refined, employing classic imagery—like delicate spring breezes, distant mountains, and lonely towers—that intensifies the poem’s emotional scope. This blend of nature, music, and personal reflection exemplifies the ci form, which evolved during the Song Dynasty into one of the pinnacles of Chinese literary expression. In Liu Yong’s hands, each phrase is carefully balanced to evoke both the loveliness of spring and the ache of separation, culminating in a poem that has long been cherished for its emotional resonance and melodic grace.

Even centuries later, “Feng Qi Wu” remains one of the most beloved examples of ci poetry, frequently studied and recited for its portrayal of romantic yearning. It underscores the universal nature of longing—how love can simultaneously be a source of profound beauty and heartfelt pain, and how the natural world can mirror our deepest desires and losses.