Ascending Yueyang Tower - Du Fu
/登岳阳楼 - 杜甫/
Reflections on Separation and the Vastness of Nature
昔闻洞庭水，
I once heard of the waters of Lake Dongting,
今上岳阳楼。
Now I ascend Yueyang Tower.
吴楚东南坼，
Where Wu and Chu divide in the southeast,
乾坤日夜浮。
The universe drifts day and night.
亲朋无一字，
No word comes from friends or kin,
老病有孤舟。
Old and ill, I have only a lonely boat.
戎马关山北，
Warhorses roam north of the border passes,
凭轩涕泗流。
Leaning on the railing, tears freely flow.
In “Ascending Yueyang Tower,” Du Fu expresses both personal and national concerns. The famous Tang Dynasty poet, often referred to as the 'Poet Sage,' composed this poem during a tumultuous period marked by widespread conflict and separation. By describing the sweeping view from the Yueyang Tower overlooking Lake Dongting, he contrasts the natural grandeur of the setting with his own emotional turmoil. The division of Wu and Chu in the southeast suggests political fragmentation, reflecting the social unrest of the time. Meanwhile, Du Fu’s isolation, underscored by his poor health and the absence of messages from loved ones, conveys an intimate sorrow. The lonely boat becomes a symbol of his sense of drifting, as if cast adrift in life’s uncertainties without the comfort of friends and family. The final image of warhorses roaming far away, coupled with the tears on the tower’s railing, poignantly evokes a profound longing for peace and reunion. Throughout the poem, Du Fu weaves together the vastness of nature, the weight of personal afflictions, and concerns for a nation in strife, showcasing his nuanced understanding of the human condition. His verse invites readers to pause and reflect on how external troubles can echo and amplify internal aches. Even centuries later, this poem remains a timeless depiction of longing, vulnerability, and the hope for resolution.
Key points
Du Fu balances personal sorrow with broader social concerns, using vivid imagery to convey both internal and external turmoil. The poem’s setting emphasizes how nature’s vastness can both comfort and underscore feelings of isolation. Ultimately, it reminds us that in times of turmoil, longing for peace and connection resonates through every aspect of life.
