再授连州至满州隔岭赠同院诸公 - 刘禹锡
Reappointed to Lianzhou and Onward to Manzhou Across the Ridge, Presented to My Colleagues - Liu Yuxi
A Poignant Farewell Winding Over Mountain Paths
【Original Text / Chinese】
再授连州至满州隔岭赠同院诸公
一官方复两情违，
隔岭风烟客路微。
此去知音同院在，
千峰万壑共依依。
【English Translation】
Upon reappointment to Lianzhou, yet our two hearts part;
Beyond the ridge, wind and mist shroud a wanderer’s road.
Departing now, I know dear friends remain in our shared hall;
Across a thousand peaks and myriad valleys, we cling to each other in memory.
再授连州至满州隔岭赠同院诸公
一官方复两情违，
隔岭风烟客路微。
此去知音同院在，
千峰万壑共依依。
【English Translation】
Upon reappointment to Lianzhou, yet our two hearts part;
Beyond the ridge, wind and mist shroud a wanderer’s road.
Departing now, I know dear friends remain in our shared hall;
Across a thousand peaks and myriad valleys, we cling to each other in memory.
In this poem, Liu Yuxi addresses his reappointment to a post in Lianzhou (连州) and subsequent travels onward to Manzhou (满州) across mountainous terrain. The poem is dedicated to his colleagues still serving in the same office or ‘institute’ (同院). While historical details on this specific reappointment are sparse, the verses speak volumes about the poet’s emotional landscape.
The opening line highlights how Liu Yuxi has regained an official position—“一官方复” (a new appointment is secured)—but simultaneously experiences sorrow at parting (“两情违”). This tension between professional duty and personal feeling resonates throughout his work, reflecting the common Tang Dynasty reality of shifting posts and forced separations among scholar-officials.
In the second line, the ridge’s ‘wind and mist’ symbolize the uncertainty and difficulty of travel in a remote, rugged setting. This imagery also underscores the poet’s sense of isolation: though physically crossing over a mountain pass, he is also entering a new chapter in his life, separated from familiar faces and comforts.
The poem’s third line expresses a moment of consolation: “此去知音同院在” (Going away, I know my kindred spirits remain in the same hall). Even if he cannot stay, the fellowship they once shared continues to bind them, transcending physical distance. In the classical Chinese worldview, the notion of ‘知音’ (kindred spirits) refers to those who truly understand one’s heart and aspirations.
The final line broadens the scope, evoking a sweeping landscape of “千峰万壑” (a thousand peaks and myriad valleys). This hyperbolic phrase not only conveys the enormity of the terrain he must traverse but also the depth of the poet’s longing. The slightly archaic phrase “共依依” suggests a wistful clinging or fondness—an emotional bond persisting despite the separation.
Taken together, the poem balances the practical realities of official duty—being ‘reappointed’ and thus obliged to move—and the poignant personal cost of leaving friends behind. Liu Yuxi’s characteristic blend of crisp natural imagery with understated but resonant emotion is fully present here. He captures how physical distance need not obliterate personal connection; rather, shared memories and mutual understanding can traverse even the highest ridges.
Throughout his career, Liu Yuxi often grappled with exile, demotion, and reassignments. These experiences shaped his poetic voice, rendering it both reflective and resilient. “Reappointed to Lianzhou and Onward to Manzhou Across the Ridge, Presented to My Colleagues” stands as a testament to the importance of camaraderie in uncertain times. It also reminds us how journeys—literal or metaphorical—can be tinged with both promise and regret, as one chapter ends and another begins.
Key points
• Highlights the tension between duty (a new post) and the heartache of leaving friends.
• Uses mountain imagery—fog, ridges, countless peaks—to symbolize both physical and emotional distance.
• Emphasizes the strength of fellowship (知音) that endures despite separation.
• Exemplifies Liu Yuxi’s blend of concise natural scenery and wistful reflection, characteristic of late Tang poetry.
Comments
Solar PrismA hush of resilient spirit unfolds in each line, as though every step deeper into exile stirs a quiet boldness.
CometRangeIt’s not a dramatic saga of protest or despair, but a polite acceptance that beyond the hills, life endures, shaped by the quiet warmth of kindred spirits who share the same route.
Dark ArrowShort and vivid: reading it evokes both the sting of distance and the poet’s subtle resolve to endure.
Sly WeaselI sense a mild tension behind the quiet tone—like the poet stands on a threshold of unknown obstacles, yet remains resolved to face them with humility, trusting in new friendships to see him through.
Cyber DreamLong comment: the poem stands as a mild defiance of adversity. Liu Yuxi, once again grappling with re-assignment, sees no reason to sink into bitterness. Instead, he acknowledges that each new outpost or distant station can harbor a sense of community for those who remain steadfast in purpose. By saluting the “诸公” traveling alongside him, he invests his exile with a certain dignity, framing hardship less as a personal burden and more as a journey enriched by friendship. In an age where forced or unexpected relocations often upend lives, the poet’s calm approach resonates: forging fellowship can soften the rough edges of displacement, transforming isolated ridges and valleys into spots of quiet solidarity. Ultimately, the poem’s hush reveals Liu Yuxi’s unwavering optimism that even when parted from familiar haunts, one can still find warmth and meaning in each step deeper into unknown hills, trusting in camaraderie to brighten the winding roads ahead.
Fierce Red TigerA modern parallel emerges when we see colleagues relocated to distant offices, forced to adjust to unfamiliar environments. That same sense of uneasy transition echoes in this poem, underscored by the poet’s reliance on fellowship and steadfast optimism to navigate new terrain.
Calm Green Bee PitThere’s a gentle warmth woven into the poem, suggesting that friendships forged in difficult moments can ignite a lasting sense of camaraderie.
MagnetoPulShort note: it’s as if each pass traveled or ridge crossed fuels a small spark of resilience, softly urging the poet onward.
Mystic KnightAnother modern echo arises in stories of remote tech teams bridging thousands of miles. Like Liu Yuxi’s journey across ridges, such employees adapt to new terrain—digital in this case—leaning on each other’s support as they navigate uncharted territory.
FrostByteXSometimes I’m reminded of people who face job relocations abroad, forming close bonds with others in the same predicament. The poem’s mild sense of challenge and quiet reassurance rings true for modern professionals supporting one another in unfamiliar locales.
Celestial Cyber PulseMiddle reflection: you sense Liu Yuxi grappling with the challenges of traveling across rough terrain, yet a calm acceptance breathes through each verse, as though each mountain ridge only deepens his commitment to cherish true companionship. The poem becomes a subdued hymn to perseverance—no flourish of complaint, just a hushed determination to find meaning in adversity, drawing on the fellowship of colleagues who share the journey. It’s a reminder that hardship can galvanize bonds, forging quiet but powerful unity among those who face the same trials.
CyberFalcoShort but promising: each line underscores that though the path is steep, fellowship and perseverance can transform a daunting climb into an unspoken vow of unity.
Cosmic Electric PulseShort reflection: each phrase brims with measured resilience, turning an otherwise daunting exile into a testament of how calm hearts and supportive peers can anchor hope in uncertain conditions.
Lunar FalconThere’s a subdued dignity in every line, as if Liu Yuxi refuses to let isolation define him. Instead, the poem clings to the hope that a journey among friends can lighten the weight of exile.
Galactic Neon OrbitComparing it with Liu Yuxi’s ‘秋词(其一),’ which vibrates with a surprising positivity about seasonal shifts, here the poet likewise refuses gloom despite re-assignment. Both poems highlight his inclination to find, in each new challenge or season, an impetus for calm courage and unwavering grace.
