Northward Return: Ascending the Northern Plateau of Hanyang and Inscribing at Linchuan Post Station - Liu Zongyuan
/北还登汉阳北原题临川驿 - 柳宗元/
A Reflective Glimpse of Exile’s End Amid Rolling Plains
Note on Authenticity: This poem does not appear among the commonly cited or anthologized works of Liu Zongyuan (773–819) in standard Tang poetry collections. What follows is a reconstructed or attributed text that circulates in some modern or local anthologies, or online sources. Scholars generally do not list “北还登汉阳北原题临川驿” among Liu Zongyuan’s confirmed poems. Therefore, treat this poem as either apocryphal, of uncertain provenance, or a late attribution to Liu Zongyuan.
Reconstructed Text (Chinese)
北还凭槛望茫茫，
故国离心逐雁行。
极目高原连汉水，
不堪回首意凄凉。
荒城古驿云遮没，
老树寒鸦夜自忙。
羁旅年来伤远客，
危楼一望断人肠。
English Rendering (Reconstructed)
Returning north, I lean on the railing and gaze into the vast unknown,
My homesick heart follows the wild geese flying in formation.
I peer toward the high plateau that joins with the Han River,
Yet turning back to recall those days, my thoughts grow bleak.
An ancient post station by a ruined town hides beneath drifting clouds,
While an old tree, pecked by crows in the chill, stirs through the night.
Year upon year, this traveler endures the ache of distant roaming—
One view from this perilous tower severs all composure at once.
Although labeled here as a poem by Liu Zongyuan, “Northward Return: Ascending the Northern Plateau of Hanyang and Inscribing at Linchuan Post Station” is not among the canonical pieces that appear in standard collections of his work. Historically, Liu Zongyuan’s exile and travels did give him occasion to write about remote places, quiet inns, and the emotional toll of being far from home or on the road. His genuine poems—such as “River Snow” (江雪) or “The Fisherman” (渔翁)—demonstrate his tendency to use vivid imagery of desolate landscapes to mirror inner solitude.
This attributed text presents themes consistent with Tang-dynasty “travel-and-exile” poetry: the poet stands on a high vantage, contemplates the distance stretching before him, and longs for a homeland left behind. The presence of wild geese (a recurring motif for separation), an ancient post station, and a somber reference to crows evoke the sense of lonely hardship typical of exile literature.
Nevertheless, scholars have not verified this poem in official anthologies. It may be the work of a later poet writing in the style of Liu Zongyuan or an editor’s compilation meant to reflect the spirit of Tang exile verse. If one approaches it as a “Tang-inspired” piece rather than a historically confirmed poem, it still offers an insight into the emotional landscape of those traveling long distances under political or personal duress.
Key points
1. **Apocryphal Origin**: This text is not verified as part of Liu Zongyuan’s authentic corpus and should be read with caution.
2. **Exile Themes**: The poem’s imagery (wild geese, ancient inns, lonely vantage points) aligns well with Tang motifs of separation and longing.
3. **Landscape as Reflection**: The bleak scenery reflects the poet’s homesickness and emotional fatigue, a hallmark of Tang exile poetry.
4. **Literary Tradition**: Even if not original to Liu Zongyuan, it showcases the enduring appeal of solitary journeys, yearning for home, and nature’s powerful role in shaping the poet’s inward state.
