[Poem] EIGHT TONES OF GANZHOU (FACING THE DRIZZLING EVENING RAIN) - A Landmark Ci Celebrating Sorrowful Parting and Autumn Imagery

“Eight Tones of Ganzhou (Facing the Drizzling Evening Rain)” by Liu Yong is a quintessential ci poem from the Northern Song Dynasty. Written to the tune “Ba Sheng Gan Zhou,” it deftly intertwines emotional yearning, landscapes marked by autumn’s chill, and the poet’s nostalgia for home.

The piece opens with a vivid scene: an evening rain, fine yet unrelenting, descends upon the vast Yangtze River and sky. Liu Yong describes how this shower “cleanses” the season, ushering in the crisp clarity of autumn. Such imagery of rain and frost underscores feelings of bleakness, even as it casts the scenery in a stark, haunting beauty. The poet repeatedly contrasts the once-vibrant colors of nature with their fading state, reflecting how the passage of time mirrors his own sense of loss.

The Yangtze appears as both a physical boundary and a silent witness to the poet’s internal landscape. Flowing “wordlessly” to the east, it symbolizes unstoppable change and the idea that, despite personal sorrows, the world continues on its course. In classical Chinese literature, large rivers often evoke notions of both separation and continuity, highlighting the poet’s helplessness in the face of time and distance.

Liu Yong then delves into the human side of this melancholic tableau, reflecting on his homeland, now far away. The phrase “I cannot bear to climb high” signifies that even the act of looking toward home becomes too painful—like an open wound that aches with every thought of returning. A deep longing for the beloved emerges as well: the imagined figure who, from her tower, mistakes distant sails for his boat. This misrecognition poignantly captures the heartbreak of separation, shared by both the traveler and those left waiting.

The poet’s emotional pivot occurs near the end: “How could she know…my mind is steeped in sorrow?” The line resonates universally, capturing the ache of those who yearn to be understood but remain apart. Ultimately, Liu Yong finds no easy solace in wine or merriment (common in other tang or song lyrics); instead, he grants the scene its full pathos. The lone consolation is that the poem itself stands as an outcry of feeling—a lament turned into art.

In the broader tradition of Song ci, Liu Yong was lauded for his ability to merge personal longing with panoramic backdrops. Here, the swirl of autumn drizzle, fading flowers, and the vast Yangtze transforms private sadness into a grand tapestry. The poem’s structure—divided between imagery-laden stanzas and the poet’s introspective musings—creates a multilayered reflection on human resilience amid unrelenting change.

Centuries after its composition, “Eight Tones of Ganzhou (Facing the Drizzling Evening Rain)” remains a benchmark for its balance of descriptive richness and raw emotion. It reveals how themes like exile, the passage of seasons, and longing for a distant love have enduring power. Liu Yong’s careful use of language—lyrical, layered, and at times stark—shapes a poetic experience in which each detail (the chill wind, the fading hue of leaves) resonates with the poet’s homesick soul. Ultimately, the poem stands as a testimony to the Song Dynasty’s mastery of ci poetry, blending refined musicality with deep-seated melancholy.