"Lovesickness" is a poem written by Wang Wei, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, who expresses his longing for lovesickness by chanting objects. This poem describes the feeling of lovesickness, but the whole poem is inseparable from Hongdou. It uses the name of lovesickness son to relate to the feeling of lovesickness. The first sentence describes the origin of red beans; the second sentence asks "How many branches are there?", the language is very simple, but also very vivid, asking about nature, it is secretly arousing feelings; the third sentence expresses the friend's "pick more", the words are here The intention is there; the last sentence points out the attribute of lovesickness, and uses the word "most" to push it to the extreme. The reason for "picking more" is self-evident, and the meaning it conveys is also deeply contained in it. The whole poem is extremely bright, yet euphemistic and implicit, with shallow language and deep emotion. It is said that it was composed and sung at that time and became popular in Jiangnan.

Name of the work: Acacia

Also known as the work: Xiangsizi, Jiang Shang presents Li Guinian

Era of creation: the prosperous Tang Dynasty

Source of the work : "Complete Poems of the Tang Dynasty"

Literary genre: Five-character quatrains

Author: Wang Wei

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Original text of the work

Acacia ⑴? Academician Zhao Xuanhuang’s regular script engraved stone rubbing "Acacia"

Red beans grow in the southern country ⑵, how many branches will grow in spring ⑶?

I hope you will pick more ⑷, this is the most lovesick ⑸.

Annotation and translation

Word and sentence annotation

⑴Lovesickness: The first title is "Lovesickness son", and the other is "Gift to Li Guinian from the river".

⑵ Red bean: also known as acacia, a plant that grows in the Jiangnan area. The seeds it produces are like peas, slightly flat and bright red.

⑶ "Spring is coming" sentence: One is "Autumn is coming and old branches are growing."

⑷ "I hope you" sentence: One is "I advise you to stop picking." Pick (xié): to pick.

⑸Acacia: missing.

Vernacular translation

The red bean tree grows in the south. How many new branches will it produce when spring comes? I hope you can pick more red beans, which can arouse people's longing.

Creative background

This poem is "Gift to Li Guinian on the River", which can be seen as a work in memory of a friend. According to records, during the Anshi Rebellion in the last years of Tianbao, Li Guinian sang this poem when he was living in the south of the Yangtze River, which proves that this poem was written during the Tianbao period.

Appreciation of Works

Literary Appreciation "Lovesickness" Poetry with Paintings This is a poem that expresses lovesickness by chanting objects, and is a work dedicated to a friend. The first sentence is inspired by things, and although the language is simple, it is full of imagination; the second sentence is a question, which expresses feelings meaningfully; the third sentence implies cherishing friendship. On the surface, it seems to be telling people to miss each other, but behind it, it deeply expresses the weight of one's own lovesickness; The last word is a pun, which not only hits the point of the topic, but also relates to the emotions. The writing is full of flowers and the song is touching. The mood of the whole poem is healthy and elegant, the thoughts are full and unrestrained, the language is simple and unpretentious, and the rhythm is harmonious and soft. It can be said to be a masterpiece of quatrains.

Red beans are produced in the south. They are firm, bright red and round, as crystal clear as coral. Southerners often use them in inlaid ornaments. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a woman who cried under a tree because her husband died in the border area. She died crying and turned into red beans, so people called her "Acacia Child". It is often used in Tang poetry to relate to the feeling of lovesickness. And "lovesickness" is not limited to the scope of love between men and women. Lovesickness also occurs between friends, such as Su Li's poem "It's hard for travelers to stay for a long time, and everyone talks about lovesickness". The title of this poem is "Giving Li Guinian to Li Guinian on the River", which shows that the poem expresses the emotion of missing a friend.

"Nanguo" (South) is both the place where red beans are produced and the place where friends are. The first sentence starts with "Red beans are born in the southern country", which secretly teases the lovesickness in the following text. The language is extremely simple and full of images. In the second sentence, "How many branches will spring send out?" I asked softly and naturally, and the tone of the message seemed particularly cordial. However, just asking how many red beans will sprout in spring has a profound meaning. This is to choose something full of sentiment to express your feelings. "Will the winter plum blossoms bloom in front of the beautiful window tomorrow?" (Wang Wei's "Miscellaneous Poems") The memory of the plum tree reflects Hakka's deep nostalgia. Likewise, the red beans here are a symbol of sincere friendship. Written in this way, I feel that the words are close and the feelings are far away, which makes people feel far away.

The third sentence then expresses the intention of the other party to "pick more red beans", which still means that the words are here and the intention is there. It is a common technique in classical poems to pick plants to express nostalgic emotions, such as in the ancient poem of the Han Dynasty: "Going across the river to pick hibiscus, there are many fragrant grasses in the orchids, who do you want to leave behind? What you are thinking of is far away" is an example. "May you pick more" seems to be saying: "When you see red beans, think of everything about me." It implies that distant friends cherish friendship, and the language is sincere and touching. Here we only express lovesickness to others, but our own lovesickness is hidden behind the words. The expression of feelings in this way is melodious and touching, and the language is sublime.

In the "Ten Thousand Tang Dynasty Quatrains" compiled by the Song Dynasty, the word "duo" in this sentence is "xiu". The use of the word "xiu" reflects the pain of separation, and the fear of lovesickness turns from lovesickness. Of course, it is also a human condition under certain circumstances. The word "many" expresses a passionate, passionate and passionate mood. This poem is high-spirited and true without compromising delicacy. It is closely related to the word "duo", so the word "duo" is better than the word "xiu". The title of the last sentence, "Lovesickness" echoes the word "Red Beans" in the first sentence. It is not only the name of Qie's "Lovesickness Son", but also relates to the feeling of lovesickness, which has a wonderful pun effect. "This thing is the most lovesick" is like saying: Only this red bean is the most lovable and the most unforgettable. This is a supplementary explanation for the reason why "I wish you to pick more". And readers can appreciate more things from the words. What the poet really cannot forget is self-evident. A high-level adverb of "most" has a profound meaning and adds more connotations to the pun.

The whole poem is filled with youthful enthusiasm and youthful atmosphere, full of feelings that are never expressed directly. Every sentence is inseparable from Hongdou, and it "transcends the outside of the image and captures the inner circle", conveying the feeling of lovesickness. The emotion is expressed so deeply. It is "completed in one breath and must be read in one breath". It is extremely bright, but also euphemistic and implicit. In life, the most affectionate words are often simple, natural and wonderful. Wang Wei is very good at refining this simple and typical language to express deep thoughts and feelings. Therefore, it is not surprising that this poem, with its shallow and profound lyrics, became a popular song at that time.