Youzhou tower
Author Chen Ziang, Tang Dynasty.
No one can see the ancient wisdom of the ancient king, only those wise men who can't see the afterlife can see it.
I think of heaven and earth, there is no limit, there is no end, I am alone, tears fell down!
Translation:
We can't see the ancient holy king who accepted talents, nor can we see the wise king who was thirsty for talents in later generations.
Only the boundless world is so sad that I can't stop crying!
Creation background
This poem was written in the first year of Wu Zetian's longevity (696). Chen Ziang is a scholar with political knowledge and talent. He is outspoken and dares to protest. He often criticized many disadvantages of Wuhou dynasty, which was not adopted by Wu Zetian and was imprisoned for "betraying the party". His political ambition was not realized, but was hit, which made him very depressed.
In the first year of Long Live Tian Tong, Li Dezhong and Sun Wanrong, the Khitans, captured Yingzhou. Wu Zetian appointed Wu Yousi to lead the army to conquer, and Chen Ziang served as a staff officer in Wu Yousi's shogunate and went out with the army. Wu Youyi is reckless and has no strategy. In the second year, defeat was imminent. He asked to send 10 thousand men as pioneers to attack the enemy, but Wu refused.
Later, Chen Ziang talked to Wujin again, refused to listen, and reduced him to sergeant. The poet suffered setbacks one after another and his ambition to serve the country was shattered. So, he boarded Jibei Tower and wrote poems such as Youzhou Tower and Qiu Ji's Seven Visits to Ancient Times for Lu Jushi's Tibetan Use.