“There are endless trees on the road in Chang’an, only the weeping willow tubes are parting.” (Liu Yuxi’s “Nine Poems on Willow Branches”) The meaning of farewell is the most essential artistic feature of the willow image. There are countless good lines in ancient poetry and music that use the image of willows to express the feelings of parting. "The spring breeze knows how to avoid suffering, and does not send away the green willow branches." (Li Bai's "Lao Lao Pavilion") "Weicheng is lightly dusted by the rain, and the guest house is green and the willows are new. I urge you to drink another glass of wine, and the sunshine in the west has no old friends." (Wang Only "Send Yuan Er Envoy to Anxi") "The willows are springing at the head of the Yangtze River, and the poplar flowers are sad and kill the people crossing the river." (Zheng Gu's "Farewell to Friends on the Huaihe River") "Looking closely, it is not true. The poplar flowers are dotted, which are the tears of people leaving. "(Su Shi's "Water Dragon Song") "Sentiment has hurt parting since ancient times, and it is even more embarrassing to leave the Qingqiu Festival. Where can I wake up tonight, on the bank of willows, with the waning moon in the morning wind" (Liu Yong's "Yulin Ling") "It is difficult to grow a long willow tree. I wish I could catch the setting sun in the sparse forest." (Wang Shifu's "The Romance of the West Chamber") These beautiful words and sentences all use willows to express feelings and sentiments.
The image of willows is associated with farewell. First of all, it is because of the graceful and graceful posture of willows, gentle and affectionate. "In the past, I left, and the willows clung to them; now I come to think about them, and the rain and snow are falling." ("The Book of Songs") "Xiaoya Picking Wei") The willow's reluctance and people's reluctance to say goodbye are so harmonious that Liu Xie of the Southern Dynasty praised it in the article "Wen Xin Diao Long? Wu Se": "The burning peach blossom." "Fresh, Yiyi completes the appearance of willows." It is believed that "Yangliu Yiyi" vividly expresses the soft and beautiful state of willows, "using less to make more, leaving no trace of emotion." Starting from the source of the Book of Songs, the image of willows in Chinese classical poetry and music has become suggestive and inspiring.
Secondly, it is because the ancients had the custom of breaking off willows to say goodbye. It is said that "taking wine to say goodbye in spring, breaking willows is a sign of separation." This custom became especially popular in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, many people from Chang'an came to Baqiao to break willows to say goodbye. According to "Sanfu Huangtu": "Baqiao is a bridge across the water in the east of Chang'an. Han people see off guests on this bridge and break willows to say goodbye." This is the earliest record that breaking willows is closely related to saying goodbye. "The whisk is high and the dust is low on the dangerous building, how often the Ba Bridge climbs and folds. Thought is like a heartless tree. It doesn't know how to welcome people but only sends them away." (Pei said "Liu") "The willows in Ba Bridge and the pond in Qujiang should be waiting for people to come. "(Lu You's "Autumn Waves") "The willows are hanging green on the ground, and the willow branches are broken and the flowers are flying." (Anonymous "Farewell")
Thirdly, "Liu" and "Liu" are homophonic, and folding willows to see off has the meaning of soliciting your stay, expressing the feeling of being reluctant to leave. "The willows in the West City are making spring soft, and the tears are hard to hold back. I still remember the sentiments, and I once tied the boat back. What happened that day at the Zhuqiao Bridge in the blue field, no one saw it, and the water flowed empty." (Qin Guan's "Jiangchengzi")
Another point is that among the ancient songs there is the farewell song "Folding Willows". For example, there is the song "Folding Willows" in the Han Dynasty Yuefu "Horizontal Blowing Music". The Northern Dynasties folk song "Song of Folding Willows" contains the sentence "When you mount your horse without lifting the whip, you fold the willow branches instead." Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan's "Liangzhou Ci": "The Yellow River is far up among the white clouds, and the isolated city is surrounded by thousands of mountains. Why should the Qiang flute blame the willows, because the spring breeze does not reach Yumen Pass." The "yangliu" refers to the song "Breaking Willows". Li Bai's "Hearing the Flute in Luoyang City on a Spring Night" is even better: "The sound of someone's jade flute flies silently, spreading into the spring breeze and filling the city of Luoyang. Hearing the broken willows in this nocturne, who can't help but feel the love of his hometown."
"Hearing the sound of the flute arouses homesickness and worries about separation, why? It's all because the flute plays the song "Breaking Willows"!