"Farewell to Yang's Daughter" by Wei Yingwu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, the original poem is as follows
The days are long and the days are long, and the journey is leisurely. The woman is on her way now, sailing up the river in a light boat.
You are suffering and have no one to rely on, and caring about you will make you kind and gentle. The young are nurtured by the elders, and the two of them cry endlessly when they say goodbye.
This is a knot in the intestines, and it is difficult to leave it behind. I have been taught internally since I was a child, and things have made me worried.
Reizto Lingmen is a man of nobility. Poverty, frugality, and sincerity are all things that matter, but how can you wait for the Zhou Dynasty?
Be filial, respectful and obedient to women, be tolerant and obedient. Farewell this morning, see you in what autumn.
I start to take care of myself when I am free, but I suddenly feel hard to accept. When I return, I see a young girl with no tears left.
Translation:
I am depressed and sad all day long, and my daughter is about to get married in a distant place. Today she was going to travel far to be a bride and take a boat up the river. Your sister has experienced the pain of losing her mother since she was a child. Thinking of this, I will raise you with double kindness. My younger sister has been raised entirely by her older sister since she was a child. Today, the two of them broke down in tears as they said goodbye. Faced with this situation, I feel depressed inside. It’s hard for me to stay when I marry you as a female college student.
You have lacked the teachings of a loving mother since you were a child, and serving your mother-in-law worries me. Fortunately, you rely on your husband's good family background, trust and compassion, and don't find fault with your faults. I have always advocated poverty and frugality. How can a dowry be comprehensive and generous? I hope you will respect your elders and observe women's ethics, and your appearance and behavior should be in line with the trend.
We, father and daughter, are about to say goodbye this morning. I don’t know when we will see you again. When you are at home, sadness can be relieved by itself, but the sentimental emotions of parting are hard to control. When I returned home and saw a lonely little girl, tears of sadness rolled down my hatband.
Extended information
"Send Off Yang's Daughter" is a poem about sending off a daughter to get married and expressing her sad farewell feelings. The poet lost his wife in his early years, leaving two daughters to depend on each other. When the eldest daughter gets married, she is given numerous warnings as she is sent away; she is pitied for her defenselessness and given repeated admonitions. This poem is written with true feelings and sincere words. The lines are full of tears, sad and sorrowful. It is simple and unpretentious, and the feelings of flesh and blood are vividly expressed on the page.
Creative background
The poet lost his wife in his early years, leaving two young daughters to depend on each other. The relationship between father and daughter is quite deep. At this time, the husband's family that the eldest daughter was going to marry was far away, so on the occasion of parting, her heart was naturally filled with sadness. However, it is only natural for a daughter to get married. Before leaving, the poet gave numerous instructions and earnest warnings: to observe etiquette, filial piety, and to be diligent and thrifty in running the house. His sincere feelings are beyond words.
About the author
Wei Yingwu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. A native of Jingzhao Chang'an (now Xi'an, Shaanxi). When he was young, he used San Weilang as Xuanzong's personal attendant, going in and out of the palace and traveling with his retinue. During the reigns of Emperor Daizong and Dezong of the Tang Dynasty, he served successively as the Prime Minister of Luoyang, the Gongcao of Jingzhao Prefecture, the Magistrate of E County, the Yuanwai Lang of Bibu, the Governor of Chuzhou and Jiangzhou, the Langzhong of Zuosi, and the Governor of Suzhou. In his later life, he was known as Wei Jiangzhou, Wei Zuosi or Wei Suzhou.
His poems are famous for describing pastoral scenery, with beautiful scenery, profound feelings, simple language, fresh, natural and full of business. Together with Wang Wei, Meng Haoran and Liu Zongyuan, he is also known as "Wang Meng Wei Liu". His handed down works include "Wei Suzhou Collection" and so on.