The Tang Dynasty was a golden age of poetry in terms of the poets it produced, the masterpieces it created, and how poetry influenced various aspects of life. Among the many fascinating stories from this period are those of poetry facilitating love and marriage. Some tales tell of palace maidens finding husbands through poems, and in the world beyond the palace walls, women would write poems to rekindle lost love or save their marriages.
Poetry sewn into a jacket
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, palace maidens were tasked with sewing padded jackets for soldiers stationed at the frontiers. One soldier found a poem sewn into his jacket, which read:
On the battlefield, weary and cold, and sleepless nights
This coat, sewn by my hands, whose body will it warm
With each stitch, I pour my heart into the thread
If this life passes us by, may our love be reborn in the next
The soldier shared the poem with his commander, who presented it to the emperor. Moved by the poem, Xuanzong summoned all the palace maidens and promised that no harm would come to the author if she revealed herself. One maiden stepped forward, admitting it was her work. The emperor arranged for her to marry the soldier who had found her poem. “I have allowed your love to blossom in this lifetime,” he said, and news of this act touched the hearts of soldiers at the frontiers, who were brought to tears.
The golden key
In another tale, during the reign of Emperor Xizong, palace maidens again sewed coats for soldiers. A soldier named Ma Zhen discovered a golden key and a poem in his coat:
Through long nights by the candle’s flame, this coat was made
My hands are cold from cutting with scissors
I send this golden key to a distant stranger
With my heart remaining locked forever
Unsure of its significance, Ma Zhen tried to sell the golden key at a market. Word reached the authorities, and the poem was reported to the emperor. Emperor Xizong summoned Ma Zhen and arranged for the palace maiden who had written the poem to marry him. Ma Zhen later became a loyal guard to the emperor, protecting him day and night.
The portrait
Local officials treated a man named Nan Chucai so well while traveling through Chen Ying that he lost all desire to return home. His wife, Xue Yuan, painted a portrait of herself and wrote a poem:
Before I take up the paint brush
I gaze at my reflection in the mirror
My face has grown pale
My hair has lost its luster
Tears smear my vision as I paint
My heart’s sorrow is beyond my portrait
Might you forget me, I fear
Here is my painting as a remembrance
When the poem and painting reached Nan Chucai, he was so moved that he returned home immediately. The couple stayed close together, growing old in each other’s arms.
A poem in the shape of a tortoise
During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, General Zhang Kui was stationed at the border for 10 years, with no prospect of returning home. His wife, Lady Hou, embroidered a poem in the shape of a tortoise and presented it to the court. The poem read:
Ten long autumns we’ve been apart
Too sad to face the mirror and dress again
I am writing to you many letters as the wild geese fly by
Preparing your winter clothes when the frost appears
Shedding tears each time I open the chest
Dusting and folding your clothes breaks my heart
I offer this embroidered tortoise to the emperor
Hoping to bring my beloved back home soon
Emperor Wuzong, deeply touched by the poem, allowed Zhang Kui to return home and rewarded Lady Hou with many gifts to honor her talent and devotion to her husband.
Children
In another story, Yan Guanfu’s wife, Shen, was sent back to her family because she had not borne any children. Heartbroken, she wrote this poem:
Once our hearts were deeply entwined
But now it is scattered like clouds and rain
As I sail away alone
How agonizing to face the Mount of Longing-for-Husband
Her poem moved Yan Guanfu so much that he brought her back home, and they reconciled, living together in harmony once again.
These stories of love and marriage in the Tang Dynasty, bound together by poetry, serve as timeless reminders of the power of words to touch the heart and transform lives.
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