Speaking of Bai Juyi, many people will think of his famous long poem: "Long Hate Song".
The famous sentence in the poem, "In the heavenly wish to be compared to the winged bird, in the earth wish to be a lianli branch", has become a common sentence used by couples when they swear to the mountain alliance.
However, what many people don't know is that when Bai Juyi wrote this "Long Hate Song", he was 35 years old and not yet married. Moreover, "Long Hate Song" not only describes the love story of Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, Bai Juyi also hides his selfish heart.
In ancient times, most men were married when they were 16 years old, so why did Bai Juyi drag himself into an "older youth"? Who is he waiting for?
The unfortunate love between Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei described in "The Long Hate Song" may be an emotional portrayal of Bai Juyi.
When Bai Juyi was a teenager, he moved to Xuzhou with his parents. It was here that he met the four-year-old girl next door, Xiang Ling.
At that time, Bai Juyi was 11 years old and Xiang Ling was 7 years old.
The two play together all the time, inseparable.
The two grew up playing together, green plum bamboo horses.
Bai Juyi fell in love with Xiangling early on, and at the age of 16, he resolutely did not marry and waited for Xiangling to become an adult.
Xiang Ling was ignorant when he was young, and when he was 15 years old, his love sinus first opened, and he finally knew Bai Juyi's affection.
On Xiang Ling's 15th birthday, Bai Juyi wrote a poem for her, praising her like a heavenly immortal Chang'e:
Lou Ting fifteen victories over the Heavenly Immortals,
Daytime Chang'e dryland lotus.
Where to idle teach parrot language,
Before the bed under the screen window.
After Xiang Ling received this poem, he was very happy. These two innocent young girls understood each other's intentions in a smile. They are full of hope that they will eventually get married together and stay together for the rest of their lives.
However, the disparity between the two families is too great.
Bai Juyi was born in Xiangmendi, and his father Bai Jigeng served as the commander of Pengcheng County at that time, and was later promoted to Xuzhou Beichai (equivalent to vice governor).
Xiang Ling was only the daughter of a commoner at that time, so the marriage was blocked by Bai Juyi's mother.
At that time, marriage was the order of parents and the words of a matchmaker. His parents did not allow it, and Bai Juyi could not resist, but he was also unwilling to compromise.
Bai Juyi studied hard and prepared to take the examination while maintaining contact with Xiang Ling. Bai Juyi's mother was even more unaccustomed to it, and did not let go at all. His father, Bai Jigeng, was also an official outside the country and could not take care of this matter.
In this way, Bai Juyi reached the age of 27.
At that time, Xiang Ling did not marry, but she was already 23 years old. This age, when she was married at the age of 16, already belonged to the "older leftover women". It is hard to imagine how Xiang Ling resisted the pressure of her parents in an era when women generally had no personal freedom at that time.
This year, Bai Juyi was preparing to go to the capital to take the examination. He said to Xiang Ling, When I pass the exam, I will come back and marry you!"
When he left, he left a poem for Xiang Ling, showing his heart as always:
Fifteen is acquaintance, twenty-three this year.
It is like a female rosette, born on the side of the pine.
The short branches of the vine are bitter and high, and they cannot be returned to the top.
Everyone has a wish, and may it be fulfilled in heaven.
May you be a distant beast, walking shoulder to shoulder.
May it be a deep mountain tree, and the branches will be born.
In this poem, Bai Juyi constantly emphasizes his vow to spend the rest of his life hand in hand with Xiang Ling. The sentence "Willing to be a deep mountain tree, the branches and branches are even lisheng" was later used by him in the "Long Hate Song", written as "In the earth wish for lian Li zhi".
In the midst of all kinds of reluctance, Bai Juyi embarked on the road of examination, and it was two years after he went.
Fortunately, Bai Juyi passed the exam and became a jinshi.
Bai Juyi thought that after becoming a jinshi, his mother should not object to his marriage to Xiang Ling, right?
At that time, Xiang Ling was still unmarried. Bai Juyi knew that she was waiting for her!
Unfortunately, it backfired, and my mother still strongly opposed it.
In those days, the authority of parents and children could not be resisted, otherwise it was filial piety.
"Filial piety" was a great crime in the feudal era, especially for Confucian students who had gained meritorious names.
Bai Juyi was helpless and took up a position in Chang'an far away from home.
Even so, he remained in correspondence with Xiang Ling.
On the night of the winter solstice of a certain year, he couldn't sleep at all, turning over and over, and his mind was full of Xiang Ling's voice and smile.
He thought of Xiang Ling.
So he got up and wrote a poem called "Winter Solstice Night With Xiang Ling":
The quality is unattainable, and the cold is untouchable.
He Kan has been sleeping alone for the longest night.
The long night was long, remembering my sweetheart, I wanted to see it but couldn't see it, and Bai Juyi was extremely painful. Is Xiang Ling like himself? Thinking of this, he couldn't say anything more. The world is not free, and everywhere it is caged. The thoughts were painful, but he could only keep the pain in his heart.
In feudal times, he was powerless to resist. Therefore, he can only react passively, his mother will not let him marry Xiang Ling, then he will not marry anyone!
At this time, the difference in family background is no longer important, Bai Juyi's mother is more concerned about the fact that her son actually regards another woman as more important than herself! The more Bai Juyi did this, the more uncompromising she became, the more she did not let go.
At the age of 35, Bai Juyi wrote "Long Hate Song".
In heaven wish to be compared to the winged bird,
In the earth wish for the branches of the lianli.
The days go on and on and
This hatred is endless.
"Long Hate Song" is ostensibly a love story about Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, but in fact, behind it is a metaphor for the unfortunate love between himself and Xiang Ling.
In poetry, "Long Hate Song" is more like his inner true monologue.
At the age of 38, Bai Juyi still compromised. Because the mother was forced to die.
How could he bear it? With tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart, he could only promise his mother, who had white sideburns, and marry a woman who was also a family of officials and eunuchs.
He ruthlessly broke off contact with Xiang Ling. At that moment, he suddenly felt that his life had turned gray.
Seven years later, he was unjustly demoted to Sima of Jiangzhou.
It was on the way that he met Xiang Ling again.
At this time, Bai Juyi was 44 years old, and Xiang Ling was already 40 years old.
Xiang Ling still did not marry.
We can't imagine what kind of mood Bai Juyi was in at that time. He hugged Xiang Ling and cried bitterly at each other for a long time.
Bai Juyi once again wrote a poem for Xiang Ling:
I comb my white hair and add new hatred,
Jun sweeping moths to reduce the appearance of the old.
Should be grieve by the people,
Teenagers parted ways and met each other.
The years are merciless, and you and I are not the same as before. But the emotions are still so hot, still moving, and hurtful to the bone.
After this parting, Bai Juyi never saw Xiang Ling again.
At the age of 53, Bai Juyi returned to his childhood hometown. Xiang Ling's home has long since changed its appearance, and the people who miss him in his dreams have long since disappeared.