Lament for the Recluse Ma

韦庄Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

3.6

Word count: 3.4K words
Chapters: 48

Summary

Wei Zhuang (c. 836–c. 910), courtesy name Duanji, Han Chinese, was a native of Duling, Chang'an (near present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China). He was a poet and ci writer of the late Tang dynasty and served as chancellor of the Former Shu during the Five Dynasties period.

Editor's review

"Mourning the Recluse Ma" is a lament by the late Tang poet Wei Zhuang. Though brief, it typically embodies the deep feeling and clear, fluent language characteristic of Wei Zhuang's poetry. In plain strokes the poem commemorates a friend who lived in reclusion and declined office, weaving personal grief together with a sense of the era's turmoil and displacement. Reading it, one feels both the intimacy of private friendship and the spiritual atmosphere shared by late Tang literati. Wei Zhuang is best known for his ci, yet his poems also deserve close reading; this work remains restrained in its mourning, avoiding excess, and is all the more poignant for it. For readers familiar with Tang poetry, it can serve as an entry point into Wei Zhuang's poetic profile; for those encountering late Tang writing for the first time, its short length and clear meaning pose no obstacle. This standalone edition is easy to carry and to reread, suited to reading line by line in quiet moments and to appreciating the subtle, profound way the ancients expressed grief for a friend.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Lovers of classical literature interested in late Tang poetry who wish to broaden their reading
Primary and secondary school Chinese teachers seeking short classical poems for recitation or teaching
General readers who want to encounter classical poetry in spare moments and prefer brief works
Literature students researching Wei Zhuang and his work who need close reading of a single text

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting long narrative or plot-driven content
Readers who want a systematic survey of all Wei Zhuang's works but read only a single poem
Beginners unfamiliar with the feel of classical Chinese poetry who are unwilling to consult annotations

Reading tips

Read through once without worrying about full comprehension, then go line by line with the annotations to clarify words and allusions.
After reading, look into the late Tang background of Wei Zhuang's time to understand the era's mood behind the grief for a friend.
Read it alongside other Tang dynasty mourning poems to compare how different poets handle similar themes.
Try reading aloud to feel the rhythm and emotional pauses of the lines.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
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卷696_14【合欢莲花】韦庄
卷696_15【览萧必先卷】韦庄
卷696_16【和人岁宴旅舍见寄】韦庄
卷696_17【宿泊孟津寄三堂友人】韦庄
卷696_18【对酒赋友人】韦庄
卷696_19【天井关】韦庄
卷696_20【赠边将】韦庄
卷696_21【春日】韦庄
卷696_22【早秋夜作】韦庄
卷696_23【寄江南逐客】韦庄
卷696_24【冬夜】韦庄
卷696_25【又闻湖南荆渚相次陷没】韦庄
卷696_26【家叔南游却归因献贺】韦庄
卷696_27【楚行吟】韦庄
卷696_28【洛阳吟（时大驾在蜀，巢寇未平，洛中寓居作七言）】韦庄
卷696_29【过旧宅】韦庄
卷696_30【喻东军】韦庄
卷696_31【清河县楼作】韦庄
卷696_32【北原闲眺】韦庄
卷696_33【赠戍兵】韦庄
卷696_34【睹军回戈】韦庄
卷696_35【中渡晚眺】韦庄
卷696_36【河内别村业闲题】韦庄
卷696_37【闻官军继至未睹凯旋】韦庄
卷696_38【和集贤侯学士分司丁侍御秋日雨霁之作】韦庄
卷696_39【题安定张使君】韦庄
卷696_40【颍阳县】韦庄
卷696_41【寄园林主人】韦庄
卷696_42【洛北村居】韦庄
卷696_43【对梨花赠皇甫秀才】韦庄
卷696_44【立春】韦庄
卷696_45【村笛】韦庄
卷696_46【题李斯传】韦庄
卷696_47【赠薛秀才】韦庄
卷696_48【和元秀才别业书事】韦庄
卷696_49【纪村事】韦庄
卷696_50【题许仙师院】韦庄
卷696_51【离筵诉酒】韦庄
卷696_52【不寐】韦庄
卷696_53【赠武处士】韦庄
卷696_54【题吉涧卢拾遗庄】韦庄
卷696_55【题颍源庙】韦庄
卷696_56【东游远归】韦庄
卷696_57【新正日商南道中作寄李明府】韦庄
卷696_58【春暮】韦庄

FAQ

Does this book contain only one poem? Is it worth buying on its own?

According to the materials, "Mourning the Recluse Ma" is a single poem by Wei Zhuang, published in this edition by Nanhai Publishing House. Whether it suits you depends on your needs: if you want to focus on one poem for repeated reading, teaching, or collecting, a standalone edition is convenient; if you want a comprehensive understanding of Wei Zhuang, it is best read together with a selected edition of his poems and ci.

Can I understand this poem without knowing late Tang history?

You can grasp the basic emotional thread. Mourning poems center on remembering a friend, and the emotional line is relatively direct. However, the sense of drifting and displacement common among late Tang literati permeates the lines; some prior knowledge of the social turmoil of the late Tang will deepen your understanding, but it is not a prerequisite for reading.

Wei Zhuang is known for his ci; are his poems worth reading?

Wei Zhuang is indeed famous for his ci and is ranked alongside Wen Tingyun, but he was also an important late Tang poet, with a clear, spare style and genuine feeling. Reading his poems helps one understand the full scope of his literary achievement and see how he brought the delicate touch of his ci into poetic expression, offering a reference point for understanding the transition in literature from the late Tang to the Five Dynasties.

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About the author

韦庄 Author

Wei Zhuang was an important ci poet of the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, though reliable public sources provide very limited detail about his life; his birth and death years, native place, and official career are all undocumented. The collection contains twelve of his works, including editions related to Huajian ji, Lidai Mingjia Ciji, and the two-volume Classical Poetry's Mood and Rhyme: Xiaoshan Ci + Huajian ji, indicating a close connection between his writing and the compilation of ci anthologies and books of poetic appreciation. Other titles such as Xin Chou Nian, Fan Poyang Hu, Qi Cai Jian Ge, and Ku Ma Chushi touch on dating and reflection, travel scenery, literati life, and mourning a friend, showing considerable thematic range. Overall, Wei Zhuang's writing is chiefly poetry and ci, marked by clear and natural language and restrained, deeply felt emotion; he often lodges profound feelings in ordinary scenes and personal experience, and his influence on later ci composition and the literati style has been lasting.