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A Poem of Spring Rain: The Patriot and the Melancholy of the Raindrops

The season is "Kokuu" (Grain Rain). It is a time of year when the blessed spring rains fall, nourishing the crops and urging the plants to sprout.

Today, I would like to introduce an evocative poem that perfectly captures this season, written by Lu You, a renowned poet of the Southern Song dynasty. This is a verse he composed while listening to the sound of spring rain at a certain inn.

"First Clearing of Spring Rain in Lin'an" by Lu You

世味年來薄似紗 (The ways of the world have grown thin as gauze in recent years.) 誰令騎馬客京華 (Who caused me to ride a horse and be a traveler in the capital?) 小樓一夜聽春雨 (In a small upper room, all night long, I listened to the spring rain;) 深巷明朝賣杏花 (Tomorrow morning, from the deep alleys, I will hear the selling of apricot flowers.)

The author, Lu You, was a poet who survived an incredibly harsh era.

It was a tumultuous time when the northern half of China was lost to the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty, forcing a retreat to the south to establish the Southern Song. Throughout his life, Lu You adamantly advocated for the use of military force to reclaim his lost homeland. However, due to his conflicts with the pacifist faction within the government, he was repeatedly demoted and banished to the provinces—hardships that are reflected in this very poem.

Perhaps that is why his poetry, trembling with emotion as he listened to the spring rain, continues to deeply resonate with our hearts even now, nearly a thousand years later.

It is said that he left behind over 10,000 poems during his lifetime. In addition to his brave and patriotic verses lamenting the fate of his nation, he also wrote many gentle poems depicting everyday scenery and the quiet acceptance of old age.

When I view this poem and his life through the lens of the modern day, I cannot help but think of countries currently suffering the ravages of war, such as Ukraine and Iran.

I am by no means saying this out of political criticism toward Israel, the United States, or Russia. Rather, when I purely reflect on the "sorrow of having one's homeland stolen," I am left with the profound thought that humanity has repeated these same mistakes and tragedies time and time again throughout history.

To the people of Ukraine, and to the people of Iran: I pray that, just like Lu You, you will never lose your love for poetry, song, and beautiful landscapes, and that culture and art will continue to quietly stand by your side in your daily lives.