The Significance of Willow in Ancient China

3. Willows fold willows to bid farewell.

Since the Han Dynasty, people have often expressed their feelings of parting by folding willows, which triggered the yearning for distant relatives and the homesickness of travelers. For example, the poem "Farewell" tested by 1987: the willows are hanging on the ground and the flowers are flying in the sky. Willow branches are broken and flowers are flying. Will pedestrians come back?

Because of the homophonic sound of "willow" and "willow", the ancients often used folding willows to express their deep feelings of farewell. This custom began in the Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. In the Han dynasty, there was a tune called "Folding Willow", which expressed farewell feelings in the form of playing. In the Tang Dynasty, Baling Bridge in Xi 'an was the only place for people to leave Chang 'an when they went to all parts of the country. Surrounded by willows, Baling Bridge became a famous place for the ancients to fold willows to bid farewell. For example, the poem "Willow leaves every year, Baling is sad to leave" was used by later generations as the source of farewell allusions. Therefore, there are poems in the text, "Qingyang is more separated from strangers." In "Lin Yuling", Liu Yong expresses the sadness of parting with "Where to wake up after drinking tonight, Yang Liuan, where the wind is resting".

"When I hear the sound of the flute breaking the willow, I don't see the spring scenery", which means that the tune of "breaking the willow" in the flute spreads far away, but I don't see the willow green and spring scenery, so as to express my feelings of sighing for the spring.

"Who can't afford to miss home?" It's about hearing the tune of "folding willow" tonight. Who doesn't miss his hometown?