Analysis of a Classic Chinese Poem: 回乡偶书

# Analysis of "回乡偶书" - Classical Chinese Poetry

## Introduction
The poem *"回乡偶书"* (*Huí Xiāng Ǒu Shū*, "Random Notes Upon Returning Home") was written by **He Zhizhang** (贺知章, 659–744), a prominent Tang Dynasty poet and official. Composed late in his life when he returned to his hometown after decades of absence, this poignant work captures the universal human experience of homecoming, change, and the passage of time. It remains one of China’s most beloved poems for its emotional depth and simplicity.

## The Poem: Full Text and Translation

> 少小离家老大回  
> *Shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí*  
> I left home young, I return old,  

> 乡音无改鬓毛衰  
> *Xiāngyīn wú gǎi bìnmáo shuāi*  
> My hometown accent unchanged, but my hair now thinned and grayed.  

> 儿童相见不相识  
> *Értóng xiāngjiàn bù xiāngshí*  
> Children meet me but don’t know me,  

> 笑问客从何处来  
> *Xiào wèn kè cóng hé chù lái*  
> Smiling, they ask: "Stranger, where do you come from?"  

## Line-by-Line Analysis

1. **"I left home young, I return old"**  
   The opening line starkly contrasts youth and age, emphasizing the decades-long separation from home. The parallel structure (少小 vs. 老大) heightens the sense of time’s relentless flow.

2. **"My hometown accent unchanged, but my hair now thinned and grayed"**  
   The poet clings to one constant—his accent—while acknowledging physical decay. The word 衰 (*shuāi*, "decline") carries a quiet melancholy.

3. **"Children meet me but don’t know me"**  
   A heartbreaking moment: the poet is a stranger in his own homeland. The verb 相识 (*xiāngshí*, "recognize") underscores his isolation.

4. **"Smiling, they ask: 'Stranger, where do you come from?'"**  
   The children’s innocent question (客 *kè*, "guest/stranger") delivers the poem’s emotional climax. Their cheerfulness contrasts with the poet’s silent grief.

## Themes and Symbolism

- **Time and Mortality**: The poem mirrors the Confucian lament over life’s transience. Graying hair (鬓毛衰) symbolizes irreversible aging.  
- **Identity and Belonging**: The unchanged "hometown accent" (乡音) represents cultural roots, while the children’s failure to recognize him questions where "home" truly lies.  
- **Irony of Homecoming**: The joyous act of returning becomes bittersweet—a theme echoed in global literature (e.g., Odysseus’ return to Ithaca).

## Cultural Context

He Zhizhang wrote this during the **Tang Dynasty** (618–907), a golden age of Chinese poetry. The poem reflects:  
1. **Confucian Values**: Filial piety and ancestral ties made hometowns sacred in Chinese culture.  
2. **Scholar-Official Life**: Many Tang elites left home for careers, making He’s experience relatable.  
3. **Oral Tradition**: The focus on "accent" highlights the importance of dialect in regional identity.  

## Conclusion

*"回乡偶书"* distills profound emotions into just 28 characters—a testament to classical Chinese poetry’s power. Its themes of displacement and aging resonate across cultures, offering a mirror to anyone who has ever felt like a stranger in a once-familiar place. Today, as globalization reshapes notions of home, He Zhizhang’s words remind us that identity is both unshakable and fragile—a dialect we retain, even when the world no longer recognizes our face.