九月九日忆山东兄弟
Thinking of My Brothers in Shandong on the Double Ninth Festival
Original
独在异乡为异客，
每逢佳节倍思亲。
遥知兄弟登高处，
遍插茱萸少一人。
Translation
Alone, a stranger in a foreign land,
On festive days, my longing for kin grows all the more keen.
From afar, I know my brothers climb the mountain heights,
Each wears dogwood branches—one is missing, that's me.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
Composed when Wang Wei was just 17 and far from his hometown in Chang'an, this poem encapsulates the acute homesickness of a young traveler on the Double Ninth Festival. The first two lines lay bare the poet's alienation as a stranger in an unfamiliar place, amplifying his longing for family during traditional celebrations. By shifting to a reverse perspective, the latter lines imagine his brothers partaking in the festival custom of climbing heights and wearing dogwood, only to realize one member of the family is absent. This clever twist deepens the emotional resonance, turning personal melancholy into a universally relatable reflection on separation and familial love, conveyed through simple, heartfelt language that touches readers across eras.
About the Poet
王维
Wáng Wéi
Wang Wei (701–761), a distinguished poet and painter of the Tang Dynasty, is a leading figure of the pastoral and landscape poetry school, often paired with Meng Haoran as 'Wang and Meng'. His works merge vivid natural imagery with subtle Zen wisdom, featuring a serene, elegant style that reflects his deep affection for nature and understanding of Buddhist philosophy.
Cultural & Historical Context
1. Historical Background: The Tang Dynasty (618–907) was a peak era for traditional Chinese festivals, with the Double Ninth Festival widely observed as a day to honor longevity and ward off misfortune. 2. Cultural Background: Core Double Ninth customs included climbing heights (symbolizing ascending beyond hardship) and wearing dogwood branches, which were believed to have spiritual power to repel evil spirits. The festival also emphasized familial reunion and remembrance of distant loved ones. 3. Social Background: Tang-era scholars frequently left their hometowns to pursue academic or official careers in the capital, making separation and homesickness a pervasive, shared experience that inspired countless poetic works. 4. Personal Experience: Wang Wei wrote this poem at 17, a young aspirant in Chang'an, separated from his family in Puzhou (modern Shanxi, then called 'Shandong' as it lay east of the Xiao Mountains). 5. Creative Purpose & Artistic Features: The poem seeks to express the raw, universal emotion of homesickness. Its key artistic strength is the reverse narrative perspective—focusing on his brothers' implied longing rather than just his own, which makes the sentiment more poignant. The concise, plain language blends personal feeling with cultural rituals, creating a timeless work that resonates deeply with anyone who has been separated from family during a festive occasion.