赏析：
This poem depicts the sorrow of a poor scholar who has failed in his duties cleverly juxtaposing it with the tragic life of a fallen courtesan in a song tower. The writing is intricate and the meaning is extremely mournful evoking a sense of lingering sadness and inexplicable grief. This poem can be read alongside Bai Juyi's poem Song of the Pipa as both share a similar plot of a disillusioned scholar and a fallen woman.
The first three lines of the poem Growing old start off with a sharp and decisive tone immediately conveying a sense of melancholy that runs throughout the entire piece. The story of Zhuo Wenjun who recognized Sima Xiangru's talent and became his beloved is a well-known tale in literary circles. However Liu Guo uses it here to describe their encounter in destitution perhaps more out of a sense of empathy and desolation. The word weary encompasses indescribable setbacks and bitterness. How can he alleviate the melancholy in his heart when he speaks of his current destitution to her? The sense of failure and the tragic fate of a fallen hero are fully revealed here. The two lines about clothing and sleeves are inserted in reverse order using the abstract to introduce a memory of past events in the imperial capital.
Since leaving home in 1186 (the 13th year of Emperor Xiaozong's Chunxi reign) Liu Guo has been away for nearly seven years. During this time he has taken the imperial examination and sought official positions but has achieved nothing. The memories he has of the capital city of Lin'an are nothing more than dirt on his clothes and the remnants of red on his sleeves. The phrase fragrant red still soft refers to the luxurious and sensual lifestyle of the past with its red chambers and Qin-style pavilions. However once the groundwork of capital dust is laid it becomes profoundly poignant. The use of the virtual words once empty and still creates a contrasting and poignant effect. Liu Guo is a patriot who takes the world as his responsibility different from the romantic literati who have no home and indulge in pleasure. He frequents the brothels to alleviate and numb the pain of not being able to fulfill his desire to serve the country finding some warmth in the embrace of red sleeves.
In reality he has never truly experienced joy. The phrase each other ties the two characters together one being a failed scholar and the other a middle-aged woman who has lost everything. Their meeting at this moment is truly heart-wrenching. The four lines about one pillow depict the reality: outside the window is the melancholy autumn rain of the wutong tree while inside the room a flickering green lamp casts its light. These two unfortunate souls find solace in each other's company.
The following four lines continue the theme of the previous stanza describing the living conditions when they first met. The low tower does not raise the pearl curtain (