| The red beans grow in southern land； How many loads（枝条）in spring the trees? Collect them till full is your hand； They would recall sweet memories. （ Translated by Xu Yuanchong and simplified by the editor） |
Love is a popular theme in Chinese poems. What symbols do you think best stand for love? The heart, rose or chocolate? This time we are going to look at a classic Chinese poem, Love Seeds. It was written by Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei who had a different understanding of the symbol of love.
In the first two lines, the poet expresses his feelings of missing his friend, who lives in southern China, by describing the growth of red beans in spring. In classic Chinese poems, poets prefer to express feelings in an indirect or symbolic way. When describing the natural environment or showing some symbols, Chinese poets always mean more than what's described on the surface.
In Chinese culture, red beans are seen as "love seeds", which have a strong cultural meaning. Because they are often hard, come in a heart shape, and can be stored for a long time, those beans have long been used as a symbol of love and loyalty（忠诚）between lovers.
In the last two lines, the poet wishes his faraway friend to collect as many red beans as possible, as the beans will bring back his friend's memories to the poet.
Instead of showing love to others by directly saying "I miss you" or using flowery language, this short poem can make readers feel deep love.
