Welcome to Classic Reading. I'm your host, Jordon. While living in China for the past seven years, I'vebecome interested in Chinese culture, especially classical Chinese poetry. I have also known some Chinesepoets, such as Li Bai, Du Fu and so on. Today, I will talk about a poem from the Tang Dynasty by the poet HeZhizhang. Here is an English version（版本）of the poem by Xu Yuanchong, a world-famous translator ofancient Chinese poems in both English and French. Let's take a look at his translation.
Oh, I return to the homeland I left while young,
Thinner has grown my hair, though I speak the same tongue.
My children, whom I meet, do not know who am I.
"Where are you from, dear sir?" they ask with beaming eyes.
In this short poem, He Zhizhang tells a story about a visit to his birthplace. It's been decades（数十年）since the last time he was home, but he could still pick up his local accent. Things did not change much, butthe people did. The poet had mixed feelings about it, so he wrote this poem.
Personally, I like this poem because it reminds me of my own hometown. No matter where I live or forhow long I've been away, my hometown and family will always have a special place in my heart. I hope youcan enjoy this poem as much as I do. See you next time!
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