This line beautifully captures the bittersweet feeling of leaving a cherished place behind. It speaks to the quiet sorrow and a sense of moving on, like a gentle farewell to something beloved yet fleeting, encouraging reflection on life's transitions.
Quote by Xu Zhimo: “I gently wave my hand, as if I am taking leave of the clouds in the western sky.”
I gently wave my hand, as if I am taking leave of the clouds in the western sky.
Insight
Historical Context
China in the 1920s was a period of intense cultural and political change following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty. Poets like Xu Zhimo, educated abroad, were part of the New Culture Movement, blending Western romanticism with traditional Chinese aesthetics amidst revolutionary fervor.
About the Author
Chinese poet of the early twentieth century, a central figure in Chinese Romantic poetry and a founder of the Crescent Moon Society literary group. He studied at Cambridge University, where the English countryside inspired some of his most celebrated verse, including the poem Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again. He died in a plane crash in 1931 at age 34.
View all quotes by Xu Zhimo