Mastering Chinese Poetry: Composed on New Year's Eve

      Chinese New Year's Eve, also called "chuxi", falls on January 21 this year. It is a time for family gatherings and fancy feasts. In this episode of "Mastering Chinese Poetry," CGTN shares the poem "Composed on New Year's Eve," which was written by Gao Shi, a famous Chinese poet during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The poet expresses his homesickness in the poem – he was alone on New Year's Eve, a time when people gather as a family and welcome the new year together. He misses home, described as "thousands of miles away." The theme of homesickness is universal, especially during the holidays when one would rather be around family and friends. This is perhaps one of the reasons this poem has withstood the test of time.