Tang Wan, also known as Huixian, was the wife of Lu You, an outstanding poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. She came from a prestigious family in Shanyin and was the apple of Tang Hong’s eye. Her grandfather, Tang Yi, served as the Young Minister of Honglu during the Xuanhe period and achieved outstanding political achievements. Tang Wan has shown extraordinary talent and gentle temperament since childhood, like a lotus blooming in the water, possessing both talent and beauty.
She met Lu You from a young age and had a close relationship, just like the ancient poem depicts’ childhood sweethearts, two children without a guess’. In addition, the two families have a deep historical friendship. In terms of seniority, Tang Wan is actually the cousin of Lu You, and this marriage is even more perfect. However, it was Tang Wan’s talent and tenderness that inadvertently touched Lu’s mother’s worries. She feared that her son would waste his future due to the love between him and his daughter, so she reluctantly decided to let Lu You abandon Tang Wan. Although Lu You was reluctant to part ways and ultimately followed his mother’s orders, in private, he still set up another residence for Tang Wan and met in secret to seek solace in the pain of lovesickness. However, all of this ultimately did not escape the discerning eye of Lu Mu. She strictly prohibited their interaction and chose Wang Shi as his wife for Lu You. Tang Wan was also forced to remarry the royal family member Zhao Shicheng.
From then on, Lu You buried his deep affection in his heart and focused on his studies, hoping to make a difference in his career. In 1154, he entered the Ministry of Rites with full confidence for the second round of examinations, but due to the intervention of the powerful minister Qin Hui, he fell from grace and became even more distressed. Ten years later, Lu You strolled alone in the Shen Family Garden of Shanyin City. The spring scenery remained the same, but human affairs had changed. He met Tang Wan and his wife, and his past feelings surged in his heart. Unable to restrain themselves, he wrote the masterpiece “Hairpin Phoenix” with his brush and ink, expressing deep nostalgia and endless regret for the past between the lines.
Between the words’ red crispy hands, yellow wine… ‘, Lu You’s resentment towards feudal ethics is vividly portrayed. The words’ evil’ and ‘thin’ are not only accusations of external pressure, but also a lament for the impermanence of fate. After Tang Wan saw the lyrics, her emotions were difficult to calm down, and her old feelings were rekindled. Eventually, due to her worries, she became ill and passed away on a chilly autumn day, leaving people sighing and lamenting.
As the saying goes in later generations, the separation between Lu You and Tang Wan is mostly attributed to Lu Mu’s concern about Tang Wan’s influence on Lu You’s future. In fact, the deeper reason is that Tang Wan failed to continue the lineage of the Lu family and was eventually expelled from the household. If Lu You had bravely fought back then, perhaps he could have rewritten this tragedy and left behind a more complete love legend. However, history cannot be rewritten, leaving only the deep affection and sorrow in ‘The ChaiTouFeng’, which will leave future generations with endless emotions.
