Tian Huang Di Lao – Until the Heavens Crumble and the Earth Ages

Idiom Story

During the mid-Tang Dynasty, a young poet named Li He from Fuchang in Henan Province (modern-day Yiyang, Henan) became famous for his lyrical poetry. Despite being a distant descendant of the royal family, Li He’s lineage was not close enough to grant him significant status. His father, Li Jinshu, held a minor official post in a border area and passed away early, leaving the family in poverty.

At the age of twenty, Li He excelled in the provincial exams and went to the capital, Chang’an, to take the imperial examination. However, in the corrupt and dark environment of the time, his talent was envied by some, who used the excuse that his father’s name “Jinshu” (晋肃) contained a character similar in sound to “jin” (进) in “jinshi” (进士, the imperial exam degree). Thus, he was disqualified from taking the exam due to a naming taboo. Disheartened, Li He gave up his pursuit of an official career and lived a life of unfulfilled potential, dying at the young age of twenty-seven.

Despite his short life, Li He produced many excellent poems that reflected the social realities of his time. His works, numbering over two hundred, included critiques of the decadent ruling class, denunciations of corrupt officials, expressions of sympathy for the suffering of the common people, and meditations on the rise and fall of dynasties. However, many of his poems also conveyed his personal frustration and determination not to compromise his ideals.

In the early years of Emperor Xianzong’s Yuanhe reign, Li He went to Chang’an to take the imperial exam but was prevented from doing so due to the naming taboo issue. This left him deeply distressed and angry. In a state of poverty and despair at an inn, the innkeeper encouraged him by recounting the stories of two historical figures who rose from humble beginnings to great success:

• Zhu Fu Yan: In the early Han Dynasty, Zhu Fu Yan traveled to Chang’an to seek fame and fortune. He spent all his money and was not initially recognized. However, through the intervention of General Wei Qing, he presented his suggestions directly to Emperor Wu, who implemented his proposals to strengthen central authority. Zhu Fu Yan was appointed to a high position and quickly rose through the ranks.
• Ma Zhou: During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Ma Zhou, a scholar from a poor background, went to Chang’an to seek an official post. Passing through Xinfeng, he stayed at an inn where he was treated poorly due to his poverty. Later, he gained favor by writing a petition for Zhonglang General Chang He, which caught Emperor Taizong’s attention, leading to Ma Zhou’s rise to the position of Censor.

Inspired by these stories, Li He wrote “The Song of Drinking Wine” to express his frustration and determination. The poem conveys his refusal to compromise his ideals for material gain and his resolve to continue striving despite adversity:

零落栖迟一杯酒，主人奉觞客长寿。
主父西游困不归，家人折断门前柳。
吾闻马周昔作新丰客，天荒地老无人识。
空将笺上两行书，直犯龙颜请恩泽。
我有迷魂招不得，雄鸡一声天下白。
少年心事当拿云，谁念幽寒坐呜呃。

Translation:

In my destitution, I linger with a cup of wine;
The host offers a toast for my long life.
Zhu Fu Yan struggled in the west, unable to return home;
His family broke the willow branches in front of their gate.
I heard Ma Zhou once stayed as a guest in Xinfeng,
Though he remained unknown until the heavens crumbled and the earth aged.
With only a brief petition, he directly appealed to the emperor for favor.
I have a lost soul that cannot be recalled,
But when the rooster crows, the world is illuminated.
A young man’s ambition should reach the clouds;
Who would pity the lonely and cold, sitting in sighs?

From this poem, the line “天荒地老无人识” was later simplified into the idiom “天荒地老,” symbolizing a long, enduring period.