The Return of Wen Ji to the Han Dynasty

The wild geese flying south, this cup is for my lover, and your freedom.

Interpretation:

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and the Huns took the opportunity to invade the south. Cai Wenji, the daughter of the famous minister Cai Yong of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was captured in the chaos and, along with gold, silver, and jewels, was sent to the distant north. Along the way, the palaces and buildings of the Central Plains gradually turned into vast yellow sand. The Huns blew flutes on horseback, their cheers and music carried away by the wind, echoing across the entire desert. Cai Wenji put away her original Han clothes and put on Huns’ costumes, thinking of being separated from her homeland for the rest of her life, her heart was melancholic. Fortunately, she had her zither and books for company, to pass the time. Sometimes she would stare blankly at the moon in the sky, and in this desolate desert, perhaps the moon was her only old acquaintance. Cai Wenji’s talent deeply attracted the Hun King – the Left Sage King. He married Cai Wenji and accompanied her. He knew that Cai Wenji loved music, so he called musicians to play music at banquets, with pipa, flute, huqin, and jiedrum, the sound of music was all around.

In this way, time passed, and twelve years went by in a flash. Under the meticulous care of the Left Sage King, Cai Wenji gradually adapted to the nomadic life in the desert. They had two children, and the family was very happy. One day, the visit of a messenger from the Central Plains broke this peace. As it turned out, Cao Cao was a good friend of Cai Yong, and by this time he had quelled the wars and ruled the Central Plains. When he heard that his friend’s daughter had been taken to the north, he sent an envoy to the Huns and paid a large sum to get Cai Wenji back to her homeland. On one side was her husband and children, on the other was her homeland. Her dream of returning home after 12 years was now difficult to move forward. After much consideration, Cai Wenji decided to return to the Central Plains. The painting depicts the scene of the Left Sage King bidding farewell to his wife. Their children were pulling at their mother’s sleeves, reluctant to let her go. The Left Sage King filled a cup with strong liquor, to bid farewell to his love, and to drown his sorrows. The envoy sent by Cao Cao, dressed in red, knelt beside the couple, and looking at the scene of separation in front of him, he couldn’t help but be moved. Cai Wenji eventually returned to the Central Plains, and the northern grasslands became her home, which she could never return to.