Flute Heard in a Spring Night in Luoyang

By Li Bai (Tang)

Where the faint sound of jade flutes is from,

it Immersed in the spring breeze and floated throughout the ancient city of Luoyang.

Hearing the Melody of 'Breaking off Willows' on a guest night,

who can refrain a deep longing for their hometown?

春夜洛城闻笛

李白（唐）

谁家玉笛暗飞声，散入春风满洛城。

此夜曲中闻折柳，何人不起故园情！

Creative background

This poem was written by Li Bai during his visit to Luoyang  in the 22nd or 23rd year of the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty. Luoyang was a bustling city in the Tang Dynasty, known as the Eastern Capital. At that time, Li Bai was probably in an inn. He accidentally heard the sound of a flute and triggered the love of his hometown, so he wrote this poem.

I have something to say

We always miss our hometown when we lived another city, but once we lived there for many years even regards it as the second hometown, our homesick will be lower. Why we miss our hometown? Because it’s our birthplace and also there are memories there. So when our steps ever stopped somewhere for a long time, we will leave memories there, happy or sad, good or bad, whatever, we will think of this place, even go back again, even though it’s not our first hometown.