Classical Prose
送董邵南游河北序
燕、赵古称多感慨悲歌之士。
董邵南举进士，连不得志于有司，怀抱利器，欲就试于此土。
吾知其感焉。
董生勉乎哉！
夫以子之不遇时，苟慕义于燕、赵之间，吾疑乎其有合也。
董生勉乎哉！
吾因之有所遇矣，子其行乎？
Translation
The regions of Yan and Zhao have long been known for men of deep feeling, bold spirit, and sorrowful song. Dong Shaonan took the jinshi examination, but again and again failed to gain recognition from the officials in charge. Carrying talent within him like a sharp instrument, he wished to go to that land and test himself there. I know his heart is deeply moved. Dong, strive on! Since you have not met your time, if you seek men of righteousness among Yan and Zhao, I suspect you may find something there that accords with you. Dong, strive on! Through this, I too have felt something. Go, then, on your way.
Analysis
This brief farewell preface compresses a great deal of emotion. Han Yu writes for Dong Shaonan, a talented man repeatedly frustrated in the examination system, as he travels north to Hebei. The reference to Yan and Zhao gives the journey an emotional landscape. These regions traditionally evoke bold spirits, sorrowful song, and chivalric feeling. Dong is not merely traveling; he is seeking a place where his frustrated talent may find response. The phrase “carrying talent like a sharp instrument” captures the pain of unused ability. The repeated “Dong, strive on!” is both encouragement and lament. The essay is short, but its restraint gives it lasting depth.
About the Author
Han Yu was a leading Tang dynasty prose writer and a central figure of the Classical Prose Movement. His short prefaces often turn occasions of farewell or recommendation into reflections on talent, recognition, and the fate of scholars. This piece shows his ability to express sympathy and moral feeling with great compression.