Chinese poem illustration: 乐游原 Leyou Plateau by Li Shangyin
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The setting sun is the best(夕阳无限好) is such a popular wording today to praise or flatter the elders, while the famous late Tang period poet Li Shangyin use this image to resemble the fading glory of the Tang empire, as well as his declining career life in his 30s. With past several years service in the government, he was getting to realise that the timing is not for Tang empire , neither for him no matter how ambitious and gifted he was.
That is why the poet sighed upon the magnificent Chang’an city to the right, the gigantic mausoleums of the past emperors to the right in distance, the vast boundless South Mountains to the left, facing the setting sun.
乐游原
李商隐
向晚意不适，
驱车登古原。
夕阳无限好，
只是近黄昏。
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