If love between two hearts is true, why should they stay together day and night?

This line comes from Qin Guan's "The Immortal at the Magpie Bridge" written for the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day). The entire poem uses the mythological love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl as its backdrop. The first part depicts the Qixi night scene with delicate clouds, shooting stars conveying longing, and the distant Milky Way. The second part expresses deep emotions, stating that one meeting between golden wind and jade dew surpasses countless human encounters. The gentle feelings flow like water, the beautiful meeting seems like a dream, and who can bear to look back at the magpie bridge's return path? The final line clarifies the main theme, expressing a profound love that transcends time and space.

This famous line profoundly explains that the essence of love lies not in the external form of being together day and night, but in the internal quality of spiritual connection. The word "lasting" emphasizes the durability and depth of love, while "morning and evening" refers to daily companionship. The poet believes that true love can withstand the test of time and space - even without daily meetings, as long as the feelings are sincere and profound, it surpasses shallow relationships where people stay together physically but lack emotional depth. This view of love transcends worldly possessiveness and embodies the noble realm of spiritual love.

Legend has it that behind this poem lies a poignant love story of Qin Guan. According to folklore, when young, Qin Guan had a childhood sweetheart named Lou Wan from a neighboring village. They deeply loved each other but couldn't unite due to family opposition. Later, Qin Guan was forced to marry a woman he didn't love, while Lou Wan was also married to someone else. Many years later, they reunited on Qixi Festival, had a brief meeting, then parted again. At the moment of departure, Qin Guan was moved by the scene and wrote this eternal masterpiece using the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl. Although this is just a legend, the sincere emotions and profound philosophy contained in the poem indeed reflect Qin Guan's unique understanding of love and life insights, making this work transcend personal emotional expression to become a universal classic interpretation of love.

Since the Northern Song Dynasty, this famous line has had profound influence on Chinese literature and culture. In literary circles, it opened new realms for Qixi poetry, influencing later poets like Xin Qiji and Li Qingzhao. In folk culture, it became an important cultural connotation of the Qixi Festival, widely used in festival celebrations, literary creation, and folk arts. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this line was included in classic anthologies like "Three Hundred Song Poems," becoming required reading in traditional education. In modern times, it has been repeatedly quoted in novels, essays, songs, and films, such as Qiong Yao's novels and Teresa Teng's songs, becoming a shared cultural memory in the Chinese-speaking world. This famous line has also spread to countries in the East Asian cultural sphere like Japan and Korea, becoming a common love symbol in East Asian culture.

Apply the wisdom of this famous line to modern life: First, establish a relationship concept of "quality over quantity," focusing on the depth of emotional communication rather than the length of time spent together. Second, cultivate personal independence, understanding that healthy love requires appropriate space and distance. Third, learn to deepen relationships during separation, maintaining the quality of emotional connection through letters, phone calls, and online communication. Fourth, set common goals and plans, making temporary separation serve long-term reunion. Fifth, cultivate trust and security, avoiding unnecessary suspicion and control. Sixth, cherish time spent together, improving the quality of interaction, making each meeting meaningful. Seventh, establish a diversified emotional support system, avoiding over-dependence on a single relationship. Eighth, regularly reflect and adjust, ensuring separation serves positive purposes rather than avoiding problems.