I long for the fair one, brushing away tears as I gaze into the distance.
The messenger is lost, the road is barred. None of my words can be sealed and sent.
In grief and bitter sorrow I am trapped, stifled and unable to speak.
—Qu Yuan, "Longing for the Fair One"
Note: Scholars often use fragrant herbs and the fair one to express their ideals. Fragrant herbs stand for loyalty, steadfast resolve, and purity of character; the fair one stands for the longing for an enlightened ruler and admiration for noble virtue. Even when their aspirations go unfulfilled, the truly noble do not abandon their principles or let them be corrupted.
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