Kang Youwei
Kang Youwei inscribed a poem: deep love for Changyu wine
In 1917, Kang Youwei went to Consulate General of the United States in Yantai for shelter after the failure of restoration of Zhang Xun he participated. As a fellow-townsman, Zhang Zhijun, son of Cheong Fatt Tze, invited him to Changyu for wine-tasting. In a state of drunken ecstasy, Kang Youwei inscribed a poem.
I have deep love for Changyu wine, and peony flowers transplanted from Fengtai.
Today I take refuge here and write new poems, because I have forgotten the disasters in China.
The signature of the poem is “In the vineyard of my best friend, Zhang Zhijun”.
Ten years later, Kang Youwei went to Yantai again in early 1927, and taste wine of Changyu and created a poem again:
I have some love for Changyu wine, and peony flowers transplanted from Fengtai.
I have seen the great changes in China, and am happy to take things as they are.
The “deep love for Changyu wine” ten years ago was drowning his sorrows in wine, while ten years later, “some love for Changyu wine” was a little drunken. From “deep love” to “some love”, it reflected the different state of minds of Kang Youwei. Kang Youwei passed away in Qingdao on March 31, 1927 just after his 69th birthday, maybe this is his last poem left in the world.