Have you ever wondered if you have a soulmate? Someone you're attracted to, someone with whom you have a connection and someone you can bond with.

Today marks Qixi Festival, the only Chinese festival devoted to love. In this episode of Mastering Chinese Poetry, we take a look at a classic love poem by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Shangyin.

In style and structure, some of Tang Dynasty poet Li Shangyin's untitled works gleam with sadness and sentimentality. Love is hard to put into words, but Li knew his way around the intricate description of love that one feels but cannot express.

The mixed feelings of grief and joy become one by contrast — there is sweetness in pain; there is hope in loneliness. In the poem, subtle and complex mental activities between lovers are put under the microscope. By extension, two people sharing a close bond can also refer to friendship.

After all, a happy and healthy relationship can bring out the best in people. And the common pursuit of a perfect fit is always being able to understand each other with a simple expression in the eyes rather than a lengthy conversation.

One of the reasons these lines are still quoted today is that the poem delivers messages that are linked to the notion of "soulmate" in the West. The Greek philosopher Plato wrote about love in his work, The Symposium, that love is simply the name for the desire and pursuit of the whole.

You may search for your soulmate, but you may not find the person. If you're lucky enough to find your soulmate, then cherish your blessings and happy Chinese Valentine's Day!

Script writer: Zhang Meng

Video editor: Xu Xiaotong

Videographer: Qi Jianqiang

Cover designer: Gao Hongmei

Chief editor: Wang Dewei

Producer: Li Tianfu

Executive producer: Wen Yaru

Supervisor: Zhang Shilei