Abstract: Imagery serves as a pivotal device of emotional expression in poetry and an indispensable medium for evoking readers’ emotional cognition. Based on the Force-Dynamic Patterns of renowned cognitive linguist Talmy, this paper delves into the interplay between imagery tension and emotional changes in Classical Chinese Poetry, aiming to provide a new perspective for relevant research. The findings suggest that the poet’s emotion is influenced by imagery in Classical Chinese Poetry: a stronger emotion can overcome the resistance of imagery and maintain the original state, forming the Positive Transfer of Emotion; a stronger imagery forces the reverse change of emotion, forming the Negative Transfer of Emotion; the withdrawal of imagery restores the emotion from the reverse state to the initial state, forming the Reciprocating Transfer of Emotion.