What does it mean to look eastward from the homeland and see a long way to go, and not dry the tears of the dragon bells in both sleeves?

The road eastward to the old garden is long, and the tears of the dragon bell in both sleeves are not dry.

From Cen Sen's From the Envoy to Beijing

Explanation: It is a long way to look eastward to the homeland of Chang'an, and it is hard to dry the tears of homesickness on both sleeves.

Analysis: This line portrays the image of a traveler on his way to the west, which plainly and truly reproduces the poet's homesickness, revealing his deep longing for his homeland.