In the Peach Blossom Temple in Peach Blossom Gorge, there dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal. The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees, and picks peach blossoms to exchange for wine money.
When sober, he sits only before the flowers; when drunk, he sleeps beneath them. Day after day, half-sober and half-drunk, year after year, as the flowers fall and bloom again.
He wishes only to die amidst flowers and wine, unwilling to bow before carriages and horses. Matters of carriages and horses belong to those of high rank, while wine cups and flower branches are the fate of recluses.
If one compares those of high rank with recluses, one is on flat ground and the other in the heavens. If one compares flowers and wine with carriages and horses, how bustling they are, and how leisurely we are.
The world laughs at me for being too mad, but I laugh at them for not seeing through. Do you not see the graves of the heroes of the Five Tombs? There are neither flowers nor wine, just fields plowed by hoes.
36 "Ascending Youzhou Terrace Song" - Chen Zang
I do not see the ancients before me,
Nor the ones who will come after.
Thinking of the vastness of heaven and earth,
I alone am sad and tears fall!
Chen Zang (659-700 AD), a literary figure of the Tang Dynasty and one of the innovators of prose and poetry in the early Tang period. His style was rugged and profound, his implications far-reaching, and his writing strong and powerful. He has a collection of works called "Chen Boyu Ji". "Ascending Youzhou Terrace Song" and "Ji Qiu Langan Gift to Master Cangyong Lu" are also his outstanding representative works. He was a poet who made great achievements in both theory and practice in the opening period of Tang poetry. Du Fu praised him: "Through the ages, loyalty and righteousness have stood firm, and there are poems left behind in times of encounter." Bai Juyi praised him: "Du Fu and Chen Zang, their talents encompass heaven and earth." Han Yu praised him: "Our dynasty's literature flourished, and Chen Zang began with lofty steps." All of these highly affirmed his achievements in the development of Tang poetry, which also reflected the consensus of Tang poets. As for his "Poems of Encounter," they directly inspired Zhang Jiuling's "Poems of Encounter" and Li Bai's "Ancient Style," and it is a well-known fact that Li Bai inherited his theory of复古as innovation, further completing the historical task of renewing Tang poetry.
From this timeless "Ascending Youzhou Terrace Song," we can see the poet's lonely, worldly, and solitary emotions. This piece is also artistically excellent. The first two lines look up and down through time, showing its length; the third line looks out from the terrace, showing its breadth. In this vast background, the fourth line depicts the poet's loneliness, melancholy, sadness, and frustration, creating a moving contrast.
35. "Spring View" - Du Fu
The nation broken, yet mountains and rivers remain; the city in spring, grass and trees grow deep.
Sorrowful at the sight of flowers shedding tears, hating parting, birds startle the heart.
Beacon fires connect for three months; a letter from home is worth ten thousand gold.
White-haired, scratching more makes it shorter; almost unable to bear the hairpin.
Du Fu (712-770), styled Zi Mei, titled Shaoling Wild Old Man, known as Du Shaoling and Du Gongbu. A Han Chinese, he moved from Hubei to Gongxian, Henan (now Gongyi, Zhengzhou) and became one of the greatest realist poets of the Tang Dynasty, known as the "Poet Sage" and a world cultural celebrity, mentioned alongside Li Bai as "Li Du." Du Fu's poems are the most numerous and widely spread among Tang poets, making him one of the most outstanding poets of the Tang Dynasty, with a profound influence on later generations.
This poem reflects the poet's love for the country and his attachment to his family, with a coherent theme and a blend of scenery and emotion without detachment. The feelings are intense but not shallow, the content rich but not messy, and the rhyme strict but not rigid. With an oblique start and oblique end in a regulated verse of five characters, it is written with a resounding sound and a majestic demeanor, thus remaining popular for over a thousand years and enduring without fading.
34 "Dream-like Command - Last Night Wind and Rain" - Li Qingzhao
Last night the wind was sparse and the rain came in torrents,
Deep sleep did not dispel the lingering effects of alcohol.
I tried asking the person rolling up the curtain,
But they said the crabapple was still the same.
Do you know? Do you know?
It should be lush green and faded red.
Li Qingzhao (1081-1155?) styled Yi An Ju Shi, from Jinan (now Shandong). Li Qingzhao was a famous female poet of the Song Dynasty and a star of the Song Ci poetry circle. Her unique style of Ci poetry won her widespread praise then and now, earning her a significant place in the history of poetry.
This short lyric established Li Qingzhao's reputation as a "talented woman," causing a sensation at court and beyond. Legends say this poem caused Zhao Mingcheng to dream of her incessantly, fully illustrating the impact of this short lyric at the time. It is also said to be inspired by Han Wu's poem "Lazy Rise." However, Li Qingzhao's Ci surpasses the original, vividly portraying the sorrowful sentiments of a young girl.
This short lyric, only six sentences and thirty-three words, is written in a winding and layered manner, extremely skillful. The poet indulges in drinking due to her love for flowers, yet asks with a hint of hope despite knowing the flowers will fade. Doubting the answer from the "curtain-rolling person," she questions again, layering twists and turns, delving deeper, expressing her love for flowers in a captivating way. The "Liao Yuan Ci Xuan" comments: "Numerous twists are hidden in a short piece, truly the pinnacle of Ci poetry," a fitting evaluation indeed.
33 "Even Though the Tortoise Lives Long" - Cao Cao
Though the divine tortoise lives long, there is still an end.
The snake rides the mist, but eventually becomes dust.
An old steed may be tethered to its stable, yet its heart is still set on traveling a thousand miles;
A valiant man in his twilight years does not abandon his ambitious aspirations.
The span of life is not solely determined by heaven;
Cultivating peace brings blessings, allowing one to live longer.
Truly remarkable! Singing to express my aspirations.
Regarding Cao Cao's literary status, it was often overshadowed by his political achievements and not given much attention in the past. In reality, he was a remarkably contributive figure in the history of Chinese literature development, especially in pioneering Jian'an literature, which deserves special mention.
This poem was written in 207 AD during the Jian'an Twelfth Year, when Cao Cao was fifty-three years old. It integrates philosophical contemplation, passionate sentiment, and artistic imagery into one furnace, showcasing an attitude of aging gracefully and pursuing progress actively. This is a philosophically-rich poem that expounds on the poet's outlook on life. The four lines about "the old steed tethered to its stable" are timeless verses, written with powerful strokes, resonating with a solemn rhythm, embodying an indomitable spirit of self-improvement. "Even Though the Tortoise Lives Long" holds even greater value as a true poem, marking the beginning of a new era in poetry. For centuries, Han scholars were confined by Confucian orthodoxy, leading to the suppression of genuine, individualistic literature. Cao Cao, as a paragon of his generation with a penchant for poetry, led the rebellion against traditional norms, bringing freedom and vitality to the literary scene. He "established military prowess externally and promoted literature internally," gathering around him a group of talented individuals known as the "Seven Sages of Jian'an," all of whom were brilliant minds living in an era long ravaged by war, often expressing their emotions with passion and vigor.
32. "City River Sonnet - Hunting Expedition in Mizhou" - Su Shi
Let me indulge in youthful madness for a moment. Left hand holding a yellow dog, right hand lifting a falcon, wearing a brocade cap and sable coat, a thousand horsemen sweep across the flat hillside.
To repay the whole city following the governor, I personally shoot a tiger, watching Sun Lang.
Drinking heartily, my chest and courage expand. My temples may be slightly gray, but what harm is there! When will Feng Tang be dispatched with a banner?
I will surely draw my carved bow like a full moon, looking northwest, shooting the celestial wolf.
This poem was written in winter of the eighth year of Xining (1075 AD). Su Shi's poetic style officially formed during the Mizhou period, and this poem is recognized as the first masterpiece of the bold and unrestrained style. Su Shi was quite pleased with this uninhibited work, mentioning in a letter to a friend: "Recently, I've been composing a few small lyrics. Although they lack the charm of Liu Qiulang's style, they are unique in their own way. A few days ago, I went hunting outside the city and had a bountiful harvest. I composed a tune, and the brave men of Dongzhou sang it, clapping their hands and stomping their feet, using flutes and drums to keep rhythm, making for a rather spectacular performance."
Su Shi's poem completely overturned the traditional notion of "solemn poetry and graceful lyrics," "washing away the frivolous elegance, breaking free from the entangled subtleties," broadening the realm of lyrics, and raising another banner of lyrical style and genre.
This poem is emotionally unrestrained, making one "feel the force of heavenly winds and sea rains." It reveals the author's broad-mindedness, interests, hopes, and ideals, with twists and turns, and a lively demeanor, fully exposing the "mad" state; though it lacks no element of righteous indignation, its grandeur is unparalleled, reversing the weak tone of lyric poetry, "pointing out a higher path, refreshing the eyes and ears of the world," filled with masculine beauty, becoming a cherished masterpiece in history.
31 "Drinking Alone under the Moon (One of Four)" - Li Bai
Among the flowers, a pot of wine, drinking alone without companionship.
Raising a cup to invite the bright moon, facing my shadow, we become three people.
Since the moon cannot drink, and the shadow follows me silently,
Let's temporarily enjoy the company of the moon and shadow, seeking pleasure while spring lasts.
I sing, and the moon lingers; I dance, and the shadow scatters.
Awake, we share joy together; drunk, we part ways.
Forever bound in an unfeeling journey, we'll meet again among the distant clouds.
Li Bai (701-762), Han Chinese, styled Tai Bai, titled Green Lotus Resident, the greatest romantic poet of the Tang Dynasty. Historically referred to as the "Poet Immortal." His poetic style is bold and ethereal, with rich imagination, flowing language, harmonious tones. He drew nourishment from folk songs and myths, forming his own unique splendid and gorgeous colors, reaching a new peak of positive romanticism since Qu Yuan, ranking alongside Du Fu as "Li Du," one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
Li Bai's creation of five-character ancient poems covers a wide range of topics, with diverse styles. This "Drinking Alone under the Moon" fully displays Li Bai's elegant demeanor and romantic poetic style, as well as his personal spiritual world. The entire poem consists of fourteen lines, with the first eight lines in level tone rhymes and the last six lines in oblique tone rhymes. In terms of five-character ancient poems, "Drinking Alone under the Moon" is not particularly long, but it contains the pursuit and longing of a lonely, desolate soul. Through soliloquy, the poem stirs up layers of emotional waves within the depths of the heart, both undulating and natural, and has always been regarded as a passionate masterpiece of Li Bai's poetry.
30. "Reeds - Book of Songs - National Winds - Qin Wind"
The reeds are lush, the white dew turns to frost. The person I long for, is across the river.
Tracing upstream is arduous and long; tracing downstream, they seem to be in the middle of the water.
The reeds are thick, the white dew has not yet dried. The person I long for, is by the riverbank.
Tracing upstream is arduous and steep; tracing downstream, they seem to be on a mid-river islet.
The reeds are abundant, the white dew has not yet ceased. The person I long for, is by the river's bend.
Tracing upstream is arduous and winding; tracing downstream, they seem to be on a mid-river shoal.
"The Book of Songs" is the brilliant starting point of Chinese realistic literature. Due to its rich content and high ideological and artistic achievements, it occupies an important position in Chinese and even world cultural history. It opened up the excellent tradition of Chinese poetry and had an indelible impact on subsequent literature.
"The Reeds" is selected from "Book of Songs - National Winds - Qin Wind," approximately 2500 years old, one of the finest folk songs from the Qin region. If the "person" in the poem is considered a lover, then this poem expresses the persistent pursuit of beautiful love and the sorrow of unattained pursuit. The spirit is admirable, and the feelings are sincere, but the result is vague, and the situation is pitiable. However, the most valuable and resonant aspect of this poem is not the protagonist's pursuit and loss, but the universally meaningful artistic realm of "across the water" - seemingly attainable but actually unapproachable.
29. "Qinyuan Spring - Changsha" - Mao Zedong
Standing alone in the cold autumn, the Xiang River flows northward, at the head of Orange Isle.
Looking at countless mountains turning red, layers of forests dyed;
The entire river crystal clear, hundreds of boats racing.
Eagles striking the vast sky, fish gliding in the shallow bottom,
All creatures competing for freedom under the frosty sky.
Facing the vast expanse, I ask the boundless earth, who will control its rise and fall?
Carrying many friends who once traveled here,
Recalling the thick years gone by.
Just classmates in our youth, vigorous and flourishing;
Scholars full of spirit,挥斥方遒.
Discussing the land, stirring up words,
Considering the feudal lords of old as mere dirt.
Do you remember, swimming against the current, stopping flying boats?
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was a great proletarian revolutionary and also a great proletarian poet. Famous poet He Jingzhi commented on Mao Zedong's poetry: "Mao Zedong's poetry, with unprecedented sublime and beautiful revolutionary emotions, powerful creative strength, extraordinary artistic thoughts, luxurious and exquisite rhymes and diction, formed a uniquely different poetic beauty in China's long history of poetry, which encapsulated Mao Zedong's thoughts and practices, personality and individuality. Over the long years, it could be said without exaggeration