On Poetry
Author: Zhao Yi
Li and Du's poems have been passed down by thousands of mouths,
so far they are no longer new.
Talented people have emerged from generation to generation, and each has led the way for hundreds of years.
Translation
The poems of Li Bai and Du Fu were once praised by thousands of people.
Now I feel that there is nothing new when I read them.
Our great rivers and mountains have talented people appearing in every generation.
Their poems, articles and popularity will be passed down for hundreds of years.
Appreciation
The poets in the first and second sentences point out that even great poets like Li Bai and Du Fu have historical limitations in their poems.
In the third and fourth sentences, the poet calls for a sense of innovation, hoping that poetry writing should have the spirit of the times and individual characteristics, be bold in innovation, and oppose being conservative.
People often use this poem to praise the emergence of talents, or to express that a new generation replaces the old, or that the rise of a new generation is like the rolling Yangtze River, which cannot be stopped.
Writing characteristics
The language of poetry is simple and straightforward, and the author expresses his feelings directly. The author takes the poet Li Bai and the poet Du Fu as examples to evaluate their great achievements in poetry creation. Then he changed his writing direction and expressed his outstanding opinions on poetry creation: With the development of the times, poetry creation must also innovate and cannot stand still. New people emerge in every dynasty, and development and creation are the core and soul of the author's poetry.
Brief Comment
This poem reflects the author's idea that innovation is the most important thing in poetry creation. He believes that poetry continues to develop with the times, and poets should seek innovation and change when creating. Not only the works of the ancients are the best, but every era has its own poets with their own style. It is written that future generations will inherit their predecessors. Although the language of this poem is straightforward, its meaning is profound. "Talented people have emerged from generation to generation, and each has led the way for hundreds of years." This sentence expresses the theme and center of the development of literary creation with the changes of the times.
Zhao Yi's poetry advocates innovation and opposes mechanical models. Through a review of the achievements of poets Li Bai and Du Fu, from the perspective of historical development, he found that every era has its leading figures, and there is no need to follow the example of the ancients. Poetry should also continue to evolve with the times.