The night tour at Chengtian Temple expresses the author's depression and self-disease about the difficulty of fulfilling his ambitions, and shows his broad-minded and optimistic attitude towards life.
"Remembering a Night Tour at Chengtian Temple" is an ancient article written by Su Shi, a writer in the Song Dynasty. The article provides a wonderful description of the moonlit night scenery, truly recording a fragment of the author's life when he was demoted to Huangzhou, and also reflects his deep friendship with Zhang Huaimin and his infinite emotion at having so few close friends.
Original text:
On the night of October 12th, the sixth year of Yuanfeng, I undressed and was about to fall asleep. When the moonlight came into my house, I happily set off. Thinking of nothing and being happy, I went to Chengtian Temple to look for Zhang Huaimin. Huai Min also stayed up and walked with each other in the atrium. Under the courtyard, the sky is clear as if there were accumulated water. The water is covered with algae and cypress shadows. What night is there without a moon? Where are there no bamboos or cypresses? But there are few idle people like the two of us.
Vernacular translation:
On the night of October 12th, the sixth year of Yuanfeng, I was taking off my clothes and getting ready to go to sleep. I was excited about traveling, so I happily got up and went out. When I thought I had no one with whom I could have fun, I went to Chengtian Temple to look for Zhang Huaimin. Zhang Huaimin hadn't gone to bed yet, so we took a walk in the courtyard together.
The moonlight in the courtyard is as clear and transparent as standing water. Algae and water plants crisscrossed the area, which turned out to be the shadows of bamboo and pine and cypress branches in the courtyard. Which night has no moon? Where can there be no bamboo and cypress trees? It’s just that there is a lack of people with leisure time like the two of us. Extended information
This article was written in the sixth year of Yuanfeng (1083), the sixth year of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty. The author had been demoted to Huangzhou for four years. In July of the second year of Yuanfeng, there was the famous "Wutai Poetry Case" in history. The censor Li Ding and others excerpted Su Shi's poems about the new law and said that he had slandered him with his poems. In August, he was arrested and imprisoned. After a long period of interrogation and torture, he was almost killed.
In December, the author was released from prison and was demoted to Huangzhou as the deputy envoy of Tuanlian, but he was not allowed to "sign official documents", which meant that he was an idle official with duties but no power. In this case, the author was almost in exile and in a melancholy mood; however, he still had the enterprising spirit, so he wrote this short article.
The "beauty" in the article first comes from the "truth" of the content. The east moon shines brightly, inspiring the author's interest in traveling. He thinks that there is no "pleasure person", which is a fly in the ointment, so he seeks a companion. At this time, the illusion is interesting and the emotions are touched. It is logical to write down this scene and feelings. Everything is harmonious and natural, without any decoration. Feeling artificial. This "beauty" comes from the "purity" of language.
The notes are just like talking about everyday things, and they are told in a eloquent way. Although there are no spectacular views, no words can be added, deleted or changed. Pointing out the date is a must for travel notes in notebook style. "Moonlight enters the house" and "departure happily" are cause and effect. There are only a few numbers and the language is concise. When writing about the scenery in the courtyard, the word "empty" is used. It has no modification, but reflects an ethereal and magnanimous artistic conception.
"Idle Man" contains the author's desolate state of mind. The author has lofty political ambitions, but he has been demoted again and again and lives in Huangzhou. Deep down in his heart, he does not want to Be a "idler". The complacency of an "idle person" admiring the moon is just the self-comfort of being demoted as an "idle person".
Reference material Baidu Encyclopedia-Night Tour of Chengtian Temple