At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, foreign enemies invaded frequently and wars continued, and the border was in urgent need of stability. At that time, some aspiring scholars went to the border to defend the country. Yang Jiong's "Joining the Army" truly reflects this historical fact and expresses a childlike heart to serve the country.
"The bonfire shines in Xijing, and my heart is uneven."
The first couplet tells the military situation and mood of the whole story, which makes this poem appear thrilling. "bonfire" refers to war; "Xijing" is the capital Chang 'an. The war will burn to the capital Chang 'an, and the situation is very critical. How can a patriotic scholar be calm? I can't wait to go into battle in disguise and throw myself into the war of blood and fire.
"The tooth listens to the phoenix, and the iron ride around the dragon city."
Zhuan Xu, write about the situation of guarding the city. "Tooth palm" was the symbol of soldiers in ancient times, that is, the symbol of soldiers. This refers to the general who leads the troops to fight. "Phoenix Que", the Palace, is here in Chang 'an. The troops participating in the war left the capital Chang 'an. This is the situation of war. Iron Rider (Ji): A lean cavalry. "Dragon City": Some people say it refers to the enemy city. "Encircling Dragon City" means encircling and attacking enemy cities. I don't think so. "Dragon City" should be a border town in the Tang Dynasty and a military emergency. There is a sentence in Wang Changling's poem "The Fortress", in which "Dragon City" refers to Lucheng, which was later ruled by Beiping County in the Tang Dynasty, and "Flying General" refers to Li Guang, the satrap of Beiping in the Han Dynasty, who was brave and good at fighting, and was called "Flying General". Besides, the word "soldiers around Liuzhou" means patrolling around Liuzhou and guarding the city. Instead of "fighting" or "taking" Dragon City, it is just that "Dragon City" is the border city of the Tang Dynasty, and "encircling Dragon City" is not attacking enemy cities. "Dragon City Fighter" wrote the tight barrier of guarding the city, highlighting the tension before the war.
"The snow is dark and the flag is painted, and the wind is full."
Neck couplet writes war scenes. "Dark snow" means that the snow is heavy and the sky is dark. Fade, fade, here means dim. It snowed heavily and it was dark. Even the colorful paintings on the battle flag can't be seen clearly. The marching drums mingled with the violent north wind. Drums and shouts were loud, depicting a life-and-death struggle. The beauty of the poet is that he depicts the harsh natural environment and cruel war scenes together, which sets off the intensity of the war.
"Being a centurion is better than being a scholar."
Tail couplet, ending with narration. "Centurion" refers to a small official who leads a hundred soldiers. It's better to be a centurion, which not only highlights the humble official position of the centurion, but also shows courage and good fighting. Imagine, if you are not brave and good at fighting, can you become a "centurion"? "Centurion" and "a scholar" are in sharp contrast. A "centurion" is just a small official, and a "scholar" can pass the imperial examination, achieve something, and have a bright future. The poet used a choice complex sentence and clearly chose "centurion". Fully expressed the strong scholar spirit and full patriotic passion. This spirit of putting national interests first is worth learning, so this poem is still of practical significance.
Wang Chongge and Han Yan, teachers, now live in Dawu, Hubei.