Nian Nujiao·Chibi Nostalgia
Author: Su Shi
As the river goes eastward, the waves are washed away, and there are romantic figures throughout the ages.
To the west of the fortress, the humane way is, Chibi, Zhou Lang of the Three Kingdoms.
Rocks pierced through the air, stormy waves crashed onto the shore, and thousands of piles of snow were rolled up.
The country is picturesque, and there are many heroes at one time.
I think back to Gong Jin’s time, when Xiao Qiao got married for the first time and looked majestic and handsome.
Feather fans and silk scarves, while talking and laughing, the boats and oars disappeared into ashes.
My motherland wanders in my mind, my passion should laugh at me, and I will be born early.
Life is like a dream, a bottle of wine can return the moon to the river.
Translation
The water of the river is rolling and flowing eastward, sweeping away all the romantic figures of the ages. To the west of that ancient battlefield, it is said to be the Red Cliff where Zhou Yu defeated Cao's army in the Three Kingdoms. It is surrounded by rocks and mountains, with cliffs like clouds on both sides. The stormy waves are violently beating on the opposite shore, rolling up the waves like thousands of snow piles in winter. The country is so beautiful and picturesque, so many heroes emerged in a short time.
I recall that Zhou Lang’s name was Yu and Gongjin. Xiao Qiao had just married him as his wife. She was heroic, majestic, graceful and radiant. Holding a feather fan in his hand and wearing a silk scarf on his head, he was laughing and chatting calmly and casually, while Cao Cao's 800,000 troops were wiped out like ashes. Now I am wandering back in time while walking on an ancient battlefield. It is ridiculous that I have so much nostalgic tenderness that my hair on my temples is turning gray before I get old. Life is like a hazy dream, raising a wine glass to pay homage to the eternal bright moon.
Appreciation
The first part of the poem focuses on the scene, bringing out the nostalgia for the ancients. The next film turns to the praise of Zhou Yu, the central figure in the Battle of Red Cliff. When Su Shi wrote this poem, it had been more than 800 years since the Battle of Chibi in 208 AD. He imagined the past hundreds of years ago and used the word "remote imagination" to lead us to the distant past. "Gongjin [jǐn]" is Zhou Yu's character. "Xiao Qiao", Zhou Yu's wife, was the younger sister of the famous Qiao sisters at that time. The mention of their marriage in the poem is to highlight Zhou Yu's young and proud demeanor. The author uses "majestic appearance and heroic hair" to describe Zhou Yu's majestic bearing and outstanding talents. In the author's imagination, Zhou Yu was dressed in military uniform, holding a feather fan, and wearing a turban (guān) with a black silk ribbon on his head. He had a dashing demeanor and commanded calmly. While joking and joking, he easily defeated Cao Cao. The naval warships were burned to ashes. "樯[qiáng]", the mast on a sailboat. "Qiang and oars" are used here to represent Cao Jun's warships. "Feather Fan Lunkerchief" describes Zhou Yu's demeanor. "Talking and laughing" highlights his confidence and talent. "The guns and oars were wiped out in ashes", six words reproduced a historic war. A few strokes show the author's talent for artistic summary; between the lines, the author's sincere appreciation for Zhou Yu is poured out.
Admiration for historical figures includes dissatisfaction with one's own reality. In contrast, the forty-seven-year-old Su Shi lamented that he could not establish outstanding achievements at such a young age like Zhou Yu. He could only use a self-deprecating tone to say: "My motherland is wandering in my mind. I should laugh at me if I am sentimental, and I will be born early." If he experienced (fugue) the Battle of Chibi in the Three Kingdoms (Motherland) through imagination like this, people would probably laugh at him for being too emotional, so he would have prematurely gray hair (Hua Fa)! While laughing at himself, a negative emotion emerged spontaneously. "Life is like a dream, and a bottle of wine can return the moon to the river." "Zun", wine glass. Yi Zun means a glass of wine. "酹[lèi]" means sprinkling wine to express a memorial ceremony. He suddenly felt that the world was just like a dream, so instead of sighing in vain, it was better to offer a glass of wine to the bright moon on the river and drink with it!
This poem is Su Shi's masterpiece. Although the ending reveals negative emotions, looking at the whole poem, it is grand in spirit, broad in vision, praising the magnificent rivers and mountains, and praising and remembering historical heroes, forming a bold tone.
About the author
Su Shi (1037-1101) was a writer, calligrapher, painter and gourmet in the Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name is Zizhan and his nickname is Dongpo Jushi. Han nationality, Sichuan native, buried in Yingchang (now Jiaxian County, Pingdingshan City, Henan Province). His official career was bumpy throughout his life, but he was knowledgeable, extremely talented, and excellent in poetry, calligraphy, and painting.
His writing is unbridled, clear and fluent. Together with Ouyang Xiu, he is called Ou Su, and he is one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". His poetry is fresh and vigorous, good at using exaggeration and metaphor, and his artistic expression is unique. He is also called Su Huang together with Huang Tingjian. He started a bold and unrestrained school and had a huge influence on later generations. Together with Xin Qiji, he was called Su Xin. He was good at calligraphy in running script and regular script. He was able to create his own ideas. His pen was rich and ups and downs, and he had an innocent taste. He was called Song Dynasty together with Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Xiang. The four schools have the same painting studies and literature, advocate spiritual similarity in painting, and advocate "scholar painting".