Hu Zeng believed that the excavation of the Grand Canal was an important reason for the demise of the Sui Dynasty. He had a negative attitude towards the construction of the Grand Canal.
Original text of the work
Once a thousand-mile long river opens, waves will come in nine days.
The golden sails have not yet fallen and the war has begun, and the melancholy dragon boat will not return.
Translation: The Thousand Miles Canal seems to have appeared in one day. The heavy taxes and miscellaneous taxes have led to the peasant uprising against the Sui Dynasty. The brocade sails of the dragon boat of Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty traveling south have not yet fallen, and uprisings in various places have begun. In full swing. I can't help but feel melancholy, when will the dragon boat return to Chang'an again?
It can be seen from the first two lines of the poem that Hu Zeng believed that the thousands-mile canal brought the waves of the Sui Dynasty. Later, he criticized Jinfan who traveled on the canal for causing unrest.
Extended information
Hu has been an officer for many years. When I look at the ruins of ancient times, I often sing elegy. His poems are popular and lively. There are 10 volumes of "Anding Collection", which are now lost; and 150 poems of "Ode to Epic Poems", all of which are seven unique poems. They comment on historical figures and historical facts, and are often cited by later writers of historical novels.
The Bianhe River is part of the Grand Canal built in the Sui Dynasty. The purpose of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty in digging the canal was to take a dragon boat ride to Jiangdu to tour the southern scenery. As a result, it accelerated the demise of the Sui Dynasty. After his dragon boat arrived in Yangzhou, a peasant uprising broke out and he was killed by his subordinates. The dragon boat never came back.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Ode to the Epic·Bianshui