Chinese plum
Author: Wang Anshi
There are some plums in the corner, and cold ling opens them alone.
I knew from a distance that it wasn't snow, because there was a smell coming.
Plum blossom is a five-character quatrain written by Wang Anshi, a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty. The first two sentences of this poem are written that plum blossoms in the corner are not afraid of the cold and are proudly independent; The last two sentences describe the delicate fragrance of plum blossom, personifying it, and making Ling Cold blossom alone. Metaphor is noble and fragrant, symbolizing its brilliance.
It is also a metaphor for those who, like poets, can still uphold integrity and advocate justice with the strength and noble character of plum blossoms in a difficult environment. The language of the whole poem is simple, but it is plain and restrained, but it is also profound and intriguing.
In the first year of Xining, Song Shenzong (1068), Wang Anshi published Nothing Important in this Century, advocating "enriching the people" to save the "poor", enriching Qiang Bing and carrying out comprehensive reform.
However, the opponents kept slandering and discussing. In the spring of the seventh year of Xining (1074), there was a great drought and the hungry people were displaced. Wang Anshi went on strike. In February of the following year, Wang Anshi visited again. After nine years in Xining (1076), I was disheartened after being stopped again.
Give up political reform and retreat to Zhongshan. At this time, the author's lonely mentality and difficult situation have the same effect as the frosty plum blossom, so he wrote this poem.
The language of this poem is simple, and there are not many descriptions of plum blossom images, but it is profound and intriguing. His "Apricot Flowers in the North Skin" greatly exaggerated the enchanting image of apricot flowers and shadows.
It emphasizes the noble and persistent spirit of apricot blossom by saying that "it is better to be blown into snow by spring breeze than crushed into dust by strangers in the south", which is very conspicuous and exposed. And this poem about plum blossoms has the same ideological connotation, but it is very dull and introverted.
In the first two sentences, plum blossoms in the corner are not afraid of the cold, but proudly independent. "There are a few plums in the corner" and "corner" are inconspicuous, unknown, unappreciated, but don't care.
The "corner" environment highlights the humble and lonely forms of several plums. It embodies the poet's attitude of sticking to his own opinions despite the harsh environment.
"Cold ling spends alone", here the plum blossom is written without her gesture, only her "opening alone", highlighting that plum blossom is not afraid of cold and does not follow the crowd. Although it is in a lonely place, it still blooms in the cold, writing about the quality of plum blossoms and writing about personality.
"Loneliness" has a strong meaning, is not afraid of others' eyes, and remains firm in harsh environment. Reflect the poet's belief in self-persistence.