Wang Mian's most famous plum blossom poem is "Mo Mei", which describes the strong, fragrant and outstanding quality of the plum blossoms, reflects the author's noble taste and indifferent mind to fame and fortune, and clearly shows that His steadfastness and purity of conduct do not flatter the world.
Wang Anshi's "Plum Blossoms" shows that plum blossoms are beautiful in fragrance and color, unique in early spring, with a strong character that is not afraid of the severe cold, an enterprising spirit that is unwilling to lag behind, and a noble character that braves the frost and snow to welcome the spring.
"Ink Plum Blossoms"
Yuan Wangmian
The trees beside the inkstone washing pond at my house are blooming with faint ink marks.
Don’t let others praise you for your good color.
Just leave the pure air to fill the universe.
Translation and annotations:
Translation
There is a plum tree beside the inkstone washing pond in my house, and the blooming plum blossoms show faint traces of ink.
You don’t need others to praise its beautiful color, you just need the fragrance of plum blossoms to permeate the world.
Notes
Mo Mei: plum blossoms outlined with ink pen.
My home: My home. Because Wang Xizhi and Wang Mian had the same surname, Wang Mian thought that the surname Wang belonged to the same family.
Inkstone washing pool: a pool for washing brushes and inkstones after writing or drawing. Wang Xizhi has a legend that "when he came to the pond to study calligraphy, the water in the pond turned black." This allusion is used here.
Chitou: beside the pool. Head: side.
Light ink: Ink colors are divided into four types in ink painting, such as clear ink, light ink, thick ink and burnt ink. What it means here is that the blossoming plum blossoms are dotted with light ink.
Traces: Traces.
Qingqi: the fresh fragrance of plum blossoms.
Full the universe: permeating the heaven and earth. Full: diffuse. Qiankun: between heaven and earth.
This is a poem in which the author Wang Mian praises the plum blossoms he painted. The painting is "Ink Plum Blossom Picture", on paper, ink pen, 31.9cm in length and 50.9cm in width. Self-titled: "My family washes inkstones on the tree at the head of the pool, and all the flowers bloom with light ink marks. Don't let anyone praise the good color, just leave the pure air to fill the universe. Wang Mian Yuanzhang is a good work." "Yuanzhang", "Prince and Sun of Wen" . There are also poems written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty and a collection seal. In the picture, a branch of plum blossoms sprouts horizontally, with tall branches and sparse flowers. Dye with light ink...?
Appreciation:
Creative background:
This is an inscribed painting. The poet praises the virtue of plum blossoms, which do not ask for praise from others, but only wish to leave fragrance to the world. In fact, they use the plum blossoms to express their own attitude towards life and their noble sentiments of not flattering the world.
The first two sentences, "My family washes inkstones on the tree at the head of the pond, and the flowers bloom with faint ink marks" directly describe the plum blossom. In the painting, the plum trees beside the small pond are in full bloom, and the blossoming plum blossoms are dyed with light ink. "Washing the inkstone pool" is an allusion to Wang Xizhi's allusion of "Linside the pool to study calligraphy, the pool water is completely black".
Three or four sentences praising Mo Mei for her noble character and integrity. It is painted with light ink. Although it is not pretty in appearance, it has an inner temperament that is clear, noble, dignified, and secluded. It does not want to use bright colors to attract people, please people, or seek praise from people. It only wants to be praised by people. Send out a fragrance and let it stay between heaven and earth. These two sentences are exactly the poet's self-portrait. Wang Mian's family was poor since he was a child. He herded cattle during the day and went to the Buddhist temple to study hard at night. Finally, he learned a lot of economics and was good at poetry and painting, and was versatile. However, he failed in repeated attempts and was unwilling to curry favor with the powerful, so he abandoned his ambition for fame and fortune and retired to Jiuli Mountain in eastern Zhejiang, where he made a living by painting. The two sentences "Don't let people praise the good color, just leave the pure energy to fill the world" show the poet's despising the popular customs, being self-reliant and not seeking merit.
This poem is titled "Mo Mei", which is intended to describe aspirations. The poet organically integrates painting style, poetry style and personality. Literally praising plum blossoms, actually praising one's own moral integrity.
In this poem, one "light" and one "full" fully show the personality. On the one hand, the plump plum blossoms and the poet's proud image appear vividly on the paper; on the other hand, it makes people feel the fragrance of calligraphy. The fragrance of plum blossoms seems to come to your face. In this way, "poetry style", "painting style" and personality are cleverly integrated together.
"Mei Mei" praises the elegance and integrity of plum blossoms. The poet also uses objects to express his feelings and uses plum blossoms to describe himself, showing his attitude towards life and noble sentiments. Some people believe that the poem on the painting points out the creative intention and emphasizes ethics and interests, and is even more famous in the history of art than the "Moumei Tu" itself.
《Plum Blossoms》
Song Wang Anshi
There are several plum blossoms in the corner, and Ling Han blooms alone.
I know it’s not snow from afar, because there is a faint fragrance coming.
Notes
1. Far away: far away
2. For: because
3. Dark fragrance: refers to the fragrance of plum blossoms
Translation
The few plum blossoms in the corner bloomed alone despite the severe cold. Why do you know from a distance that the white plum blossoms are not snow? Because there is a faint fragrance of plum blossoms.
Appreciation
The writing background of this poem is: Wang Anshi, who was over fifty years old and had long been disillusioned with politics, had his new ideas for reform overturned. He had already resigned from office twice and was re-elected twice. He had given up on reform, left the court, and let the mediocre officials do whatever they wanted.
Among the ancient poems about plum blossoms, one is quite famous, that is "Little Plum Blossoms in the Mountain Garden" by Lin Bu, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty who was before the author.
In particular, the two lines in the poem, "Sparse shadows slant across the clear water, and the faint fragrance floats in the moonlit dusk" have been praised as the swan song of plum blossom. ? The sparse shadows are slanting across the clear water, and the faint fragrance is floating in the moonlight at dusk - Guo
Lin Bu will never be an official in his life, nor will he marry a wife and have children. He lives alone on the slopes of Gushan by the West Lake. Mei Yanghe lives a secluded life. Therefore, his poems about plum blossoms only express his self-righteous thoughts that are divorced from social reality.
The author's poem is different. He cleverly borrowed Lin Bu's poems, but he was able to innovate. Look at the plum blossoms he wrote, as white as snow, growing in the corner but not inferior, exuding fragrance from afar. By admiring the noble character of plum blossoms that are not afraid of severe cold, the poet uses snow to describe the purity of plum blossoms, and uses the "secret fragrance" to point out that plum blossoms are better than snow, which illustrates the great charm of a strong and noble personality. In the extremely complex and difficult situation of the Northern Song Dynasty, the author actively reformed but received no support. His lonely mentality and difficult situation are naturally similar to plum blossoms. This little poem has profound meaning, and its sentences are very simple and natural, without any trace of elaboration.