In ancient times, image was regarded as the combination of mind and matter, the blending of emotion and scenery, and the unity of subjectivity and objectivity. In the theory of western modernism, image is regarded as a purely subjective product. Ai Qing is more influenced by western romanticism and thinks that image is purely sensory and concrete.
The central images of Ai Qing's poems are the land and the sun.
The image of "land" embodies the poet's deep love for the motherland and mother earth, and his deep sense of hardship for the fate of the motherland. Patriotism is an inexhaustible theme in Ai Qing's works, and his I Love This Land is the most incisive expression of this feeling. "Why do I often have tears in my eyes? Because I love this land deeply ",these two poems are true and simple, but they come from the poet's heart, from the depths of national life, and have immortal artistic vitality. In his famous work Dayan River-My Nanny, Dayan River is the embodiment of China people and farmers, which not only shows Ai Qing's sympathy and love for the working people, but also shows his concern and exploration for the fate of the working people.
The image of "the sun" shows the other side of the poet's soul: passionate and endless pursuit of light, ideal and a better life. In the poet's eyes, the eternal theme of "the sun" is a symbol of China's bright future and China's belief in victory, which contains the poet's yearning and pursuit for light, ideal and a better life. During this period, the best ode to light is the notice to the sun and dawn. "To the Sun" eulogizes the new life brought to the nation by the Anti-Japanese Liberation War from a unique angle, reveals the direction of China's revolution, and entrusts the poet with his earnest pursuit of light and ideals. Dawn Notice announced the arrival of a new era in a more optimistic and clear tone.