1. Source
It comes from the seven-character quatrain "Poetry on the Death of the Country" written by Mrs. Huarui during the Five Dynasties period.
2. Original text
The flag was lowered on the king's city, how could I know about it in the deep palace?
One hundred and forty thousand people were all disarmed, and not one of them was a man!
3. Translation
The king raised the flag of surrender on the city. How could I know it in the palace?
More than 140,000 soldiers have thrown away their armor in the war, and not a single one of them is manly!
Extended information
1. Creation background
Mrs. Huarui was the most beloved concubine of Meng Chang, the empress of Shu, and also a famous concubine in history who conquered the country. After the death of Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, the Empress of Shu, Mrs. Huarui was summoned to sleep with her. Taizu of the Song Dynasty had always heard of his talent and ordered him to recite poems in front of his bed. This poem was written at that time.
2. Appreciation
The poem goes straight to the point and breaks through the theme, pointing out that Meng Chang's monarch and his ministers lived in debauchery and extravagance, and their lazy administration harmed the country. Once the Song soldiers pressed the territory, they were all helpless and had no choice but to surrender in humiliation. The three words "Hand down the flag" are drawn in line to express hatred. At the same time, they outline the shameless faces of the Lord of Shu and his group, which is thought-provoking.
This little poem is full of passion, expressing the pain of subjugation and the anger towards those who wronged and betrayed the country, showing a lively, cheerful and patriotic woman. She used her daughter to scold someone for being a man in vain, which made the other party even more embarrassed.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Poems about the country’s demise