The white horse is decorated with golden restraints[3] galloping northwestward[4]. I would like to ask whose family's son, you and the wanderer's son [5] went to the countryside when he was young, and raised his voice in the desert [6]. In the past, there was a good bow, but the arrows were uneven [7]. The one who controls the string and breaks the left side will destroy the moon branch with his right hair. He raises his hand to catch the flying scorpion and bends down to scatter the horse's hooves[8]. He is as cunning as a monkey and as brave as a leopard [9]. There are many policemen in the border towns, and many captives and cavalry are migrating[10]. Yu Xi comes from the north, and his horses climb the high embankment[11]. Chang drove the Xiongnu[12] and left Guling Xianbei[13]. Abandoning one's body at the sharp edge, one's life is safe[14]? If parents don't care, how can they talk about children and wives? When compiling the records of strong men, no selfish considerations are allowed [15]. Sacrificing one's life to go to the country's disaster, seeing death as a sudden return home.
Notes
[1] This article belongs to "Miscellaneous Songs·Qi Se Xing", also known as "The Ranger Chapter". [2] Cao Zhi (192-232), named Zijian, was the third son of Cao Cao and the younger brother of Pi. He was granted the title of King Chen, and his posthumous title was Si. In his old life, he was called King Chen Si. His life was divided into two periods with Cao Pi proclaiming himself emperor. In the early period, he was favored by Cao Cao and followed the conquests. His poems and essays mostly wrote about his comfortable life and the rewards of his achievements. In his later period, he was persecuted by Cao Pi and his sons and died in depression. His poems and essays mostly expressed his feelings of resentment and injustice and his desire for personal freedom and liberation. . [3] Ji: Maluotou. [4] Lian Pian: Continuously, here describes the light and swift appearance. In the early Wei Dynasty, the northwest was the inhabited area of ??Xiongnu, Xianbei and other ethnic minorities, and heading northwest would lead to the frontier battlefield. [5] Youbing: Youzhou and Bingzhou, which are part of today's Hebei, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. Youxiaer: A young man who values ??righteousness over life. [6] Yang: spread. Chui: frontier. Two sentences about "Shaoxiao": He left his hometown when he was a young man and became famous on the frontier to defend the country. [7] Suxi: In the past, in the past. Bing: hold. 楛(hù湖) Arrow: An arrow made of 楛 wood. He: How. Two sentences of "Su Xi": It means that in the past, a good bow was never out of hand, and the arrows shot out all the arrows. [8] Control: lead, pull away. Left: The shooting target on the left. Destroy: destroy. Together with the word "scatter" (break) below, both have the meaning of penetration. Moon branch: and "Horseshoe" are both the names of shooting sticks (archery targets). Pick up: Greet what is coming at speed. 猱 (náo scratch): ape, good at climbing, flying up and down. [9]剽: Move quickly and swiftly. Chi (chíchi): a legendary beast, like a dragon and yellow. [10] Lu: Hulu, a derogatory name for the northern ethnic minorities in ancient times. Number: many times. [11] Feather: The feather is a document used for recruitment in the military. Putting a feather on it indicates that the military situation is urgent, so it is called Yuxi. Li Ma: gallop the horse, gallop the horse. [12] Dance: rush to. [13] Ling: Ling dance, approach it with force. [14] Huai: cherish. [15]中: In the heart. Gu: Nian.
Translation
The white horse is decorated with a golden headband,
galloping northwest with its companion;
Whose family is this? The young man,
Is he a ranger from Youzhou and Bingzhou?
He left his hometown when he was young,
became famous in the border areas;
Always have your bow and arrows ready,
There are many arrows in the arrow bucket,
Use the bow left and right to hit the target.
You are more agile than the apes in the tree.
You can hit the flying objects by raising your hand.
He can smash arrow targets by leaning down
More brave and agile than leopards in the forest;
Once news of the emergency at the border comes,
The cavalry harassed us many times,
The conscripts came from the north,
rode their horses up the high slopes;
drove straight in and defeated the Huns,
Attack westward and defeat Xianbei.
Since we are committed to a career that sheds blood,
how can we take the safety of life seriously?
If parents cannot take care of them and devote themselves to them,
How about their wives and children?
The name is recorded in the roster of heroes,
No personal considerations!
Sacrificing one’s life for the country, going to the battlefield where blood is shed,
We regard death as home!
Tips
This poem describes and praises a young hero in the border area who is highly skilled in martial arts and full of patriotic spirit, in order to express the author's ambition to serve the country. The heroic image in this poem is not only the poet's self-portrait, but also condenses and shines the glory of the times. It is an important representative work of Cao Zhi in his early period. The poem is full of youthfulness.
With its twists and turns and moving plot, the poem creates a vivid and touching image of a young patriotic hero with a distinctive personality. The first two sentences use the flying pen of a strange policeman to depict the figure of the hero galloping towards the northwest battlefield, showing the urgent military situation and tugging at the heartstrings of the reader; then, starting with "asking for questions", the origin of the hero is supplemented with elaborative pen and ink. Explain what kind of heroic image he is; the six sentences of "Border Town" continue from the beginning of the chapter, specifically explaining the reasons for "running northwest" and the courage to fight against the enemy. The last eight sentences show the lofty spiritual state of the hero who sacrificed his life for the country and regarded death as home.