To live as long as the heaven and the earth, to share the light as the sun and the moon. Where does it come from:
The meaning of the sentence is that the life span is as long as the heaven and the earth, and the brilliance is as bright as the sun and the moon.
Source: "She Jiang" written by Qu Yuan during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
Excerpts from the original text:
Climb the Kunlun Mountains and eat jade flowers, live as long as the heaven and earth, and shine as brightly as the sun and the moon.
I don’t know how to feel sorry for the southern barbarians, but I will help Jiangxiang in the future.
Riding in Ezhu and looking back, I feel the mood of autumn and winter.
Translation:
I want to be as bright as the sun and the moon.
It’s sad that no one in Chu country understands me. I will have to cross the Yangtze River and Xiangshui River tomorrow morning. Landing in Ezhu, I looked back at the capital and sighed at the cold wind of autumn and winter.
Extended information
This poem can be divided into five sections. The first paragraph describes the contradiction between his lofty ideals and reality, and explains the basic reasons for this long journey across the river; the second paragraph describes the experiences along the way and his own emotions; the third paragraph writes about being alone in the mountains after entering Xupu The fourth paragraph further expresses his political stance through his own experience and the encounters of some loyal martyrs in history.
The fifth paragraph criticizes the political darkness of Chu State, where evil and sycophants are in power, while virtuous people are persecuted. The whole poem is an organic combination of scenery and lyricism, and the skillful use of metaphors and symbols reflects the poet's superb artistic level.
One of the most prominent features of this poem is that there is a large section of writing in the poem. This passage describes the scenery of the Yuanshui River Basin and becomes the earliest outstanding documentary poem in China. It has an impact on the creation of similar poems in later generations.