Gu Lang Yue Xing
(Tang Dynasty) Li Bai
When I was young, I didn’t know the moon, so I called it a white jade plate.
I also doubt that the Yao (yáo) mirror is flying in the blue clouds.
The immortal has his legs hanging down, and the osmanthus tree is not round.
The white rabbit pounded the medicine and asked who he wanted to eat with?
The toad (chán) eclipses (shí) the round shadow, and the bright night is gone.
Yi (yì) once fell into the Nine Crows, and the heavens and humans were clear and peaceful.
The yin essence is confused (lǜn), and it is not enough to see if it goes away.
How about worrying about it? Sadness (cāng) destroys the heart and liver.
Brief analysis:
"Gu Long Yue Xing" is an ancient Yuefu title. The poet uses romantic techniques and rich imagination and myths and legends to show his childish and beautiful understanding of the moon in childhood. The poet compared the "white jade plate" and the "Yao Tai mirror", not only describing the shape of the moon, but also describing the brightness and loveliness of the moonlight, revealing an admirable childishness in the novelty. The word "call" in the second sentence and the word "suspect" in the third sentence vividly express the innocence of children. These four lines of poetry are like a perfect quatrain, with simple language, interesting metaphors, and very memorable.
Simple poetry: (Note: The first four sentences were selected in primary school, so there are only the first four sentences)
When I was a child, I didn’t know the moon, so I called it a white jade plate. It also felt like a treasured mirror from Yaotai, flying among the hazy clouds in the night sky.
Poetry appreciation:
This is a Yuefu poem. "Long Moon Walk" is an ancient Yuefu title and belongs to "Miscellaneous Songs and Songs". Bao Zhaoyou's "Long Moon Walk" is about a beautiful lady singing to the crescent moon. Li Bai adopted this title, so it was called "Gu Long Yue Xing", but he did not inherit the old content.
The poet used romantic creative methods, through rich imagination, clever processing of myths and legends, and strong lyricism, to form a magnificent, magical and profound artistic image. The poem first describes the childish understanding of the moon in childhood: "I didn't know the moon when I was young, and I called it a white jade plate. I also doubted the moonlight, flying in the blue clouds." The comparison with "white jade plate" and "Yaotai mirror" is vivid It perfectly shows the shape of the moon and the brightness and cuteness of the moonlight, which makes people feel very novel and interesting. The two verbs "hu" and "suspect" convey the innocence and innocence of children. These four lines of poetry seem to be written by hand, but they are full of emotion and inspiration. Then, he writes about the rising of the moon: "The immortal hangs his legs, how can the osmanthus tree be bunched up? The white rabbit pounded the medicine, and asked who he wanted to eat with?" Ancient mythology says that there are immortals, osmanthus trees, and white rabbits in the middle of the moon. When the moon was first born, he first saw the two feet of the immortal, and then gradually saw the full shape of the immortal and the laurel tree, saw a full moon, and saw the white rabbit pounding medicine in the moon. The poet used this myth and legend to write about the gradually brightening and fairyland-like scenery when the moon was born. However, the good times did not last long, and the moon gradually eclipsed from a circle: "The toad eclipses the round shadow, and the bright night is gone." Toad, commonly known as toad; Ming Dynasty, refers to the moon. Legend has it that a lunar eclipse is caused by a toad eating the moon. The moon was eaten by the toad and was damaged, making it dark and unclear. "Yi has fallen into the clouds, and heaven and man are pure and peaceful", which expresses the poet's emotion and hope. Hou Yi, who was good at shooting in ancient times, shot down nine suns, leaving only one, which saved heaven and man from disaster. Why does the poet introduce such a hero here? Maybe it’s because of the lack of such heroes in reality! Maybe I hope there will be such a hero to wipe out the world! However, reality is reality after all, and the poet was deeply disappointed: "The Yin spirit has been deceived, and it is not enough to see it." Now that the moon has disappeared and is confused, what is there to see? It's better to leave as soon as possible. This is obviously a helpless solution. Not only is the worry and anger in my heart not relieved, but it is deepened: "What is the reason for worry? The sadness is heartbreaking." The poet couldn't bear to leave, he was full of inner conflicts and worried.
This poem was probably written by Li Bai in response to the political darkness at that time. In his later years, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty indulged in sensuality and favored Concubine Yang. He became a powerful traitor, eunuch and border general, and made the country a mess. In the poem, "the toad has eroded its round shadow, and the bright night has faded" seems to be a stab at this gloomy situation. Shen Deqian said that this "implies that the imperial concubine can deceive the Lord." ("Tang Poems"). However, the poet's main purpose is not clearly stated. Instead, he makes cryptic words throughout the text, turning reality into a fantasy, and using the toad to eclipse the moon to allude to reality. The words are very profound and tortuous. One novel and wonderful imagination after another in the poem shows the poet's ups and downs of emotions, and the words are flowing, charming and thought-provoking, reflecting the majestic, unrestrained, fresh and elegant style of Li Bai's poetry.
When I was young, I didn’t know the moon. I called it a white jade plate, and I doubted that the Yao mirror was flying in the blue clouds. The immortal hangs his legs, and the osmanthus tree is no longer bunched up; the white rabbit makes the medicine, and asks who will eat it? The toad erodes the round shape, and the day and night are gone. Yi fell into the Nine Crows in the past, and the heavens and humans were pure and peaceful; the Yin essence has been deceived, and it is difficult to see whether it is gone or not. How can it be worried about its coming? Compassion destroys the heart and liver.
[Appreciation] When I was a child, my childish mind was innocent and I didn’t know much about the moon. I only knew that the bright, soft and lovely moon was called a white jade plate.
These two sentences are often quoted famous sayings about the moon. They describe the loveliness of the moon. They fully reveal all the lovely feelings about nature during those innocent years, and they are also very charming. A warm and innocent memory of the New Year.
Introduction to the poet:
Li Bai (701~762), courtesy name Taibai , named Qinglian layman. His ancestral home was Chengji, Longxi (now Qin'an County near Tianshui City, Gansu Province). At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he lived in Central Asia due to his crime. Li Bai's family background and birthplace are still a mystery, and academic circles have different opinions. Li Bai was born in Suiye City under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate. When he was five years old, he moved with his father to Qinglian Township, Changlong County, Mianzhou.
Li Bai has a bold and unrestrained temperament. He likes the style of a political strategist, loves to do chivalrous things, and despises wealth. He spent his early years in Shu. His father is a wealthy businessman. At the age of twenty-five, Li Bai began to roam the country and visited Hubei, Jiangxi, Henan, Shandong and other places.
Li Bai despised the powerful. Legend has it that he was drunk and once asked Gao Lishi to take off his boots in front of Xuanzong. Gao Lishi thought this was a great shame, so he excerpted Li Bai's poems to anger Concubine Yang. Every time Xuanzong asked Li Bai to become an official, Concubine Yang would stop him. Li Bai knew that Xuanzong's cronies had objections to him, so he begged to return home. Xuanzong gave him property and let him go.
Li Bai was a great romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty of my country and was known as the "Immortal of Poetry". His poems are heroic and magnificent, containing fantasies that break through reality, as well as reflections on the sufferings of the people's livelihood at that time and attacks on political darkness. His prose is fresh, clear, unrestrained and smooth.
Author of "The Complete Works of Li Taibai".
This is a Yuefu poem. "Long Moon Walk" is an ancient Yuefu title and belongs to "Miscellaneous Songs and Songs". Bao Zhaoyou's "Long Moon Walk" is about a beautiful woman singing to the crescent moon. Li Bai chose this title, so it was called "Gu Long Yue Xing".