Zeng Ji
Traveling across the Yangtze River in the fog and clouds, I depict the story of Ye Gong laughing at the time.
The hateful momentum spreads across the sky, and is now cut into a small screen.
"Ancient Dragon Screen" is a poem that chants objects with unique sustenance. The author's own note under the title says: "Xuanhe's old things were carried across the river by Emperor Gaozong. After they were damaged, the palace officials cherished them, cut them into pieces and made them into screens, and erected them in the palace." "Xuanhe" is the reign name of Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Although Zhao Ji was a subjugated king, he was very accomplished in art and had a good appreciation of calligraphy and painting. When he was in power, he attached great importance to the collection, arrangement and appreciation of ancient calligraphy and painting, and also ordered the compilation of "Xuanhe Calligraphy Manual" and "Xuanhe Painting Manual". It is unknown who the author of this ancient dragon painting is and what its quality is, but we do know that it was once in the Imperial Household of the Northern Song Dynasty. After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, this painting traveled south with Emperor Gaozong. Later, due to deterioration, it was cut and framed and transformed into a screen, which was erected in the palace.
"Wandering in the clouds and fog across the Yangtze River" describes the Southern Song Dynasty's political power crossing the Yangtze River and moving southward, and the ancient paintings also moved southward. "Wandering in the fog by clouds" has two meanings. One refers to the carefree posture of the ancient dragon when it takes off; the other refers to the scene when Zhao Gou, Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, rushed across the river through the vast river fog while being pursued by the Jin soldiers. "Jiangdong", from the Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the area on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River below Wuhu in Anhui Province has been called Jiangdong. The ancient name is still used here, which has the same meaning as "Jiangdong" in Li Qingzhao's "Summer Quatrains" "I still miss Xiang Yu and refuse to cross Jiangdong" .
"When the painting was done, I laughed at Mr. Ye", which follows the previous sentence, and at the same time extends the brushstrokes to Zhao Ji, Zhao Gou's father and the original owner of this painting. "Ye Gong loves dragons" is originally a story in Liu Xiang's "New Preface: Miscellaneous Things". There is a reason to use Ye Gong as a metaphor for Zhao Ji. Zhao Ji is good at painting things, and he is also good at painting dragons. Wherever he goes, he paints the image of dragons. Even the ancient paintings he admires are dragon paintings. It can be said that his love for dragons has reached the extreme. The emperor is the incarnation of the dragon. As an emperor, of course he should maintain the status of the dragon. However, he is just like Mr. Ye. He is only a fake dragon. When the enemy is in front of him and the troops approach the city, he is at a loss and loses his mind. He does not look like a real dragon at all. Although this poem is simple, it is very powerful.
Zhao Ji lost his country due to his mediocrity, so what about his "Dragon Son" Zhao Gou? In three or four sentences, he changed his writing style and wrote about the current situation: "The hateful situation spread across the sky, and I cut it into a small book. Screen. "The ancient painting is full of momentum; but now only half of it is left and it is incomplete. The poet used the painting to lament that more than half of the great country of the Song Dynasty had fallen into the hands of the enemy, but the authorities were content with the remaining mountains and rivers and had no intention of restoring the lost territory of the Central Plains. The poem begins with lamenting the declining power of the country and the declining rivers, and then hints at the fate of the small court in the Southern Song Dynasty, which is thought-provoking.
This poem about objects not only contains subtle objects, but also has profound meaning. It embodies the poet's profound experience of the world, with subtle details and rich implications. The style is euphemistic, subtle, and chewy. The poem uses puns in many places, enriching its connotation and expressive power, giving the whole poem an artistic effect of exhaustive words and infinite meaning. Among similar poems in ancient times, this poem about things can be called a superior work.
"Xie Jingjianhui Jinling Baiyong Book" written by Luofenggu says: "The millet seedlings are separated, and the wheat is showing off. The ancient palace is hung on the barren border, and the decaying city is caressed on the weeds. The servants sigh in sorrow, and the horses are pregnant. A hundred chants are extremely good.
I don’t know what kind of heart Jing Jian has, how can he deal with such annoying words in a thousand years?" ("The Complete Collection of Chinese Calligraphy and Calligraphy")