Bitter Cold Journey
Dynasty: Wei and Jin
Author: Cao Cao
Original text:
Going north to the Taihang Mountains is difficult. How awesome!
The sheep's intestines are bent, and the wheels are destroyed.
The trees are so desolate, the sound of the north wind is sad.
The bear squatted against me, and the tiger and leopard crowed across the road.
There are few people in the valley, how does the snow fall!
When you stretch your neck and sigh, you have many things to cherish when you travel far.
Why is my heart depressed? I want to return eastward.
The water is deep and there are no bridges, and the middle road is wandering.
Confused and lost the old way, no shelter in the evening.
The journey was far away, and both men and horses were hungry.
Carrying a bag to collect salary, holding an ax and ice to make mince.
The sad poem "Dongshan" makes me sad for a long time.
Translation and annotations
Translation
The Northern Expedition climbed the Taihang Mountains. The mountains were high and the mountains were so steep that it was so difficult!
The Youchangzaka road is really bumpy, and the wheels broke due to bumps along the way.
The wind rustled the trees, and the north wind howled and howled.
The bear squatted down facing me on the road, while the tiger and leopard were standing in the road, howling wildly.
The valley is desolate and sparsely populated, with heavy snow falling all over the sky.
Looking up into the distance and sighing loudly, my thoughts flooded with thoughts during the long journey.
My heart is so depressed and melancholy, I really want to return to my hometown.
The deep water bridge made it difficult to advance, and the army wandered halfway.
The march lost its direction and there was no place to stay in the evening.
After walking and walking for a long time, people are tired, horses are tired, thirsty and hungry.
Carrying my luggage while walking, I cut firewood, cut ice and cooked porridge to satisfy my hunger.
Thinking of the poem "Dongshan" deeply touched my sadness.
Notes
1. Taihang Mountain: a large mountain range stretching at the junction of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan provinces.
2. He: How. It has the same meaning as the "he" in "Where is the snow falling?" below. Weiwei: towering.
3. Yangchang Ban (bǎn): The place name is located in the southeast of Huguan (now southeast of Changzhi County, Shanxi). It is named after the slope winding and curving like sheep intestines. Ban: slope. Jie Qu: twists and turns.
4. Destroy: destroy, break.
5. Pi (pí): a type of bear, also called horse bear or human bear.
6. Valley: a low-lying place with water in the mountains. Residents in the mountains often live in valleys. The word "little people" here means that there are few people in the mountains.
7. Feifei: The snow is falling heavily.
8. Neck extension: extend the neck (looking into the distance).
9. Huai: nostalgia, thoughts.
10. 怫(fú)瀫: depressed and restless.
11. Return to the East: Refers to return to the hometown of Qiaojun. The author was a native of Qiao (now Bo County, Anhui Province), located in the east of Taihang, so it is said that he "returns to the east".
12. Jue: break.
13. Middle: halfway.
14. Dusk: Dusk.
15. Carrying luggage: Carrying luggage. Collecting firewood while walking: collect firewood while walking.
16. Ice ax: Use an ax to cut ice to get water. Mi (mí): gruel.
17. "Dongshan": the title of the "Book of Songs". According to Mao's preface, this article was written during Duke Zhou's Eastern Expedition. The soldiers left their hometown for three years and missed their hometown on their way back.
18. Youyou: The look of long-lasting worry.
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