Crossing the Lingding Ocean
"Crossing the Lingding Ocean"
After a hard encounter, there are only a few stars around in the fight.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
Who has never died since ancient times? Keep your loyalty to reflect history.
Translation:
The reason for my suffering was that I was proficient in the scriptures and obtained an official position.
I spent four years on the desolate battlefield. Spring and Autumn.
Mountains and rivers are broken like catkins blown away by the wind,
A life of turmoil is like duckweed beaten by rain.
Complaining about fear on the beach of fear,
Being lonely and alone on the lonely ocean.
Who can live forever since ancient times?
After my death, I will leave this red heart of loyal service to the country and let it shine in the annals of history forever.
Background of the poem
In the first month of 1279, the Yuan army left the Pearl River Estuary and attacked Yashan, the last stronghold of the Southern Song Dynasty (in today's Nanhai, Xinhui, Guangdong). Wen Tianxiang was escorted along with him. The ship passed Lingding Yang (Lingding Yang is at the mouth of the Pearl River in the south of Zhongshan, Guangdong, south of Zhongshan City. There is Lingding Mountain by the sea, and the sea below the mountain is called Lingding Yang). Marshal Zhang Hongfan of the Yuan Army forced Wen Tianxiang to surrender the Song Army Commander Zhang Shijie who was holding on to Yashan. , Wen Tianxiang wrote this poem to express his ambition and sternly refuse. Wen Tianxiang's own note recorded in the "Guidebook" said: "On the last day of last month, Marshal Zhang ordered Marshal Li to cross the ship and asked him to write a letter to Zhang Shaobao to surrender. Then he said to him: 'I can't save my parents by myself. Is it okay to teach people to carry their parents on their backs? "Li Buqiang wrote this poem to reach Zhang, but he said that "good people are good at poetry", but they can't force it."
Annotation of the poem
p>"Hard work" sentence: recalls the early life and various hardships since becoming an official. Encounter means to be selected by the imperial court; Qiyijing means to pass the imperial examination and get an official position because of proficiency in a certain scripture. The imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty examined the meaning of classics and selected one of the Five Classics (Yi, Shi, Shu, Rites, and Spring and Autumn). In the fourth year of Baoyou's reign (1256), Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang became the first Jinshi and later became the prime minister. Gang Ge Liao Luo: Liao Luo means deserted and sparse. This means that the war between the Song and Yuan Dynasties is coming to an end. The Southern Song Dynasty died this year (1279) and was unable to resist at this time. Zhouxing: The Zhouxing is the Sui star. The Sui star circulates in the sky for twelve years, so the Zhouxing refers to the twelve years. The four stars are forty-eight years. Wen Tianxiang was forty-four when he wrote this poem. The four stars here are in whole numbers. Most of the old annotations refer to the four years since Wen Tianxiang responded to the imperial edict of King Qin in 1275. In fact, the first two sentences of this poem should be understood together, as they are the poet's review of his life experiences.
"Mountains and rivers" sentence: refers to the fact that the national situation and personal destiny are irreversible. Panic Beach: In today's Wan'an County, Jiangxi Province, the water flow is very fast, and it is one of the eighteen beaches in Ganjiang River, the most dangerous one. In the second year of Jingyan's reign (1277), Emperor Ruizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang was defeated in Kongqian, Jiangxi Province, and retreated to Fujian via the panic beach.
"Ling Ding" sentence: Lamenting the current situation and being alone and helpless. After the poet was captured, he was imprisoned in a warship in Lingding Ocean. History: Annals of History. Before the invention of paper, bamboo slips were used to record events. When making bamboo slips of seven-character poems, the bamboo must be roasted with fire to remove the sweat (moisture), so it is called history.
The poet reviews his life in one or two sentences, but due to space limitations, in terms of writing method, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty cited two events, one at the beginning and the other at the end, to summarize the rest. The four sentences in the middle closely follow "There are few battles" and clearly express the author's understanding of the current situation: the country is in a precarious situation, the tragedy of national subjugation is inevitable, and it is even more difficult to talk about personal destiny. But in the face of this great change, what the poet thought of was not his personal way out and future, but his deep regret for not being able to win a military victory and reverse the situation two years ago. At the same time, I also feel particularly sad about my isolation and helplessness. Judging from the conception of the whole poem, the first six sentences exaggerate the atmosphere of sadness, anger and hardship to the extreme. The next two sentences change the mood from sadness and anger to excitement, from depression to high pitch. "Since ancient times, no one has died, and his loyalty will be reflected in history." Throughout the ages, people will inevitably die. If they die to save the motherland, they will sacrifice their lives for righteousness. Their loyalty will hang down in the annals of history and reflect through the ages. These two passionate and generous poems show the poet's determination to sacrifice his life for righteousness and fully reflect his national integrity. Because of these two ending lines, the whole poem has become a masterpiece and a great song for the ages.
About the author
Jiangxi Ji'an Prison Southern Song Dynasty Beijing
"Crossing the Lingding Ocean" is a famous patriotic seven-character poem by Wen Tianxiang, a minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), minister and writer of the Southern Song Dynasty, was a famous national hero. His courtesy name was Lushan, also named Songrui, and his nickname was Wenshan. He was a native of Luling, Jizhou (now Ji'an, Jiangxi). At the age of 20, he got the first place in the Jinshi examination and was promoted to Prime Minister and Privy Envoy. In 1276, the Yuan army approached Lin'an (now Hangzhou), the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was sent to negotiate in the Yuan army camp and was detained. Later, he escaped in Zhenjiang and was rescued by the people. He traveled by sea to Fujian and fought against the Yuan army with Zhang Shijie, Lu Xiufu and others. It once regained some lost territory, but was later defeated by the Yuan army. It retreated into Guangdong and fought in the Haifeng and Chaoyang areas. In December of the first year of Xiangxing's reign (1278), Emperor Zhao Bing of the late Song Dynasty was captured by the Yuan army. Later, he was escorted to Dadu (now Beijing) and imprisoned for three years. He was repeatedly coerced and induced, and suffered all kinds of torture, but he remained unyielding. On the ninth day of December in the nineteenth year of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (January 9, 1283), he calmly died in Chaishi, showing his steadfast national integrity.
Wen Tianxiang's later works closely reflected reality, artistically reflected the author's struggling life and patriotic thoughts, and showed the scenes of the Southern Song Dynasty soldiers and civilians fighting against the Yuan army. They were written in a melancholy, tragic and touching way. Now there is "The Complete Works of Mr. Wenshan". Famous works such as "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" and "Song of Righteousness" are praised by the world.
After the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty in Yashan, Zhang Hongfan asked the Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty for instructions on how to deal with Wen Tianxiang. The Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty said: "Who has no loyal ministers?" Zhang Hongfan was ordered to treat Wen Tianxiang politely and send Wen Tianxiang to Dadu (today's Beijing) and was placed under house arrest in Huitong Pavilion, determined to persuade Wen Tianxiang to surrender.
The Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty first sent Liu Mengyan, the former prime minister of Zuo of the Southern Song Dynasty who surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty, to speak to Wen Tianxiang and persuade him to surrender. Wen Tianxiang was furious when he saw Liu Mengyan, and Liu Mengyan had to leave in anger. Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty asked Zhao Xian, Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty, who surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty, to persuade him to surrender. Wen Tianxiang knelt on the ground, cried bitterly, and said to Zhao Xian: "Sir, please come back!" Zhao Xian had nothing to say and left in dismay. Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty was furious and ordered Wen Tianxiang's hands to be tied and put on wooden shackles. Imprisoned in the cell of the Soldiers and Horses Division. Wen Tianxiang was imprisoned for more than ten days before the jailer loosened his bonds. It took another half a month before they took off the wooden shackles.
Polo, the Prime Minister of the Yuan Dynasty, personally opened a court to interrogate Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang was escorted to the lobby of the Privy Council, where he stood tall and bowed his hands to Polo. Polo ordered Wen Tianxiang to kneel down. Wen Tianxiang struggled hard and sat on the ground, still refusing to give in. Polo asked Wen Tianxiang: "What else do you have to say now?" Wen Tianxiang replied: "The world has its ups and downs. Nations have been destroyed and slaughtered in all dynasties. I am loyal to the Song Dynasty, and I just want to die early!" Polo was furious. Said: "You want to die? I won't let you die. I want to imprison you!" Wen Tianxiang was not afraid and said: "I am willing to die for justice, and I am not afraid of being imprisoned!"
From then on, Wen Tianxiang Spent three years in prison. While in prison, he received a letter from his daughter Liu Niang and learned that his wife and two daughters were slaves in the palace and lived like prisoners. Wen Tianxiang knew that his daughter's letter was a hint from Yuan Ting: as long as he surrenders, his family can be reunited. However, although Wen Tianxiang was heartbroken, he did not want to lose his integrity because of his wife and daughter. He wrote in a letter to his sister: "To collect Liu Nu's letter, it is painful to cut the stomach and intestines. Who doesn't have the love of his wife and children? But when things come to this point today, Yu Yi should die, it is his fate. What can I do? What can I do!" ...It can make Liu Nu and Huan Nu have no control over it. They choked with tears. "
Life in prison was very hard, but Wen Tianxiang endured the pain and wrote many poems. The third volume of "Guide Houlu", "Song of Righteousness" and other majestic and immortal masterpieces were all written in prison.
In March of the 19th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1282), the powerful minister Ahema was assassinated. The emperor of the Yuan Dynasty ordered the confiscation of Ahema's family property, investigated Ahema's crimes, and appointed Heli Huosun. For the right prime minister. Heli Huosun proposed governing the country with Confucianism, which was highly approved by Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty. In August, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty asked the ministers at the meeting: "Who is the virtuous prime minister between the southern and northern prime ministers?" The ministers replied: "The northerners are not as good as Yelu Chucai, and the southerners are not as good as Wen Tianxiang." So the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty issued an order to plan Wen Tianxiang was awarded the title of high official. Some of Wen Tianxiang's old friends immediately informed Wen Tianxiang of the incident and persuaded Wen Tianxiang to surrender, but Wen Tianxiang refused. On December 8, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty summoned Wen Tianxiang and personally persuaded him to surrender. Wen Tianxiang still bowed to Yuan Shizu without kneeling. Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty did not force him to kneel down. He just said: "You have been here for a long time. If you can change your mind and treat me with loyalty to the Song Dynasty, then I can give you a position in Zhongshu Province." Wen Tianxiang replied : "I am the prime minister of the Song Dynasty. The country is destroyed, and I only want a quick death. I don't want to live for a long time." Yuan Shizu asked again: "Then what do you want?" Wen Tianxiang replied: "I hope one death is enough!" Yuan Shizu was very happy. Angry, he ordered Wen Tianxiang to be executed immediately.
The next day, Wen Tianxiang was escorted to Chaishi execution ground. The supervisor asked: "What else does the prime minister have to say? You can avoid death by playing the echo." Wen Tianxiang shouted: "I will die, what else can I say?" He asked the supervisor: "Which side is the south? Someone pointed him in the direction, and Wen Tianxiang knelt down to the south and said, "My matter is over, and I feel no guilt." So he surrendered his neck and died calmly. After his death, a poem was found in his belt: "Confucius said to be benevolent, and Mencius said to be righteous. Only the righteousness is fulfilled, so benevolence is the best. What did you learn from reading the books of sages? From now on, you are almost worthy of shame." Wen Tianxiang died at the time of his death. Only forty-seven years old.
Comprehensive poems
This kind of integrity of dying to clarify one's ambitions has also been clearly reflected in Wen Tianxiang's poem "Crossing the Lingding Ocean". The poems that embody this kind of integrity are life-changing since ancient times. Whoever survives will leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
The "natural and wonderful pairing" of semantic pun in the poem "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" is to express fear at the beach and sigh at Lingding in the Lingding Ocean.
The sentence in the poem "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" expresses the poet's national integrity and the view of life and death of sacrificing one's life for righteousness. Since ancient times, no one has died, and his loyalty will be remembered in history.
The poem "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" uses metaphors to express the country's difficulties and personal ups and downs: the mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean" original text, annotations, translations and appreciation
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
Wen Tianxiang
After a hard encounter,
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
p>
The stars are scattered all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are scattered by the rain.
Afraid to say panic on the beach,
I sigh alone in the ocean.
No one has ever died since ancient times.
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Translation 1:
With his own hard work, he mastered a kind of scripture, finally achieved fame, and began a turbulent and arduous political career;
From the leader It has been four full years of hardship since the rebel army fought against the Yuan soldiers. The great rivers and mountains of the motherland were torn apart by the enemy's aggression, like catkins blown away by strong winds;
My own life experience was also turbulent, like duckweed tossed and swayed by heavy rain. Thinking of the defeat in Jiangxi and the evacuation from the panic beach, the dangerous rapids and severe situation still make people panic;
Thinking of the entire Wulingpo army being wiped out last year and being trapped in the enemy's hands, now In the vast ocean of loneliness, I can only lament my loneliness. Since ancient times, who has never died? Sacrifice your life for your country, die a worthy death, and leave this sincere heart to illuminate history!
Translation 2:
Recalling the hardships I went through in my early years from the imperial examination to becoming an official,
It has been four weeks since the war ended.
A country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind,
An individual is like duckweed in a shower.
The disastrous defeat in Panpantan makes me still panic.
Lingxiayang and being trapped in the Yuan Dynasty lamented that I was lonely and alone.
Who has been able to live forever since ancient times?
I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty to reflect history.
Notes:
① Lingdingyang: at the mouth of the Pearl River south of Zhongshan, Guangdong today. Wen Tianxiang was captured by the Yuan army in December of the first year of Xiangxing's reign (1278), the last emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Bing. Commander Zhang Shijie. So Wen Tianxiang wrote this poem.
② "Hard work" sentence: Recalling the early life and various hardships since becoming an official. Encounter means to be selected by the imperial court; Qiyijing means to pass the imperial examination and obtain an official position because of proficiency in a certain scripture. Wen Tianxiang became the first Jinshi in the fourth year of Emperor Lizong Baoyou's reign (1256).
③Gange Liaoluo: Liaoluo means deserted and sparse. This means that the war between the Song and Yuan Dynasties is coming to an end. The Southern Song Dynasty died this year (1279) and was unable to resist at this time. The four-week star: The Zhou star is the Sui star. The Sui star circulates in the sky for twelve years, so the Zhou star refers to the twelve years. The four stars are forty-eight years. Wen Tianxiang was forty-four when he wrote this poem. The four stars here are in whole numbers. Most of the old annotations refer to the four years since Wen Tianxiang responded to the imperial edict of King Qin in 1275. In fact, the first two sentences of this poem should be understood together, as they are the poet's review of his life experiences.
④ "Mountain and River" sentence: It means that the national situation and personal destiny are irreversible.
⑤ Panic Beach: In today's Wan'an County, Jiangxi Province, the water flow is rapid and it is one of the eighteen beaches of the Gan River. In the second year of Jingyan's reign (1277), Emperor Ruizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang was defeated in Kongqian, Jiangxi Province, and retreated to Fujian via the panic beach.
⑥ "Ling Ding" sentence: lament the current situation and one's own bravery and isolation. After the poet was captured, he was imprisoned in a warship in Lingding Ocean.
⑦History: Annals of History. Before the invention of paper, bamboo slips were used to record events. When making bamboo slips, the bamboo must be roasted with fire to remove the sweat (moisture), so it is called history.
Appreciation 1:
This poem was written by Wen Tianxiang after he was captured to express his determination to die. In one or two sentences, the poet looks back on his life, but due to space limitations, the writing method is to cite two events, one as official and one as defeat in the army, to summarize the rest. The four sentences in the middle closely follow "There are few battles" and clearly express the author's understanding of the current situation: the country is in a precarious situation, the tragedy of national subjugation is inevitable, and it is even more difficult to talk about personal destiny. But in the face of this great change, what the poet thought of was not his personal way out and future, but his deep regret that he failed to achieve military victory in Konghang two years ago and thus reverse the situation. At the same time, I also felt particularly sad about my isolation and helplessness. From the lines, it is not difficult for us to feel the author's desolate mood intertwined with the great pain of the ruin of his country and his family, self-blame and self-lament. The last two sentences are the poet's unhesitating choice of his own destiny when he is trapped in the enemy's hands. This adds a tragic and passionate strength and confidence to the previous emotions and regrets, showing a unique sublime beauty. This not only reflects the poet's personality charm, but also expresses the unique spiritual beauty of the Chinese nation. Its touching qualities go far beyond the scope of language.
Appreciation 2:
This is a poem that will last forever. The poem begins with a review of life experience. It is intended to imply that you have been tempered for a long time and are fearless no matter what hardships and hardships you have. Then I recounted my combat career: I spent four years in a desolate and desolate war environment. Linking personal destiny to the rise and fall of the country.
The three or four sentences continue to express the development of the situation and the deep sorrow and indignation from both the national and personal aspects. This couplet has neat contrasts and appropriate metaphors, truly reflecting the social reality at that time and the poet's experience. National disasters, personal ups and downs, and all kinds of pain tortured the poet's feelings, making his words doubly sad.
The five or six sentences are deeper and deeper, using typical events in the encounter to once again show the poet's painful soul trembling due to the destruction of the country and personal danger.
The last two sentences converge the whole article with majestic momentum, and write a heroic oath of preferring death to surrender. The meaning is, since ancient times, is there anyone who is immortal in life? As long as this patriotism and loyalty can be left to shine in the annals of history.
This famous saying that has been passed down through the ages is a hymn to an ideal life composed by the poet with his own blood and life. The tone of the whole poem is melancholy and solemn, and the awe-inspiring righteousness runs through the rainbow. It is indeed a great patriotic poem that moves the heaven and the earth and weeps ghosts and gods.
Appreciation 3:
"After all the hardships, only the stars are scattered all around." The author, facing the critical moment of life and death, recalled his life and was filled with emotion. He grasped two major things, one was to become an official with Ming Jing, and the other was to be "King of Diligence". Starting from these two ends, the historical background and personal mood at that time were well written. "There are only a few fights" refers to the overall situation of the country. According to the "History of the Song Dynasty", the imperial court recruited soldiers from all over the world, but there were very few who held high the flag of righteousness and sacrificed their lives for the country like Wen Tianxiang. The author's use of the words "little fighting" implies his anger towards those who are living an ignoble existence and his condemnation of the capitulationists!
If the first couplet is recounted from the vertical aspect, then the jaw couplet is rendered from the horizontal aspect. "The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters with catkins, and the life experience is ups and downs, and the rain hits the rafts." The author uses desolate natural scenes to metaphor the decline of the country's affairs, expressing his grief very deeply. The lonely ministers of a subjugated country are like rootless duckweeds floating on the water with nothing to rely on. This situation is already miserable enough. And the author added the word "rain" on top of "ping", which makes it even more miserable. This "life experience ups and downs" summarizes the author's arduous struggle and rough life. This couplet has neat contrasts, appropriate metaphors, vivid images, and strong emotions. Reading it makes people feel sad!
The five or six sentences closely follow the previous meaning and further exaggerate the meaning. In the second year of Jingyan (1277), after Wen Tianxiang's army was defeated by the Yuan soldiers, they retreated from the Huangfangtan area to Fujian. At that time, he faced the sea and was pursued by soldiers. How to survive the dangerous situation and turn defeat into victory was the most worrying and uneasy thing for him. Now that the army has been defeated, and as a prisoner, he is being escorted across the Lingding Ocean, how can he not feel lonely? This couplet is particularly sentimental. The two sentimental place names "Huangquan Beach" and "Lingding Ocean" are naturally opposite to each other, and they are used by the author to express his "fear" of yesterday and the "Lingding Ocean" in front of him. ”, it is truly a masterpiece in the history of poetry!
In the above six sentences, the author exaggerates the hatred and hardships of his family and country to the extreme, and the sadness converges to a climax, but the last couplet is interrupted in one stroke: "Since ancient times, no one has died, but he has retained his loyalty. Follow the history!" The whole story ends with majestic momentum and high-pitched sentiment, reflecting his national integrity and view of life and death of sacrificing one's life for righteousness. The wonderful ending makes the whole story change from sad to strong, from melancholy to uplifting, forming an immortal song.
Author introduction:
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), a patriotic poet in the Southern Song Dynasty. The courtesy name was Lushan, also the courtesy name was Songrui, and his nickname was Wenshan. He was a native of Luling (now Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province). At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, he fought against the enemy with all his strength, was defeated and captured, but never succumbed to the coercion and inducement of the Yuan people, and finally died calmly. His later poems mainly described the difficult journey of fighting against the Yuan soldiers, expressing the steadfast national integrity, being generous and tragic, and deeply touching.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
After all the hardships,
The stars fell all around in the fight.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are scattered by the rain.
Afraid of being on the beach, I am afraid.
I am alone in the ocean and sighing.
No one has ever died since ancient times,
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Today's translation
Looking back on the hardships I went through in my early years from the imperial examination to becoming an official,
It has been four weeks since the war ended.
A country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind,
An individual is like duckweed in a shower.
The disastrous defeat in Panpantan makes me still panic.
Lingxiayang was trapped in Yuanlu, but I was lonely and alone.
Who has been able to live forever since ancient times?
I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty to reflect history.
About the author
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was given the courtesy name Lushan, also named Songrui, and his nickname was Wenshan. He was a native of Luling (now Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province). At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, he fought against the enemy with all his strength, was defeated and captured, but never succumbed to the coercion and inducement of the Yuan people, and finally died calmly. His later poems mainly described the difficult journey of fighting against the Yuan soldiers, expressing the steadfast national integrity, being generous and tragic, and deeply touching.
After all the hardships, only stars are scattered around. The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs, and the rain hits the rafters. Afraid of the beach, said panic, lonely in the ocean sigh alone. Since ancient times, no one has died, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate history.
After all the hardships, only stars are scattered around. The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs, and the rain hits the rafters. Afraid of the beach, said panic, lonely in the ocean sigh alone. No one has died in life since ancient times, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate the history!
After the hardships,
The stars are scattered all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are like rain and rain.
Afraid of being alone on the beach,
I am sighing for being alone in the ocean.
No one has ever died since ancient times,
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history!
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
After all the hardships,
The stars fell all around in the fight.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are scattered by the rain.
Afraid of being on the beach, I am afraid.
I am alone in the ocean and sighing.
No one has ever died since ancient times,
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Today's translation
Looking back on the hardships I went through in my early years from the imperial examination to becoming an official,
It has been four weeks since the war ended.
A country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind,
An individual is like duckweed in a shower.
The disastrous defeat in Panpantan makes me still panic.
Lingxiayang and being trapped in the Yuan Dynasty lamented that I was lonely and alone.
Since ancient times, no one has been able to live forever.
I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty to reflect history.
Notes
①Lingdingyang: at the mouth of the Pearl River south of Zhongshan, Guangdong today. Wen Tianxiang was captured by the Yuan army in December of the first year of Xiangxing's reign (1278), the last emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Bing. Commander Zhang Shijie. So Wen Tianxiang wrote this poem. ② "Hard work" sentence: recalls the early life and various hardships since becoming an official. Encounter means to be selected by the imperial court; Qiyijing means to pass the imperial examination and obtain an official position because of proficiency in a certain scripture. Wen Tianxiang became the first Jinshi in the fourth year of Emperor Lizong Baoyou's reign (1256). ③Gangge Liaoluo: Liaoluo means deserted and sparse. This means that the war between the Song and Yuan Dynasties is coming to an end. The Southern Song Dynasty died this year (1279) and was unable to resist at this time. Zhouxing: The Zhouxing is the Sui star. The Sui star circulates in the sky for twelve years, so the Zhouxing refers to the twelve years. The four stars are forty-eight years. Wen Tianxiang was forty-four when he wrote this poem. The four stars here are in whole numbers. Most of the old annotations refer to the four years since Wen Tianxiang responded to the imperial edict of King Qin in 1275. In fact, the first two sentences of this poem should be understood together, as they are the poet's review of his life experiences. ④ "Mountains and rivers" sentence: It means that the national situation and personal destiny are irreversible. ⑤ Panic Beach: In today's Wan'an County, Jiangxi Province, the water flow is rapid and it is one of the eighteen beaches of the Gan River. In the second year of Jingyan's reign (1277), Emperor Ruizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang was defeated in Kongqian, Jiangxi Province, and retreated to Fujian via the panic beach. ⑥ "Ling Ding" sentence: Lamenting the current situation and one's own bravery and isolation. After the poet was captured, he was imprisoned in a warship in Lingding Ocean. ⑦History: Annals of History. Before the invention of paper, bamboo slips were used to record events. When making bamboo slips, they must be roasted with fire to remove the sweat (moisture) from the bamboo, so it is called history.
After all the hardships, the stars fell all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs, and the rain and the rain are scattered.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
No one has ever died since ancient times, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
Wen Tianxiang
After a hard encounter, the stars fell all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
Since ancient times, no one has ever died, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
After all the hardships,
The stars fell all around in the fight.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are broken by the rain.
Afraid of being on the beach, I am afraid.
I am alone in the ocean and sighing.
No one has ever died since ancient times,
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Today's translation
Looking back on the hardships I went through in my early years from the imperial examination to becoming an official,
It has been four weeks since the war ended.
A country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind,
An individual is like duckweed in a shower.
The disastrous defeat in Panpantan makes me still panic.
Lingxiayang was trapped in Yuanlu, but I was lonely and alone.
Since ancient times, no one has been able to live forever.
I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty to reflect history.
About the author
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was given the courtesy name Lushan, also given the courtesy name Songrui, and his nickname was Wenshan. He was a native of Luling (now Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province). At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, he fought against the enemy with all his strength, was defeated and captured, but never succumbed to the coercion and inducement of the Yuan people, and finally died calmly. His later poems mainly described the difficult journey of fighting against the Yuan soldiers, expressing the steadfast national integrity, being generous and tragic, and deeply touching.
Notes
①Lingdingyang: at the mouth of the Pearl River south of Zhongshan, Guangdong today. Wen Tianxiang was captured by the Yuan army in December of the first year of Xiangxing's reign (1278), the last emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Bing. Commander Zhang Shijie. So Wen Tianxiang wrote this poem. ② "Hard work" sentence: recalls the early life and various hardships since becoming an official. Encounter means to be selected by the imperial court; Qiyijing means to pass the imperial examination and obtain an official position because of proficiency in a certain scripture.
Wen Tianxiang became the first Jinshi in the fourth year of Emperor Lizong Baoyou's reign (1256). ③Gangge Liaoluo: Liaoluo means deserted and sparse. This means that the war between the Song and Yuan Dynasties is coming to an end. The Southern Song Dynasty died this year (1279) and was unable to resist at this time. Zhouxing: The Zhouxing is the Sui star. The Sui star circulates in the sky for twelve years, so the Zhouxing refers to the twelve years. The four stars are forty-eight years. Wen Tianxiang was forty-four when he wrote this poem. The four stars here are in whole numbers. Most of the old annotations refer to the four years since Wen Tianxiang responded to the imperial edict of King Qin in 1275. In fact, the first two sentences of this poem should be understood together, as they are the poet's review of his life experiences. ④ "Mountains and rivers" sentence: It means that the national situation and personal destiny are irreversible. ⑤ Panic Beach: In today's Wan'an County, Jiangxi Province, the water flow is rapid and it is one of the eighteen beaches in the Ganjiang River. In the second year of Jingyan's reign (1277), Emperor Ruizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang was defeated in Kongqian, Jiangxi Province, and retreated to Fujian via the panic beach. ⑥ "Ling Ding" sentence: Lamenting the current situation and one's own bravery and isolation. After the poet was captured, he was imprisoned in a warship in Lingding Ocean. ⑦History: Annals of History. Before the invention of paper, bamboo slips were used to record events. When making bamboo slips, the bamboo must be roasted with fire to remove the sweat (moisture), so it is called history.
Appreciation
This poem was written by Wen Tianxiang after he was captured and committed to death. In one or two sentences, the poet looks back on his life, but due to space limitations, the writing method is to cite two events, one as official and one as defeat in the army, to summarize the rest. The four sentences in the middle closely follow "There are few battles" and clearly express the author's understanding of the current situation: the country is in a precarious situation, the tragedy of national subjugation is inevitable, and it is even more difficult to talk about personal destiny. But in the face of this great change, what the poet thought of was not his personal way out and future, but his deep regret that he failed to achieve military victory in Konghang two years ago and thus reverse the situation. At the same time, I also feel particularly sad about my isolation and helplessness. From the lines, it is not difficult for us to feel the author's desolate mood intertwined with the great pain of the ruin of his country and his family, self-blame and self-lament. The last two sentences are the poet's unhesitating choice of his own destiny when he is trapped in the enemy's hands. This adds a tragic and passionate strength and confidence to the previous emotions and regrets, showing a unique sublime beauty. This is not only a reflection of the poet's personality charm, but also the unique spiritual beauty of the Chinese nation. Its touching qualities go far beyond the scope of language.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
After all the hardships,
The stars fell all around in the fight.
The mountains and rivers are broken and the wind is floating in the catkins,
The ups and downs of life experience are scattered by the rain.
Afraid of being on the beach, I am afraid.
I am alone in the ocean and sighing.
No one has ever died since ancient times,
Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Today's translation
Looking back on the hardships I went through in my early years from the imperial examination to becoming an official,
It has been four weeks since the war ended.
A country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind,
An individual is like duckweed in a shower.
The disastrous defeat in Panpantan makes me still panic.
Lingxiayang was trapped in Yuanlu, but I was lonely and alone.
Who has been able to live forever since ancient times?
I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty to reflect history.
About the author
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was given the courtesy name Lushan, also named Songrui, and his nickname was Wenshan. He was a native of Luling (now Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province). At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, he fought against the enemy with all his strength, was defeated and captured, but never succumbed to the coercion and inducement of the Yuan people, and finally died calmly. His later poems mainly described the difficult journey of fighting against the Yuan soldiers, expressing the steadfast national integrity, being generous and tragic, and deeply touching.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
Wen Tianxiang
After a hard encounter, the stars fell all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
No one has ever died since ancient times, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate history.
Crossing the Lingding Ocean
Wen Tianxiang
After a hard encounter, the stars fell all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
No one has died since ancient times, and his loyalty will be remembered by history
Wen Tianxiang
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), male, Luling, Jizhou (now Ji'an, Jiangxi) Ren, whose original name was Yun Sun, also had the courtesy name Lushan and Song Rui. He named himself Wenshan and was a national hero. , author of "The Complete Works of Wenshan", whose famous works include "Song of Righteousness" and "Crossing the Lingding Ocean".
Wen Tianxiang's family history test:
"Futian Wenshi" is a descendant of Wen Weng, the prefect of Shu County in the Western Han Dynasty. During the Five Dynasties and the Later Tang Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang's ancestor Wen Shi migrated to Jizhou, Jiangxi and opened Luling in Jizhou. A descendant of the Futian Wen family in Chunhua Township.
Wen Tianxiang said this in the article "The Facts of Mr. Ge Zhai, the First Gentleman": "The first gentleman tried to test the genealogy. The Wen family moved to Ji from Chengdu, and his ancestor Bingran was the fifth (seventh generation - editor) Living in Yonghe Town, Emperor Gaozu Zhengzhong moved from Yonghe to Futian. "The Chronicles of Mr. Wenshan, the Right Prime Minister and Privy Envoy of Song Dynasty Shaobao" (hereinafter referred to as "Chronicles") also says: "The Wen family of Luling came from Chengdu, the sixth generation of Gong. His ancestor Bingran lived in Yonghe Town during the 15th century (Eighth Generation - Editor), and his ancestor Zhengzhong moved to Futian in the 5th generation (Eighth Generation - Editor).
"So now some people regard Wen Tianxiang as a Hakka, which is not true.
After being selected as a tribute, he took the name of Tianxiang. He held official positions in the navy's Jiedu judge office, Langguan of the Ministry of punishment, Jiangxi Tixing, Shangshu Zuosilangguan, Hunan Tixing, and Zhiganzhou.
The first year of Deyou, Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty. (1275) In the first month of the year, due to the massive attack by the Yuan army, the Song army's Yangtze River defense line collapsed. The imperial court issued an order to organize soldiers and horses to serve the king. Wen Tianxiang immediately donated his family's money to serve as military expenses, recruited local heroes, and formed a rebel army of more than 10,000 people. , headed for Lin'an. The Song court appointed Wen Tianxiang to inform Pingjiang Mansion and ordered him to send troops to rescue Changzhou, and then ordered him to rush to Dusong Pass. Due to the fierce offensive of the Yuan army, the Jiangxi rebels fought bravely, but in the end they failed to stop the Yuan army.
In the first month of the following year, the Yuan army came to Lin'an, and all civil and military officials fled. Empress Dowager Xie appointed Wen Tianxiang as the right prime minister and privy envoy, and sent him out of the city to negotiate with Boyan in an attempt to make peace with the Yuan army. When they arrived at the Yuan army's camp, they were detained by Boyan. Seeing that the situation was over, Empress Dowager Xie had no choice but to surrender to the Yuan army.
The Yuan army occupied Lin'an, but Lianghuai, Jiangnan, Minguang, etc. The land was not completely controlled and occupied by the Yuan army, so Boyan tried to lure Wen Tianxiang to surrender and use his reputation to clear up the mess as soon as possible. Wen Tianxiang would rather die than surrender, so Boyan had to escort him to Zhenjiang, where Wen Tianxiang took the risk and escaped. In the face of danger, he arrived in Fuzhou on May 26, the first year of Jingyan (1276), and was appointed as the right prime minister by Song Duanzong Zhao Bing.
Wen Tianxiang was extremely dissatisfied with Zhang Shijie's autocratic government and had disagreements with Chen Yizhong. So he left the Southern Song Dynasty to travel to the dynasty, and as the governor, he opened a mansion in Nanjianzhou (now Nanping, Fujian Province) to command the resistance against the Yuan Dynasty.
Soon, Wen Tianxiang moved to Tingzhou (now Changting, Fujian Province), Zhangzhou, Longyan, Meizhou and other places to contact various places.