This poem was written by Chen Yi and comes from his "Meiling Three Chapters. One". "Three Chapters in Meiling" is a seven-character quatrain poem composed by Chinese Communist Chen Yi when Meiling was besieged by the 46th Division of the Kuomintang. Although Chen Yi was in danger, his determination to dedicate himself to the revolution and his confidence in the victory of the revolution remained unwavering.
His spirit of revolutionary optimism has become a precious spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation, inspiring generations of Chinese descendants to work hard and move forward courageously for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Translation:
What should I write now that I am about to be defeated and die? It took many battles to establish this revolutionary cause, how difficult it was! This time I will go to the underworld to summon the comrades who have sacrificed their lives. Lead one hundred thousand heroes to defeat the Kuomintang reactionaries!
Extended information:
Writing background
In October 1934, the main force of the Red Army moved from the Ruijin Central Soviet Area in Jiangxi Province and began the Long March. Xiang Ying and Chen Yi led their troops to break out of the Central Soviet Area under heavy enemy siege and moved to southern Jiangxi to engage in guerrilla warfare, which lasted for nearly three years.
In September 1936, Chiang Kai-shek mobilized the 46th Division of his direct troops to carry out the second major "clearance" of the guerrillas on the Jiangxi-Guangdong border, using a "three-pronged approach" of bunkers, isolation, and search and suppression. Using various methods, they gradually advanced towards the guerrilla base areas. Chen Yi entered the most difficult and difficult moment in his revolutionary career.
In late autumn in the Meiling Mountains, it is chilly. At that time, Chen Yi was living in a ravine in Meiling, about 15 kilometers away from Dayu County. One afternoon, Chen Hai (also known as Chen Hong), who was originally assigned by the Hunan, Hubei and Jiangxi Provincial Committee to transport troops to the 46th Division of the enemy, sent a note up the mountain, saying that someone from the central government had brought important instructions and that the responsible comrades should arrive. Go to Dayu County to meet up.
Unexpectedly, this trip caused Chen Yi to experience a life and death disaster in Meiguan. When Chen Yi arrived in Dayu County, he learned that Chen Hai had rebelled. When he returned to Meiling, the traitor Chen Hai had already sent the informant letter, and Meishan Zhaikeng, the residence of Xiang Ying, Chen Yi and others, was quickly surrounded by the enemy. The enemy searched Meiling with five battalions. In order to avoid the search, Chen Yi and the special committee personnel decisively hid in the grass during the day and moved at night to deal with the enemy within Meishan.
For more than 20 days in a row, the guerrillas did not dare to use fireworks and had no food to eat. They could only chew wild fruits and vegetables to satisfy their hunger. One day, Chen Yi was hibernating in the grass. His old wounds were aching, his stomach trouble had recurred, and he was extremely anxious. He didn't know if he could escape this disaster. While thinking about it, Chen Yi suddenly had poetic thoughts and silently recited the heroic "last work" poem "Meiling Three Chapters".
Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia-Meiling Three Chapters