The first and second sentences of "Entering Wuguan" describe the dangerous terrain of Wuguan and the difficulty of traveling.
Original text:
Zhou Hongzheng·Entering Wuguan
Wuguan has set up ground protection to make it easy for tourists to come back.
The general fell from the sky, and the boy abandoned his silk clothes.
The sweat turns into clouds and rain, and the carriages and horses raise dust.
You can’t believe the rooster’s crow. Don’t open it before dawn.
Translation:
1. Wuguan: in the northwest of Shang County, Shaanxi Province.
2. Zhao Hui: Wandering is not enough.
3. This sentence uses an allusion from Li Guang in the Han Dynasty. According to "Historical Records: Biography of General Li", the Huns called Li Guang "Flying General".
4. This sentence uses an allusion to the end of the army in the Han Dynasty. Zhong Jun was only in his twenties when he died. People at the time called him "Zhong Tong". According to the "Book of Han·Zhongjun Biography", when he was eighteen years old, he was selected as a doctor's disciple. When he was walking through the customs from Jinan to Chang'an, the customs official gave him half of the silk and told him to use it to check the fit when he came back, and then he could enter the customs. . He said: "When a man travels to the west, he will never return it." Then he abandoned the silk and left. 绻 (sound like): Silk used as a pass in ancient times. There are words on it, and it is divided into two halves. Take one half with you when you leave the customs, and verify it when you return.
5. These two sentences use an allusion to Yuchang Jun during the Warring States Period. "Historical Records·Biography of Lord Mengchang" records that when Lord Mengchang returned from Qin to Qi, he arrived at Hangu Pass at night. According to regulations, the switch can only be turned on and off when the cock crows. Lord Mengchang was worried about the pursuit of troops and was eager to get out of the customs. A guest imitated the rooster's crow, which attracted the surrounding roosters to crow, and he was able to open the city gate and escape.
Appreciation:
The poem "Entering Wuguan" describes the danger of Wuguan. The first sentence of the poem points out the "dangerous terrain" of Wuguan, and then uses the facts such as tourists "returning by chance", guards "falling from the sky", pedestrians "coming with abandon", passers-by sweating like rain, and carriages and horses raising dust. It further exaggerates and highlights the "danger" of Wuguan, making people feel like they are on the scene and experiencing the dangers.
Three allusions are used in the eight lines of this poem. The first one used Li Guang's story to describe the generals guarding Wuguan as being condescending, as if they were flying down from the sky. The second one uses the story of the end of the army to illustrate that Wuguan is dangerous, so that people who pass through it will never want to pass here again as long as they pass through it once. The third one borrowed the allusion of Menchangjun and humorously warned the general of Wuguan: Even if the pass is dangerous, don't be careless, don't believe in the rooster's crow, and don't rush to open or close the pass when the weather is unclear. These three allusions are used appropriately and add to the charm of the whole poem.
About the author:
Zhou Hongzheng (496-574), courtesy name Sixing, was born in Ancheng, Runan (now southeast of Runan, Henan). Minister of the Southern Dynasties, the ninth grandson of Zhou Yi, the Guanglu official of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
At the age of ten, he is proficient in Laozi and Zhouyi. He started as a doctor of Taixue and moved to Danyang to be the chief bookkeeper. Hongzheng knows the mysterious phenomena and is good at predicting the situation. In the last years of Datong, Hou Jing's rebellion was predicted. In the first year of Taiping, he was appointed as a servant, led the princes of the country to offer wine, and was moved to Taichang Qing and Du Guan Shangshu. Chen Baxian came to the throne, and was awarded the title of Prince Zhan Shi, moved to serve in the middle, the prince of the state offered wine, and was awarded the official Jin Ziguanglu, who led the prince of the state to offer wine, Yuzhou Dazhongzheng, and the tired official Shangshu Youpushe. He died in the official position in the sixth year of Taijian (574) at the age of seventy-nine. He was given the posthumous title of Shizhong and Zhongshujian, and his posthumous title was Jianzi.