Passing by my old friend's village
Meng Haoran
My old friend brought chicken and millet and invited me to Tian's house.
The green trees are adjacent to the village, and the green mountains and hills are sloping outside.
Open a dining room and chat over wine.
On the Double Ninth Festival, I will come to see chrysanthemums.
1. Pass: visit, visit, visit. 2. Tools: preparation. 3. Together: surround. 4. Guo: Originally refers to the city, this refers to the village. 5. Farm: the small courtyard of a farmhouse. 6. Just: go. This means appreciation. 7. To: Arrive. 8. Xuan: refers to the window. 9. Just chrysanthemum: refers to drinking chrysanthemum wine.
My old friend prepared yellow rice and roast chicken and invited me to his simple Tian family home.
Outside the village is a circle of green trees, and on the outskirts are green hills.
I opened the window and faced the fields. I drank wine and chatted about cultivating mulberry and hemp.
Wait until the Double Ninth Festival in September, come drink and enjoy the chrysanthemums again!
My old friend slaughtered the chicken, simmered the rice, and invited me to his Tian family home.
Walking into the village is like entering another world. There is a beautiful picture in front of you -
Dense green trees surround the village, and a line of green mountains faintly slants outside the city wall. .
The host welcomed me into the house affectionately, opened the window and started chatting.
Facing the gold-filled grain fields and the green vegetable gardens, we drank the village’s fine wine and talked about mulberry and hemp.
I am still reluctant to leave, and my feelings are filled with two sentences:
I will come back to taste the wine and watch the chrysanthemums during the Double Ninth Festival in the crisp autumn weather.
Meng Haoran (689-740 AD) was a poet of the Tang Dynasty. A native of Xiangyang, Xiangzhou (now Xiangfan, Hubei), he was known as Meng Xiangyang in the world. In the first half of his life, he mainly stayed at home, attended to his relatives and read, and adapted himself to poetry. He once lived in seclusion in Lumen Mountain.
After living in seclusion for a while, I wanted to make a difference, so I went to Chang'an to look for opportunities. His poems were highly praised, and his reputation spread throughout the capital for a while. Unfortunately, there were many obstacles in his official career, and he was never taken seriously by the court. Meng Haoran suffered a huge blow and had to return to Lumen Mountain in frustration and travel around the mountains and rivers. Although I had one or two opportunities after that, unfortunately I was unable to display my talents.
In 740 AD, good friend Wang Changling came to Xiangyang. At this time, Meng Haoran had gangrene on his back, which was almost healed. The doctor told him not to eat fish, shrimp and other food, but the old friends gathered together, drank and chatted, which was extremely exciting. Out of joy, Meng Haoran forgot his taboo and ate fresh fish. As a result, he died of a virus attack. Lived to the age of fifty-two.
Most of Meng Haoran's poems are five-character short stories with a wide range of themes. They mostly write about landscapes, pastoral, seclusion, travel, etc. Although it is not without cynicism, it is more of the poet's self-expression. He and Wang Wei said that although his poetry was not as broad as Wang's poetry, he had unique artistic attainments and was the forerunner of the pastoral landscape poetry school that flourished in the Tang Dynasty after Tao Yuanming, Xie Lingyun, and Xie Tiao. Meng's poems are not ornamental, they are light and simple, feel cordial and real, have a strong flavor of life, and are full of wonderful contentment. For example, chapters such as "Walking to the Mountains in Autumn to Send Five Pieces", "Passing to an Old Friend's Village", and "Spring Dawn" are light but interesting, integrated, elegant in charm, and clear in artistic conception. Meng's poems are based on the clear and open water, but there is a strong and elegant atmosphere in the water, such as the couplet "Looking at Dongting Lake and presenting it to Prime Minister Zhang", "The steam is steaming over the clouds and the dream lake, and the waves are shaking Yueyang City", which is full of energy and overlooks everything. . But this kind of poem is rare in Meng poetry. Generally speaking, the content of Meng's poems is thin and it is difficult to avoid being embarrassed by its length. The current "Meng Haoran Collection" contains 263 poems, but there are other people's works. There are biographies in the new and old "Tang Shu".
Shen Deqian said that Meng Haoran's poems are "light in language but not thin in taste" ("Tang Poems"). In other words, when reading Meng's poetry, one should look through its light appearance to appreciate the inner charm. Although "Passing Through My Old Friend's Village" is not the lightest among Meng's poems, it uses simple language and is described plainly, with almost no exaggerated sentences or exciting words. It can be regarded as "too light to be seen". Poetry" (Wen Yiduo's "Meng Haoran"). Where does its poetic flavor lie?
"An old friend invited me to Tian's house." This beginning seems to be like a note in a diary. The old friend "invited" and I "came", there was no exaggeration in the words, it came immediately, simple and casual. This is exactly how it can be between best friends without any formalities. Inviting guests with "chicken millet" not only shows the Tian family's unique flavor, but also shows the simplicity of hospitality. It is this kind of hospitality without any formality or ostentation that makes friends' hearts more open to each other. This beginning is not very focused, calm and natural, but it is an excellent introduction to the life content that is about to unfold. It shows the characteristics of the atmosphere and needs to be further enriched and developed in the following.
“The green trees border the village, and the green mountains slant outside.” Walking into the village, I felt such a refreshing and pleasant feeling. The first sentence of these two sentences diffuses the surrounding area, surrounded by green trees, and appears to be a unified world of its own. The second sentence is lightly written, and the green mountains outside Guo are closely accompanying it, which makes the village not appear lonely and shows a broad vista. This village is located in Pingchou and is far away from the green mountains. It makes people feel quiet and quiet but not lonely. It is precisely because the "Old Friend's Village" appears in such a natural and social environment that the guests and hosts raise their glasses to the window, "open the dining room and chat over wine", which makes it even more enjoyable.
The word "Kaixuan" here also seems to be written into the poem very inadvertently, but the above two sentences describe the exterior scenery of the village. Here the narrator is drinking and talking in the house. When the Xuan window is opened, the exterior scenery comes in. Indoors, it gives people a more relaxed and happy feeling. Regarding these two sentences, people pay more attention to "talking about mulberry and hemp", thinking that it means "nothing to say when meeting each other" (Tao Yuanming's "Returning to the Countryside"), and forgetting about love in farming, which is indeed good. But with a threshing floor and vegetable garden in front of the Xuan window, surrounded by green shade, it gives people a spacious and stretched feeling. If you talk about sangma, it will make you feel more pastoral. As a result, we can not only appreciate the stronger rural flavor and the atmosphere of labor production, but we can even smell the earthy smell on the fields, see the growth and harvest of crops, and even the characteristics of the region and season. With the combination of these two sentences and the first two sentences, green trees, green hills, cottages, fields, mulberry and hemp blend harmoniously together, forming a beautiful and tranquil pastoral landscape painting, and the laughter of the guest and host and the words about mulberry and hemp are all It seems to be lingering in our ears. It is different from the pure fantasy of the Peach Blossom Land, but more realistic in the society of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It is in such a world that this poet who once lamented that "whoever is on the road is cheating, and good friends are rare in the world", not only forgets the setbacks encountered in political pursuits, the gains and losses of fame and fortune, but also the loneliness in seclusion. The depressed mood was also put away. From his longing for the green mountains and green trees, from his conversation with his friends over wine, it seems easy to imagine that his thoughts have relaxed, and even his actions have become flexible and comfortable. The environment and atmosphere of the farm showed its conquering power here, making Meng Haoran seem to be somewhat converted.
"On the Double Ninth Festival, I will come back to see chrysanthemums." Meng Haoran was deeply attracted by the farm life, so before leaving, he frankly expressed to his host that he would come back to see the chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival in the crisp autumn weather. In just two lines of poetry, the warmth of old friends treating each other, the joy of being a guest, and the cordiality and harmony between host and guest are all vividly reflected on the page. This can't help but remind people of Du Fu's "Suffering Tian's father to drink mud and beautifying Yan Zhongcheng": "The moon rises to cover my stay, but I still angrily ask Sheng Dou." Du Shi's father stayed with Tian, ??and his words were urgent; Meng Shi made an appointment with his old friend again, The meaning is soothing and the words are slow. The difference between Du Zhi's depression and Meng's indifference may reveal some news from here.
An ordinary farm and an ordinary treat of chicken and rice are presented in such a poetic way. The description is of the immediate scene, using spoken language, and the level of description is completely natural. The writing seems very relaxed, and even the form of verse seems to have become free and flexible. You just feel that this light and approachable style is in harmony with the object of his description - the simple farmland. It shows that the form is highly adaptable to the content. It is tranquil and friendly but not boring. It contains profound sentiment in its plainness. On the one hand, every sentence shows almost no signs of effort, but on the other hand, every sentence never seems weak. For example, the first two sentences of the poem only contain invitations to friends, but they can show a simple farmhouse atmosphere; the third or fourth sentences only contain green trees and mountains, but they can reveal a whole world; the fifth or sixth sentences only contain gossip over wine, but they can express the mood and environment. A comfortable fit; the seven or eight sentences only talk about the return of the Double Ninth Festival, but they naturally reveal their attachment to this village and old friends. These sentences are balanced and even, and together form a complete artistic conception, integrating the quiet and beautiful rural scenery with the simple and sincere friendship. This is the so-called "wonderful composition, but no syntax" (Shen Deqian's "Tang Poems"). "Don't make strange decisions...if the public loses his family, it should be a coincidence but not a coincidence" (Pi Rixiu's "Yingzhou Mengting Ji"). He deeply integrated the artistic beauty into the flesh and blood of the entire poem, making it appear natural. This kind of work is not ostentatious, does not show off skills, and does not rely solely on one or two carefully crafted sentences to support the appearance. It is a manifestation of high artistic level. For example, if a beauty is beautiful, her beauty is all over her body, not because of any one part that is particularly attractive. She does not rely on pretense, but amazes people because of her natural color and charm. It is precisely because of the true color internal reflection that the words are free and clear, so that the whole poem shows its charm from the "light touch" and no longer needs "heavy decoration".
Chrysanthemum is a famous flower in my country and also a famous longevity flower. "When the frost comes, only this grass flourishes." Due to the unique character of the chrysanthemum, the chrysanthemum has become a symbol of vitality.
As early as Qu Yuan's writings, there was a sentence of "eating autumn chrysanthemums in the evening", that is, taking chrysanthemum petals. Chrysanthemum wine has been around since the Han Dynasty. During the Wei Dynasty, Cao Wu once presented chrysanthemums to Zhong Cui on the Double Ninth Festival to wish him longevity. Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty recorded in "Baopuzi" that people in the mountains of Nanyang, Henan, lived longer because they drank the water from the sweet valley full of chrysanthemums. In the "Chrysanthemum Picking Chapter" written by Emperor Wen of the Liang Dynasty, there is a sentence: "We call each other and carry baskets to pick chrysanthemum beads. When the dew comes in the morning, we will be wet and wet." This is also the practice of picking chrysanthemums to make wine. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, chrysanthemum wine was still popular. It was still recorded in Gao Lian's "Eight Notes of Zunsheng" in the Ming Dynasty. It was a popular fitness drink.
During the Double Ninth Festival, my country has the traditional custom of drinking chrysanthemum wine. Chrysanthemum wine was regarded as an "auspicious wine" that must be drunk during the Double Ninth Festival in ancient times to ward off disasters and pray for blessings.
The brewing of chrysanthemum wine in my country has been popular as early as the Han and Wei dynasties. According to "Xijing Miscellanies", "When the chrysanthemums are blooming, the stems and leaves are picked, and the millet is mixed to brew it. When it becomes ripe on September 9 of the next year, it is drunk, so it is called chrysanthemum wine."
Tao Yuanming of the Jin Dynasty also said that "wine can cure all diseases, and chrysanthemum can prevent aging". Later, drinking chrysanthemum wine gradually became a folk custom, especially during the Double Ninth Festival, when people drink chrysanthemum wine. "Jingchu Age Records" records that "On September 9th, wearing dogwood, eating lotus ears, and drinking chrysanthemum wine will bring longevity.
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In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a variety of herbs were added to chrysanthemum wine, which made the effect even better. The preparation method is: decoct chamomile flowers, make wine with koji and rice, or add rehmannia glutinosa, angelica root, wolfberry, etc. Medicine.
Because chrysanthemum wine can relieve wind and heat, nourish the liver and improve eyesight, reduce inflammation and detoxify, it has high medicinal value. ", remove fistulas, and cure all diseases."
In ancient times, chrysanthemum wine was brewed during the Double Ninth Festival of the first year specifically for the Double Ninth Festival of the second year. On September 9th, chrysanthemum wine was picked from The blooming chrysanthemums and some green branches and leaves are mixed into the grain prepared for brewing, and then used to make wine together until September 9th of the next year. It is said that drinking this wine can prolong life. Chrysanthemum wine can improve eyesight, cure dizziness, lower blood pressure, lose weight, lighten the body, replenish liver qi, soothe the stomach, and benefit blood. It is the festival, the autumn air is refreshing, and the chrysanthemums are in full bloom, and they are golden in front of the window. In addition to climbing high to plant dogwood trees, relatives and friends were invited to drink chrysanthemum wine and enjoy yellow flowers. It was indeed a unique experience, especially for poets, who enjoyed chrysanthemums, drank wine, and recited poems to pay tribute, leaving many good verses for future generations.
Due to the chrysanthemum wine, the Double Ninth Festival has become a Dionysian festival to worship the god of wine. For example, "Shandong Folk Customs·Double Ninth Festival" introduces that Shandong wine shops worship the vat god on the Double Ninth Festival, and the god is Dukang. In Maotai Town, Renhuai County, Guizhou, every year during the Double Ninth Festival, ingredients and herbs are added to make wine. Legend has it that good wine can be brewed because of the strong yang energy on the Double Ninth Festival. "In this place, people light incense candles and place offerings to pray for smooth brewing (see "Chinese Folk Customs Collection"). In Ningyuan, Hunan, every September 9th, "wine making competition is held on Double Ninth Festival." These customs illustrate the relationship between Double Ninth Festival and wine. Extremely deep.