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In Tang poetry, the landscape with the most southern imprint is the "bridge". Moreover, there are the most bridges and the most writings, and it is Suzhou. Bridge view is not only the most distinctive landscape in Suzhou, but also the most prominent and unique place in southern Jiangsu. Among the poems about Suzhou Bridge, Zhang Ji's a night-mooring near maple bridge is so famous and beautiful that Gu Jiegang said, "Prince Rong of Shandong was very annoyed when he visited Hanshan Temple, saying that he was cheated by the poet."
Bai Juyi has a poem saying: "Why is it as satrap in Gusu's poems?" Three people chanted one after another ("Send Liu Langzhong to Suzhou"). Wei, Bai Juyi and Liu Yuxi are three famous poets in the Tang Dynasty, and they are all secretariat of Suzhou. Bai Juyi was appointed as the secretariat of Hangzhou in July in the second year of Changqing (AD 822), and Bao Liyuan was appointed as the secretariat of Suzhou in March (AD 825). When Bai Juyi was in Suzhou, he wrote many good poems about Gusu. Among them, Wandering on the Third Day of the First Month is not very famous, and it seems to be not a good work in his own works. But the beauty of this poem lies in a leisurely sentence. After careful consideration, it does have classic significance. If the beauty of Zhang Ji Qiao Feng's poems lies in a lonely emotion, then the beauty of Bai Juyi's poems lies in a leisurely state. "Leisure on the third day of the first month" recited:
The oriole wants to talk, and the black magpie wants to sell the river ice.
Green waves, east, west, north and south waters, and Hong Lan 390 Bridge.
Yuanyang wings, willow over a thousand.
I didn't know that the spring breeze would come sooner or later, just the day before. [ 1]
This poem was written by Bai Juyi when he was in Suzhou. In July of the second year of Changqing, Bai Juyi was appointed as the secretariat of Hangzhou from Zhongshu Sheren. Until May of the fourth year of Changqing, he returned to Luoyang except for the left illegitimate son of the Prince. Only eleven months later, in May of Bao Liyuan, he returned to the south of the Yangtze River to serve as the secretariat of Suzhou. Bai Juyi left Hangzhou and became the secretariat of Suzhou. In the second year 10, Paulie was dismissed due to illness. "Biography of Bai Juyi in Old Tang Dynasty" said: "When the emperor was in famine and lawlessness, it was not he who was in power, but he controlled the submissive side, and the rivers were in chaos. It is easy to say that you are tired, and the emperor can't use it, but ask for an external post. " It can be seen that Bai Juyi's appointment to Suzhou this time is related to his situation in the imperial court. The poet's capital and his self-seeking, is definitely not suitable politically, and he is over half a year old. However, because he is far away from the right and wrong of the imperial court and the dispute of cronies is rising, and Suzhou is in harmony, the poet's mental state is particularly leisurely, which can be seen from his own poems: "There are many poets in Wuzhong, and there are many wines; Sing loudly, laugh heartily, and throw away cups and jars. At the age of fifty, you can still enjoy it; Why use this to send the sun and the moon? " This poem vividly describes the poet's leisure in drinking, singing and entertainment. In the first month, the sun is warm, and in the early spring, the climate is pleasant, the scenery is particularly beautiful, the market is particularly prosperous, and the mood is relatively relaxed. Therefore, Bai Juyi, who just wrote "Spring Tour in Qiantang" (a popular population today), has a saying "Wandering on the third day of the first month".
According to Meng Erdong's Chronology of Poetry in the Mid-Tang Dynasty, Bao Liyuan was 54 years old in March (AD 825) and arrived on May 5. Another exam, in February of Paulie's second year, he fell off his horse, hurt his foot and lay down for 30 days. At the end of May, due to eye disease and lung injury, please take a long vacation of 100 days. At the beginning of September, the holiday expires and you are dismissed. I went to Suzhou in October and traveled to Yangzhou and Chuzhou with Liu Yuxi. [2] P305-306 Therefore, the author concludes that the poem "Wandering on the Third Day of the First Month" was written in the first month of the second year of Bao Li, and Bai Juyi was 55 years old. Meng Erdong's Chronology of Poetry lists many masterpieces of Bai Juyi in this period, but Wandering on the Third Day of the First Month is not one of them. Presumably Meng Shi has not confirmed that this poem is Bai Juyi's masterpiece.
Bai Juyi stayed in Suzhou for a short time, and it seems that he often gets sick. It's actually a minor illness. Bai Juyi once wrote a poem called Ode to Carelessness: "When you taste Uncle Ji's night, you will spend your whole life in carelessness. Playing the piano and forging iron are more careless than me. " Ji Kang, who has been lazy all his life, is not as lazy as he is. The poet has no desire to make progress, but his heart is idle. Therefore, at this time, the number of his leisure poems has greatly increased. At this time, there are many words "leisure" in his poems, and even the words "leisure" are often written in the titles, such as "leisure in the county town and Cuihuzhou", "enjoying the leisure garden", "leisure in Liutong" and "leisure in the east of the city". "Leisure" is his state, and "leisure" is also his mood and realm. Therefore, only by paying attention to and exploring "leisure" can we truly understand the existence of this poem and Bai Juyi.
The first couplet of the poem "Wandering on the third day of the first month" is cleverly named: oriole is the name of the square, black magpie is the name of the river, and the name of the bridge. Wuqiao is the oldest stone arch bridge in Suzhou, which has been built with Bianhe City for more than 2000 years. It was originally located in the straight street in front of the main entrance of Zicheng, and it was named after Wu Wang built the Wuque Pavilion here in the Spring and Autumn Period. This is a famous bridge that integrates politics, economy, literature and architectural art. According to historical records, this bridge was originally built by Zhou Wukang Stone, and it is red and towering as a whole, like the vault of Wuqie Bridge carved by Qiong Jade, facing the roof of Sanqing Hall of Xuanmiao Temple, which is very spectacular. Compared with other bridges in this city, this bridge stands out from the crowd. Wu Yue Bridge has always been the object of poems by poets and poets in past dynasties. In Bai Juyi's poems, the "red column" of "Red Column 390 Bridge" obviously refers to Wuqiao, and the whole "390 Bridge" is replaced by an individual Wuqiao in the poem. When Bai Juyi was appointed as the secretariat of Suzhou, he was sincere about this bridge. Huang Li and Wu Que are puns. In Wandering on the Third Day of the First Month, the poet skillfully wrote the meaning of spring with his name. The first two sentences use the word "desire" together, which is really ingenious and seems unique for repetition. The poet's willingness to write poetry seems to be blurted out, whether it is dull or not, whether it is repetitive or not, and it has no intention of deliberate tempering and disdain, which highlights a kind of "leisurely" laziness. According to the author's inference, two "desires" are intentionally used in the poem, which is not the exhaustion of the poet's love stories.
The two links in the middle are ingeniously dual, getting something for nothing and being natural and stable. The locative words of "East, West, North and South" are very wonderful for numerals like "390". They crisscross by secretly writing green water and rivers. A pool of spring water, due to the southeast and northwest of the waterway, twists and turns, more sparkling and endless. Bridges of various colors have different postures, showing their own feelings, and because of the orientation of "east, west, north and south" and the bright colors of bridge railings, they are more and more amorous feelings. Bai Juyi has a similar description of the river and stone bridge in the poem "Zhou Yin, Judge of the Nine-Day Banquet and Drunken County Building": "There are high and low temples near and far, and the east, west, north and south bridges are opposite. The waterway is divided into scales, full of chess books. The tree color is seamless, and Wan Li is green. " Water is the pride of Suzhou city, and bridge is the most distinctive symbol of Suzhou landscape. Suzhou is like a water city built with bridges. Shantang Street, the most important street in Suzhou, is built by water, and residents live near the water. The front door faces the street and the back door faces the river. The river is parallel to the street, adjacent to the river street, connected by stone bridges, with boats in the water and pedestrian walkways, forming the landscape of Jiangnan Watertown with "small bridges and flowing water".
The "390" bridge is really varied. The poet can't write without making a specific description. Only the "390" bridge is outlined, with many words. Bridges of various colors arouse people's rich imagination: it is as long and narrow as jade, or seems to be in a tight array; Or like floating in the black dragon, or like a towering back; Or it bends like a new moon, or straightens like a bird's wings ... Its bridges are not only of different shapes, but also change in sunny and rainy days, with different mornings and evenings. The bridge is reflected in the water, and with the rippling green water, the reality and nature blend together, adding a lot of poetry to the environment. Bai Juyi's "Boat" is a record of sailing on water: "The boat is newly built, with light beams. You have to swim all over the deep side, all over the quiet shore, and the shallow water and low bridge should be barrier-free. The yellow willow shadow cage follows the moon, and Bai Pingxiang takes the lead. I want to sit by the cherry pool and ask who has the most red flowers. " "You should travel all over" and "Go all the way" show that the poet has a strong interest in travel, and there are many places to go, and his interest is endless; The characteristics of Suzhou Watertown, with its deep Fang Jing shore and shallow water and low bridges, give leisurely poets endless pleasure in seclusion.
Water is "green" and can be described as extremely clear; The use of "red" in Bridge can be described as gorgeous. Combining the yellow color of "oriole" with the black magpie in the first couplet, we can see the poet's ingenuity again. Yellow, black, green and red are bright and bright, and the pictures are rich and jumping, forming a vivid image, which is enough to give people a strong visual impact and aesthetic feeling. Colorful and brilliant spring. Because it is early spring, it is still the first month. Even in the south of the Yangtze River, spring flowers are not in full bloom, and what we can see is unlikely to be colorful. The poet skillfully uses green water and red columns to render spring, which is a deliberate pursuit of spring to satisfy his strong spiritual will, and also coincides with the two words "desire" in the first couplet.
When "Yinger wants to talk" but doesn't talk, and "Europe wants to sell" but doesn't sell, there will be "Yuanyang flapping its wings and willows mixed with flowers", showing the impatient mood and state of spring. Yuanyang is both sweet and sweet, and you will know warm water when you play; There are thousands of willows, full of green and moist eyes. Although it is not like the spring breeze in February like scissors, it is completely different from the trembling dead branches in the cold winter. It can really be said that "the poet is in the spring, and the green willows are half uneven." (Don Juyuan Yang's Early Spring in the East of the City) Poets are as free and carefree as the natural state of nature, and their hearts are as carefree as jumping with joy without any intention.
Therefore, the poet gave birth to a vivid question and answer in the couplet: "Is the spring breeze early or late, only from the day before to now?" Ask yourself and answer yourself, and the author intervenes in it, asking questions casually and innocently. Unlike Du Mu's Where is the Spring Breeze, the form of Ma Touxie in Luyang Deep Lane is different, and Bai Juyi deliberately answers questions, which is very interesting. The day before yesterday or today, did the spring breeze come early or late? I want to ask, but I can't find the truth. I want to tell, but I can't tell a boundary. However, I still have to ask. It is because of this problem that the poet's wit and humor can be displayed, and the whole poem is full of childlike interest. These two sentences belong to the pen of "crossing your hands", emphasizing the magic and rapidity of spring coming unconsciously. After heavy work, the author stepped out of the official residence, relaxed and relaxed, and looked beyond the poem.
Compared with other poets in Tang Dynasty, this landscape poem highlights the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan water town. Judging from the use of pen in the whole poem, "it is natural to write with sincerity" (Dongpo dialect). And these realms naturally come from the poet's "leisure" heart. From the aesthetic principle, the mind is idle and born in the environment. Xie Siwei's research thinks: "Bai Juyi attaches great importance to two points in the specific expression method of literature: one is metaphor, and the other is the realm of poetry." [3]P372 In the eyes of ancient poets, there is really no one like Bai Juyi who frequently appears the word "environment" in his own poems. Moreover, the two concepts of "realm" and "leisure" are interrelated, such as: "I am willing to be at leisure" ("I am alone in summer"), "Poetry is at leisure" ("Autumn Pond"), "Only this leisure" ("Sleeping in the North Pavilion") and "I am at leisure occasionally" ("Playing a new game"). According to Dongpo, the Japanese rattan collection Su Shi Chronicle Volume, "Yuan Ming is like me, and Lotte is like me." The word "heart" is Buddhist. In a word, Dongpo deeply appreciates the openness of Lotte, which is also the reason why he is idle. Leisure also dispels Bai Juyi's inner cynicism, mental load and life pressure. His spirit is absolutely relaxed, his will is also highly free, he is calm and comfortable, and he has entered the realm of enjoying life. Therefore, "the emphasis on poetic context, although mainly put forward in leisure poetry creation, obviously corrects the prejudice that satirical poetics only emphasizes the quality and diversity of poetic language." It also occupies an important position in all Bai Juyi's poetics. ”[3]P374-375
To appreciate this poem, the author also needs three special tips:
First, it can be used as a companion piece of Spring Tour in Qiantang River for comparative study.
The poem "Spring Tour in Qiantang" says: "Gushan Temple is in the north of Jiating West, and the water level is low. Several early orioles raced to the sunny tree, and their new swallows were carrying mud in their nests. Colorful spring flowers will gradually fascinate people's eyes, and shallow spring grass can barely cover the horseshoe. I love the lack of lake in the eastbound direction and the white sand embankment in the shadow of Populus davidiana. " Both poems describe the early spring and the pursuit of spring outing, which can fully show the poet's ability of observation and appreciation, and also show a good mental state. However, the two poems have their own characteristics and styles: A Journey to the Qiantang River focuses on capturing the early spring, highlighting the natural state and beauty of water, highlighting the subtle feeling of spring, and concentrating on the poet's feeling of chaotic, shallow, gradual and talented spring, especially fully demonstrating his vivid artistic expression skills. The early warbler fighting for the warmth of the tree, the new swallow pecking at the new mud, the winking flowers and the shallow grass without the sound of hooves are enjoyed by the poet, and the poem is full of joy; On the other hand, "wandering on the third day of the first month" is mostly leisure. The poet tightly clasps the word "leisure" in the title, but focuses on the expression of the word "leisure" and embellishes the natural scenery with humanistic scenery. All the objects taken into the lens are "warm" colors, showing a beautiful and elegant style completely different from the poem "A Spring Walk in Qiantang Lake", highlighting red and green, which is a genre painting.
Secondly, this poem can be read as a historical witness of Suzhou's prosperity in the Tang Dynasty.
Suzhou, known as Gusu in ancient times, was located in Huiji County in the south of the Yangtze River during the Qin and Han Dynasties, with Wuxian as the county's first city. After the reunification of the Sui Dynasty in 589, Wu Jun was abolished and renamed Suzhou. Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Suzhou has developed well due to the southward movement of the political center and the economic center. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties of more than 300 years, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was opened, running through Suzhou, and Suzhou became the hub of land and water transportation between north and south. Suzhou rose from "king" to "bear" and became the only male state in Jiangnan area in Tang Dynasty. Suzhou has been famous for its bridges since ancient times. "390 Bridge" is an imaginary number, an approximate value, or even an exaggerated figure, but Suzhou Bridge is mostly a fact. There are "390 bridges" in a city, which is really not a small number. In that long historical years, Suzhou has built bridges for thousands of years. This is really hard to explore. There are so many ancient bridges that it is enough to prove that Suzhou was a paradise suitable for people to live poetically in the Tang Dynasty. Zeguo, a water town, is surrounded by water outside the city, and the water network in the city is vertical and horizontal. Because there are rivers, there are all kinds of waterside pavilions and countless ships. After leaving Suzhou, Bai Juyi still sang passionately: "There are many waterside pavilions, and Wu plays orchestras. Every family has wine, and there are no boats everywhere. " The small bridge in Suzhou has prospered the economy and nurtured the culture. With ships, there will be prosperous trade activities, businessmen and products from all countries, tourists coming from south to north, and then the prosperity of the market. Many gardens in Suzhou are also centered on pools, surrounded by pavilions. After the Anshi Rebellion, there were frequent wars in the Central Plains, and most northern scholars concentrated in Jiangnan, which also promoted the rapid development of culture and economy in Jiangnan and formed a group of poets with Suzhou, Hangzhou and Xuanzhou as the main centers. Bai Juyi vividly described the prosperity of Suzhou water town in his poem Wangchangmen, which was written at the same time as this poem. He thinks that Suzhou has surpassed Hangzhou: "Changmen looks gloomy and green, and I begin to feel the strong local customs. One hundred thousand in-laws pay taxes, and five thousand children guard the border. And the green city is covered with autumn grass, and the sunset is red at Wuque Bridge. Blowpipes are everywhere in front of the building, and boats are outside the house. The cloud buries Tiger Temple Mountain, and the moonlight shines in the water of Yaowa Palace. Admire that Qiantang is Maoyuan and dare not exaggerate. " Bai Juyi also chanted in the poem "Ten Rhymes in the Night, Showing in Zhou, Fa": "People are thicker than Yangfu, and they are semi-Chang 'an". This means that Suzhou has a large population and rich people's livelihood, which has surpassed Yangzhou, an important town in Jianghuai, and is worth half of Chang 'an. The poem "Wandering on the Third Day of the First Month" is a vivid epitome of Suzhou's prosperity in the Tang Dynasty.
Third, it can be read as a unique genre painting in Jiangsu.
The landscape written by Bai Juyi is unique, which is different from that written by Wang Wei and Meng Haoran. Because Suzhou has unique characteristics of water, the poet adopts the composition and color of "genre painting" to suit the characteristics of Suzhou landscape. Many towns in the south of the Yangtze River are also combined with the natural layout of water system. But Suzhou is particularly unique. The rivers in Suzhou are mainly dug by hand. In this way, a city with a large-scale water system is planned and built, which is also unique in the history of urban construction in China. When Bai Juyi was appointed as the secretariat of Suzhou, he dredged and dug Qili Mountain Pond from Nagato to Huqiu, which alleviated the flood in this area and was also in line with Suzhou's water superiority and Suzhou people's "hydrophilic complex". As soon as the river opened, it was seven miles long, and people gathered on both sides of the river bank. Since then, there have been frequent land and water exchanges, but "flowers and boats carry beautiful women", and the shantang people in Suzhou have "lived on the lake embankment for a long time" (Bai Juyi's "Wuqiu Temple Road"). Suzhou city takes the water system as the vein, the river as the skeleton, the roads are connected, and the two sets of land and water transportation systems complement each other, forming a double chessboard pattern of "land and water are adjacent, and rivers and streets are parallel". The two transportation systems complement each other and do not interfere with each other. From the perspective of modern transportation, it embodies the design idea of combining conventional road network with expressway network. Rivers and water networks crisscross, forming the base of urban space art, ancient pagodas, deep alleys, gardens, temples, houses with white walls and tiles, ingenious bridges and free and clear water. These urban elements are unified, closely combined and infiltrated with each other, creating the artistic style of Suzhou Shuicheng, which is integrated with the city, and condensed into a unique Wu culture genre painting.
Roaming on the third day of the first month embodies Bai Juyi's typical poetic style. Its language is simple, fresh and natural, and it is carefully absorbed by drawing lines. But also has the significance of "poetic history" and classic value. Bai Juyi's masterpiece should be affordable.
References:
[1] Complete Poems of Tang Dynasty [M], Volume 447. (Bai Juyi's poems quoted in the article are not indicated one by one)
[2] Meng Erdong. The Development and New Changes of Poetry in the Middle Tang Dynasty [M], Beijing: Peking University Publishing House 1998.
[3] Xie Siwei. Collected Works of Bai Juyi [M], Beijing: China Social Sciences Press 1997.