Where is the temple of the famous Premier? --
In a deep pine grove near the City of Silk,
With the green grass of spring colouring the steps,
And birds chirping happily under the leaves.
...The third summons weighted him with affairs of state
And to two generations he gave his true heart,
But before he could conquer, he was dead;
And heroes have wept on their coats ever since.
Original Poem:
「蜀相」
杜甫
丞相祠堂何处寻？ 锦官城外柏森森，
映阶碧草自春色， 隔叶黄鹂空好音。
三顾频烦天下计， 两朝开济老臣心。
出师未捷身先死， 长使英雄泪满襟。
Interpretation:
This poem was written in the spring of 760 A.D. when Du Fu first arrived in Chengdu to pay homage to Zhuge Liang.
The poet starts the poem by asking himself a question, pointing out that the Wuhou Ancestral Hall is located in the southern suburb of Chengdu outside the Jin Guan City, and then uses the word “cypress” to describe the luxuriant vegetation of the hall. The reason for choosing to write about the cypress tree is that it is rumored to have been planted by Zhuge Liang himself. This is a scene from afar.
When the poet came to the ancestral hall, he did not write about the statues of the civil officials and military generals, nor did he write about the beauty of the couplets, but only highlighted the two images of “reflecting the blue grass on the steps” and “oriole across the leaves”, Zhu Geliang has become an ancient person, and now there is only the spring grass under the steps which is green, and the oriole in the bushes makes a good sound in vain. The oriole in the bushes makes a nice call in vain.
Then take over the lament of the previous couplet, turn to Zhuge Liang’s achievements in retrospect.
Poet in sighing after the memorial after, born of feeling: like such a loyal service to the country of the people actually died without accomplishing a great cause, so that future generations of people feel sorry for, sad and tearful.
The whole poem statement solemn, somber and sad, fully expresses the poet to Zhuge Liang’s admiration and regret. Heartbreaking nasal language, really is the ancient song!
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Du Fu (杜甫), 712 – 770 AD, was a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, known as the “Sage of Poetry”. Born into a declining bureaucratic family, Du Fu had a rough life, and his turbulent and dislocated life made him keenly aware of the plight of the masses. Therefore, his poems were always closely related to the current affairs, reflecting the social life of that era in a more comprehensive way, with profound thoughts and a broad realm. In his poetic art, he was able to combine many styles, forming a unique style of “profound and thick”, and becoming a great realist poet in the history of China.
