Snow is white on the westward mountains and on three fortified towns,
And waters in this southern lake flash on a long bridge.
But wind and dust from sea to sea bar me from my brothers;
And I cannot help crying, I am so far away.
I have nothing to expect now but the ills of old age.
I am of less use to my country than a grain of dust.
I ride out to the edge of town. I watch on the horizon,
Day after day, the chaos of the world.
Original Poem:
「野望」
杜甫
西山白雪三城戍， 南浦清江万里桥。
海内风尘诸弟隔， 天涯涕泪一身遥。
唯将迟暮供多病， 未有涓埃答圣朝。
跨马出郊时极目， 不堪人事日萧条。
Interpretation:
This poem was written in 761 A.D., when Tubo was revolting on the border of Sichuan Province and disturbing the Central Plains, capturing the cities of Song, Wei, and Bao as well as Chang’an, the capital of China, at one time or another. Dufu was living in the Cao Tang, and he felt a sense of wildness, and a feeling of worrying about his family and the country naturally flowed out.
The first line is written in the distance, only to see the Minshan Mountain peaks and ridges, snow-capped; Minshan Mountain foothills of Song, Wei, Bao three cities stationed full of troops to guard against the Tubo’s intrusion. And then write a closer look, only to see the water of the Hundred Flowers Pool, Jinjiang River flowing east, the bridge across the miles. The depiction of the natural scenery reveals the severity of the political situation.
From the previous line of the “wild hope”, the first thought of the brothers scattered in the area of Yu and Lu, and now the war has started again, where are they? And then from the brothers to the near the end of the world, I can only cry for the safety of the brothers!
Now, I can only give my old age to the sickly body, and in this fall of national difficulties, I can’t contribute to the country in a small way. It can be seen that the poet’s loyalty to the king and love of the country is so strong!
Finally, the poet introduced the sentiment of the war, the war of depression and suffering in the bottom of the pen, the mood is deep and heavy.
This poem from the scene into the title, lamenting the current events, worried brother, worried about themselves, worried about the heart, worried about the world, layer by layer to deepen, full of old and sick, can not serve the country’s feelings of sadness and sadness of the country, sentimental!
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.
