Pride of Fishermen

Poetry of Fan Zhongyan 《渔家傲》

English Rendering

When autumn comes to the frontier,the scene looks drear,

South-bound wild geese won't stay

E'en for a day.

An uproar rises with horns blowing far and near.

Walled in by peaks,smoke rises straight

At sunset over isolate town with fastened gate.


I hold a cup of wine,yet home is faraway,

The Northwest is not won and I'm obliged to stay.

At the flutes'doleful sound

Over frost-covered ground,

None fall asleep,

The general's hair turns white and soliders weep.

Pride of Fishermen by Fan Zhongyan -
"Pride of Fishermen" by Fan Zhongyan

Original Text (中文原文)

塞下秋来风景异,衡阳雁去无留意。

四面边声连角起,千嶂里,长烟落日孤城闭。

浊酒一杯家万里,燕然未勒归无计。

羌管悠悠霜满地,人不寐,将军白发征夫泪。

Meaning & Analysis

Fen Zhongyan (989-1052)was vice-premier end commanding general stationed on the northwest frontier from 1040 to 1043.This lyric describes the border scene and depicts the poet's nostalgia.

Related Themes

Reader's Companion

The Essence of the Verse

Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.

Reading Between the Lines

Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.

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