General Fang's Steed
- Poetry of Du Fu
The steed from the barbaric west
Has angular frame and strong chest.
Like pointed bamboo its sharp ear,
As swift wind its fleet hoofs, O hear!
The way it runs will never end;
Life or death on it may depend.
When you have such a fiery steed,
You can ride where you will indeed.
This poem was likely composed between 740-741 CE, during the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong, a time when Du Fu, in the prime of his life, was traveling through the Qi and Zhao regions, living with the untamed elegance of a youth in fine furs and spirited horses. Through an ode of extreme praise for a steed from Dayuan (the Ferghana Valley in Central Asia), the poem gives full expression to the young Du Fu's soaring ambition and fervent desire to achieve greatness and render service. It stands as a model of the vigorous style and romantic aspirations that characterize his early poetry.
胡马大宛名，锋棱瘦骨成。
竹批双耳峻，风入四蹄轻。
所向无空阔，真堪托死生。
骁腾有如此，万里可横行。
- Why Chinese poems is so special?
- The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.
- How to read a Chinese poem?
- Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.