The Widow in the Mountains
- Poetry of Du Xunhe
《山中寡妇》This poem was composed by the late Tang poet Du Xunhe. Born into humble circumstances, Du repeatedly failed the imperial examinations in his youth, finally passing the jinshi at the age of forty-six. However, his official career remained troubled due to the turbulent times, and he ultimately never gained significant recognition. He spent most of his life in hardship and poverty, living long among the lowest social strata, which gave him a profound understanding of the people's suffering. It was precisely this background and experience that made him a representative figure of realist poetry in the late Tang, inheriting Du Fu's tradition of "poetic history" by turning his lens onto the common people and recording the most authentic hardships of his era.
Her man the war took. She abides
In a roof of reed. Hemp‑cloth her wear;
Her hair is thistledown the wind dries.
The mulberry‑trees are gone. The tax
Stands. Fields are waste. The levy
Of grain grows. She grubs herbs, with the root‑sax;
She breaks green wood, leaf‑smoke to heavy.
Go deeper in. Still deeper. None
Goes deep enough to miss the tally‑man
Or the conscripting‑lot. It is not done.
夫因兵死守蓬茅，麻苎衣衫鬓发焦。
桑柘废来犹纳税，田园荒后尚征苗。
时挑野菜和根煮，旋斫生柴带叶烧。
任是深山更深处，也应无计避征徭。
- 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.