The Moon at the Fortified Pass
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
The bright moon lifts from the Mountain of Heaven
In an infinite haze of cloud and sea,
And the wind, that has come a thousand miles,
Beats at the Jade Pass battlements....
China marches its men down Baideng Road
While Tartar troops peer across blue waters of the bay....
And since not one battle famous in history
Sent all its fighters back again,
The soldiers turn round, looking toward the border,
And think of home, with wistful eyes,
And of those tonight in the upper chambers
Who toss and sigh and cannot rest.
Folk-song-styled-verse
This poem was composed during the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, a time when the Tang Dynasty was embroiled in continuous warfare, leading to a gradual decline in national strength. The border wars not only brought suffering to the common people but also kept soldiers stationed far from home for long periods, intensifying their longing for home. Guan Shan Yue (Moon Over the Mountain Pass) is an old Han Dynasty yuefu (folk song) title, belonging to the "Drum and Horn Horizontal Flute Songs," which were often sung by border soldiers. Building on this tradition, Li Bai uses his unique style to depict the brutality of border warfare, critique the militarism of the time, and express deep sympathy for the soldiers and their families.
明月出天山，苍茫云海间。
长风几万里，吹度玉门关。
汉下白登道，胡窥青海湾。
由来征战地，不见有人还。
戍客望边色，思归多苦颜。
高楼当此夜，叹息未应闲。
- 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.
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- Imitation: Lament of a Courtesan
- The Bronze Terrace Courtesan
- Song of the Roosting Crows I
- Song of the Roosting Crows II
- Su Wu