Telling of Innermost Feelings
- Poetry of Lu You

《诉衷情·当年万里觅封侯》

- Last updated: 2024-03-20 23:36:53

Telling of Innermost Feelings by Lu You
中文原文

当年万里觅封侯，匹马戍梁州。

关河梦断何处？尘暗旧貂裘。

胡未灭，鬓先秋，泪空流。

此生谁料，心在天山，身老沧洲。

English Translation

Alone I went a thousand miles long,long ago 

To serve the army well at the frontier.

The fortress town in dreams I could not go,

Dusty and outworn my sable-coat of cavalier.


The foe not beaten back,

My hair no longer black,

My tears have flowed in vain.

Who could have thought that in this life I would remain 

With a mountain-high aim 

But an old mortal frame!

In 1172 the patriotic poet served in th e army stationed in Liangzhou (present-day Shaanxi Province)on the northwest frontier,with the high aim of repelling the Jurchen invasion and recovering the lost territory,but his dream was not realized even when he grew old.

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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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