This must be the original: www.barbara-maag.de/Frauenlyrik/Xu%20Hui%20Qiu%20Feng%20Han%20Gu%20Ying%20Zhao.htm

These are funny 🎉❤😮😮😅

Es correcta tu solución, amigo.

Thank the algorithm

Sadly he is so right wing...

I agree with your assessment. Not having taken any pure maths course, the book seems to have several gears: Part 1 is in 1st gear, part 2 is in 2nd gear and Part 3 goes into 5th gear. Nevertheless, the book is probably the best attempt available to make category theory accessible to non-pure mathematicians.

interesting, I dont see the characters of the poem though.

I suppose I see some kind of message in this poem. Of course, this is just my interpretation, and may not have been the intention of the poet. The poet's personal experience is somewhat unpleasant - as described in the fourth line - but he derives pleasure from the beautiful sights in the distance. Perhaps he wants to convey the sense of "looking at the bigger picture" instead of focusing one's own personal difficulties? I don't know. Anyway, many thanks for the video.

'Promo sm'

9:05 ahh

Thank you for your appreciation and description of this lovely poem

In buddhism the swan is a symbol of transcendence, as it can fly to the heavens and float on water. Also, swans stand for purity because of their white feathers. In this reading the kingfishers would by contrast be profane, because of their coloured plumage which signals that they are bound to the world of appearances.

Great!

Yes, a very visual poem which paints a picture of power but then ends on this ambiguous note. My little take on it based on what you have said and the other translations and interpretations you provided is as follows: The Emperor as you said, is imagining himself as this all powerful ruler who will rule forever ... and given his successes we can forgive him his overblown view of himself. Then the poem proceeds to point out that actually time hasn't stopped at all and marches on. I like the line where the Emperor commands the moon to go backwards. Deep down though he knows there's no stopping time so all his visions of everlasting glory will not come to be and hence the tears at the end are his .. realising that nothing lasts forever. I like the way this poem is structured: starts with evoking marvellous cosmic images of power : riding tigers and flashing swords, then power on display on earth with a show of majesty and grandeur: wine, music and dance in full flow but with little vignettes to remind us that, here on earth, time marches on and finally the last couplet which is sombre (sober?) and reflective. A very satisfying poem from my point of view. Thank you!

Three for the price of one! Marvellous. A nice selection. Thank you. Perhaps some scholar officials were a bit quick to sing their own praises and hold high opinions of themselves, but judging by this young man's biography he seems to have every right to hold himself in high regard: and I like your turn of phrase to describe him as comparing himself to a "super horse! a heavenly horse!" Anyhow, a very happy new year Manuel. I'm so pleased you are continuing with this admirable venture of yours and covering more Chinese poems.

I was wondering what your concluding remarks on this poem might be as I know it's a topic you are somewhat uncomfortable with. But I was well pleased with your summing-up remarks. It is, as you say, a well crafted poem and I think poetry, like all good art, should cover any and all aspects of life as lived, imagined or felt. How else for many of us to gain an insight into worlds we have not experienced? Thank you for dissecting this poem so well and providing an interesting commentary on its structure as well as some background on the lives of the courtesans and their paying guests.

I found that very moving. Thank you for the way you brought out all the metaphors and explained the historic background. Wonderful. I found the Stephen Own translation at : geocities*ws/lneefe/02apr where I've replaced . with * as I recall once not being able to provide you with a link on YT. Owen has the last lines as: "On a southern lane in the capital's eastern ward a boy on horseback tried to get me to trade the metal for an offering basket". So like you he was puzzled as to why the aristocrat would trade the arrowhead in for a votive basket. He translates it, I think, as a failed attempt by the boy. I think the Frodsham translation could also be read in this way. The AC Graham one does seem to state the exchange actually took place.

I like your final conclusion, that it's a poem with a serious message saying make the effort, don't waste time on frivolities as life really is too short. A message lost on many, young and old alike. The young don't really think that time will pass as quickly as the old say, and many older folks seem to convey the message of "life's short, so let's eat, drink and be merry". Nice poem and I enjoyed working with you through your thought processes to arrive at the very best interpretation. Thank you!

Thank you for reciting this beautiful poem and showing the painting.

Yes, I like such poems too. They transport you to somewhere quite idyllic ..... although life in the world described was probably quite tough. It had, however, its compensations. Many thanks. And also for the very pleasing painting you chose to go with it.

Beautiful poem

Thanks Manuel. I like that you include this sort of poetry even if it may not be in the top tier. It adds to your ability to give us all a complete view and for us to gain some nuggets of the history of the Tang period as well as of the development of poetry that era. I, for one, much appreciate this comprehensive approach you take. Nice explication too! Thank you.

What a splendid poem. As you say, ingeniously constructed over just 4 lines. Line 1 sets the scene :a calm lake stretching to the heavens Line 2 adds a dramatic image: the dark reflections plunging into the water Line 3 the turn: a blaze of light! (does a dark cloud move out of the way?) Line 4 the grandiose but rather excellent ending: the poet in his boat journeying through the heavens. Obviously I'm never going to be a poet, but your commentary was very ..... enlightening. Thank you.

This poet is turning out to be as good as I initially thought. I always like the frontier and campaign poems. They are so bleak but never glorify war and so very evocative in the way the landscape is described and in the way the hardships of soldiers are portrayed. This poem is no different in that respect. The lines " The dead of winter the shrouding fog is heavy; From empty caves oozing clouds appear" and "A gloom so heavy, you can't tell night from day; " are so haunting and the lines that follow about the thousand yard drops and deepest blackness, scattered confusion and peaks and gorges are both vivid and powerful. Thank you for including this one and thank you for your commentary.

Marvellous. I like the first translation best as it feels very dark, magical and powerful. Although I agree with Owen that the poem sits well as it stands as a take on Daoism, the other interpretations you mention are very interesting. And why not? It's up to readers how they want to engage with any words. Once the poet has created his work he no longer really owns it. On the interpretations I favour the Dragon being the Empress turning herself into a powerful Yang like Emperor. But Owen is right I feel, in that it doesn't lend itself to any allegory as some couplets don't convey such a narrative. Love the picture you selected to go with this! Thank you.

I think the poem tells of an everlasting truth: unfortunately humankind doesn't really learn from history and seems doomed to repeat mistakes albeit in slightly different ways. We learn most from our own mistakes but many don't even do that. Hence the odd ending, which is not that odd as you yourself surmised. I like this poet. And this poem. I'm pleased you will cover more of his work. Thank you.

I liked the first three couplets: it felt supernatural with magic in the air. As you said: alchemy: base metal into gold. And I could see the forge and the colours and feel the heat and hear sounds. Then it did take a turn and became less dramatic although still interesting in the ideas being conveyed. A poem of two halves both with merit but the first half really grabbed my attention. Many thanks for your interpretation.

Hello again Manuel. Just catching up with your next set of poems. I've been creating my own playlist with them and have recently started watching again. I'm now on the 5th in my list out of the 49 I've saved so far. Lots to catch up with which I'm looking forward to. Hope I haven't missed any. Thank you for that illuminating commentary. I don't think I'd have got the clever juxtapositions without your help. The one with the cultured ladies in the south (line 3) being compared to the harsh winter in the north (line 4) would have left me scratching my head. Actually I think the whole poem would have been a bit of a puzzle. Thanks again.

you are going to need to review your audio setup :)

This video is very informative. Thank you for sharing this!! I have made a few videos about the form of 长相思 or Missing You forever. There are just so many different forms in Classical Chinese poetry. This video is quite helpful.

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I adore this translation.

Thank you Manuel! An exhilarating journey and I really enjoyed accompanying you on these travels. YT says I started the journey a year ago, but I think it may be more like 18 months. I will most certainly be joining you on your newer adventures into Chinese poetry. Many thanks again.

Sounds like an interesting book ... I am tempted. But you say it is dense. Just how dense does it get?

My version - I try to go for what might have been written if he was an English poet - I know it's a hopeless task 🤣 Southern Nights This patch of pale moonlight beside my bed Reminds me of a patch of silver frost My gaze lifts to the bright moon overhead And sinks, mourning the homeland I have lost.

Yes, I agree with you. The David Young translation is more poignant and carries so much emotion. I liked his translation for the previous poem too. This translation is very interesting though because, unlike the Young translation, you are able to read it at least two ways. I initially read it as one where deep feelings exist but cannot be expressed and then you provide an alternative interpretation which is very plausible. And David Young gives a third with his translation. Clearly Du Mu was quite a talented poet.

It's always interesting to have a second translation. Many thanks. Coincidentally I'm just finishing a rather splendid book on the painter Shitao who spent the last 10 years of his life in Yangzhou. He died in 1707, long after Du Mu's years there. The description of Yangzhou even all those centuries later is very like the Yangzhou you describe: a thriving commercial centre with plenty of ways to spend your money. Shitao, however, unlike Du Mu had to work hard. Despite wishing to be seen as part of the literati he had to earn his living from his painting. Hence why he based himself in Yangzhou where people had the money to pay for works of art. So many of his paintings are just superb.

That was a most satisfactory reading of an interesting poem. I really liked the way you brought in the implicit criticism of the Empire into that last line. It's quite a talent to find such thought provoking meanings hidden away in such lines. Thank you. I really must get around to reading that book I bought on Chinese history!

I thought this a very sweet poem if read in a straightforward literal way. Your allegorical interpretation, for which thank you, is interesting but not sweet. The poet in that interpretation sounded to me as though he was begging for favourable treatment. There must be a better word than "slave" to describe the dynamics of the bride and mother in law relationship. Perhaps something more akin to "total obedience" ? There is however much to be said for respecting (rather than automatically obeying) your elders in my book and for any disagreements being handled politely. Wouldn't it be a nicer world if we could all be polite when we are disagreeing. Ahem .... said politely 🤗

It is a good poem as you say. It evoked in me a certain kind of mood, a sense of the passing of deep historical time. Not the historical time that is filled with major events and personalities but one where nothing seems to happen but really everything, all of life (and death) happens.

What a wonderful poem. Thank you for your very interesting prelude explaining some of the features of expressive poetry and the development of landscape poetry from its Buddhist beginnings. Fascinating. I really liked this translation. The scene setting in the first couplet is beautifully done and then that second couplet ensures the poem ends in a most sombre tone. As I said: wonderful.

What a splendid explication of this very interesting poem you have provided. Thank you. You are so right about the ambiguity present in many of these poems allowing the reader to enter into the world being created and to make it their own. It seems to me that many Chinese landscape paintings have a similar quality that invites you to enter the landscape and have a wander around.

“Owls that have lived a hundred years, turned forest demons” is a really good line.

I just translated this poem. Every translation is very different. Where did you get this translation? I love the sentiments though I am not sure they are all found in the original Chinese.

Completely agree with your assessment of this poem. I'm not at all surprised it's amongst Li Bai's really well known ones. The imagery in that last couplet is breathtaking and this translation with "blue emptiness" and "the edge of heaven" is simply perfect. Thank you.

@12:37 is when the poem actually begins...

This poem with its mention of hermits, pines, mountains and clouds is so evocative of a Chinese landscape painting. I haven't said so for a while, but thank you for the additional effort you make in finding the marvellous (and very apt) paintings and photos to accompany each of your readings. Nice poem, nice commentary!

An exquisite little poem that has a painting in it! Many interpretations and it creates many moods: * a picture of loneliness and perhaps regret * a struggle for survival * a man getting through his day with little complaint. Thank you for sharing your thought provoking interpretations.

I just stumbled into your channel. Very interesting. Thank you for the great work! I'd have a suggestion: could you include the title of the poems in Mandarin, so one can more readily find the original text online. I've been struggling to find this poem and some previous ones.

Yes, I agree! "A nice work of art; a little gem" as you put it. And a rather eloquent talk you gave to go along with it. Thank you. I could picture the whole scene as if it were one of those entrancing Chinese paintings.