Selected and Commented-on Poems of Du Fu

Author: Lin Jizhong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Chinese classical literature is a core component of traditional Chinese culture. How to inherit the national cultural heritage, promote the excellent culture of the nation, make modern people understand the works of the ancients, absorb their essence, and better serve the construction of spiritual civilization and ideological morality has always been the focus and direction of ancient books organization and publishing. In 1997 and 1998, the editors of Sanqin Publishing House keenly recognized that the popularization stage of classical literature knowledge had passed and had entered the era of reading high-quality works and improving appreciation levels. General readers needed a truly selected, edited, annotated, and commented classical literature annotated edition by renowned scholars, which led to the planning of publishing the "Series of Classical Literature Annotated and Commented by Renowned Scholars" (hereinafter referred to as "The Series"). Coincidentally, the 14th National Annual Meeting of Ancient Books Publishing Houses was held. At the meeting, Yang Muzhi, Vice Minister of the State Press and Publication Administration, pointed out: ancient books organization should "publish a large number of excellent ancient books for readers," not only serving this generation but also serving future generations for all time"; it should "view the issue from the height of promoting national cultural heritage and inheriting the splendid cultural tradition of the Chinese nation"; it should "establish a sense of excellence, implement a premium project," and "pursue eternal existence"; it should "determine which selected works reach the best level by the end of the 20th century." Vice Minister Yang Muzhi's speech provided direction for the positioning and publication of "The Series." Under the guidance and support of the National Planning Leading Group for the Organization and Publishing of Ancient Books, Sanqin Publishing House, adhering to the principles of adapting to and guiding readers, officially launched the project in 1999, with the Editor-in-Chief personally overseeing it as a cross-century premium project, providing full support in terms of human resources and financial resources. After five years of effort, the volume of the series finally met the readers. "The Series" consists of four volumes with 32 titles, with the first volume containing eight titles: "Selected and Commented Chu Ci" (Chu Binzhi), "Selected and Commented Poetry of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties" (Cao Daoheng and Yu Shaochu), "Selected and Commented Poetry of Du Fu" (Lin Jizhong), "Selected and Commented Poetry of Wang Wei and Meng Haoran" (Tao Wenpeng), "Selected and Commented Prose and Poetry of Han Yu" (Sun Changwu), "Selected and Commented Prose and Poetry of Liu Zongyuan" (Wu Wenji), "Selected and Commented Poetry of the Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties" (Liu Dake), "Selected and Commented Poetry of the Qing Dynasty" (Zhu Zejie). This series aims to promote national cultural heritage and inherit the splendid cultural tradition of the Chinese nation, emphasizing academic accumulation and progress in cultural heritage, pursuing the eternal value of cultural and academic accumulation. Over the years, the editorial team has persistently invited renowned scholars such as Yuan Xing, Cao Daoheng, Wang Yunxi, Wang Shuizhao, Chu Binjie, Qian Zhonglian, and Fu Xuancong to contribute. They are considered the leading figures in their respective research fields, akin to the (mountains and rivers of learning) and pioneers. To be responsible to readers, these elders, despite their advanced age, refused to delegate the task to their disciples and devoted several years to personally selecting and commenting on each work, compiling a classical literature reader that meets the best standards of the late 20th century.
From a comprehensive perspective, "The Series" has the following characteristics:
1. In terms of selection, it strives to include the representative works of famous writers of this period, taking care to cover different themes, genres, and styles. At the same time, it reflects the basic characteristics of the era while focusing on relevance to real life, excluding overly difficult works and those with unhealthy ideological tendencies.
2. Each volume begins with a preface written by the author, providing a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the development, style, and historical significance of literary works of that era and genre, incorporating the latest research findings from both domestic and international scholars to reflect the most up-to-date academic standards.
3. The author bios (for specialized collections, they are integrated into the preface) are brief yet precise, reflecting the authors' years of research.
4. Annotations are clear, concise, and easy to understand, avoiding forced interpretations while minimizing excessive citations and textual research. They aim to neither misrepresent the ancients nor confuse future generations. Another prominent feature is the inclusion of annotations alongside the text, avoiding separate notes to reduce readers' burden.
5. Commentaries, also known as annotations or critiques, are an ancient Chinese method of literary criticism, appreciation, and evaluation. Their characteristics include flexibility, meticulousness in judgment, and enlightenment for readers. When commenting on works, insights are offered where applicable, and omitted where none exist, with varying lengths depending on the commentator's insights, thus avoiding redundant words. In critiques, one can analyze the composition, artistry, style, essence, and masterful phrases of the work in situ, either elaborately or briefly, from one or more perspectives, or with a holistic approach, to help readers gain a deeper understanding of the author's intentions and the essence of the work. This is difficult to achieve through other methods (Chu Binjie).
The commentaries in this series are concise, vivid, and engaging; the writing is free, lively, and un (unconventional). Where artistic comparisons are meaningful, they provide illuminating critiques, ranging from a few sentences to over a hundred words. The commentary section is the essence and value of this series, fully reflecting the authors' years of research, style, and talent.
In the past, it was not uncommon to find commentaries on literary masterpieces in old bookshops, but such annotations were rarely seen in selected works published after the founding of the People's Republic of China (Wu Wenji). Many ancient poems and prose are linguistically beautiful and highly expressive, but readers with limited cultural backgrounds may struggle to appreciate their subtleties. The commentary method can flexibly highlight these beauties, guiding readers in appreciation. Thus, after reading a well-commented edition, one can understand the beauty of language and literature, grasp the author's intentions, discern the essence of a passage or work, and appreciate the expressive power and vast capacity of Chinese language (Wu Wenji).
From the published volumes, it is evident that the masters have devoted significant effort to annotating and commenting on these works, with appropriate selections, concise prefaces, brief annotations, and insightful, illuminating commentaries. Through this series, readers can not only engage in dialogue with contemporary giants in classical literature but also appreciate their styles; at the same time, they can overcome historical and linguistic barriers to classical literature, the masterful prose and profound charm of ancient literary figures.
Du Fu (712–770) was a Tang Dynasty poet, styled Zimei. His ancestral home was Xiangyang (now part of Hubei), and he was born in Gongxian, Henan. He lived in the southern suburbs of Chang'an and was recommended by Yan Wu as a military advisor and acting Vice Director of the Ministry of Works in Chengdu, earning the posthumous titles of "Du Shaoling" and "Du Gongbu." Du Fu was born into a family that valued Confucianism and had literary traditions, being the grandson of the renowned poet Du Shunzhi. At the age of seven, he began writing poetry, gaining fame by the age of 15. His literary career can be divided into four periods after the age of 20. From the 19th year of Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era (731) to the fourth year of the Tianbao era (745), Du Fu lived a romantic life of "fine robes and horses." He traveled extensively in Wu-Yue and the regions of Qi and Zhao. During this time, he failed the imperial examination in Luoyang. In the third year of the Tianbao era, he met Li Bai in Luoyang and became close friends. They parted in the autumn of the following year and never met again. During this period, Du Fu wrote over 20 poems, mostly five-character regulated verse and five-character ancient verse, with "Gazing at Mount Tai" as a representative work. Du Fu's poetry is diverse, encompassing various styles, and he excelled in all forms, innovating and opening new horizons. His five-character ancient verse blends reflection, travel, and emotion, achieving a profound and comprehensive realm, setting the standard for Tang Dynasty five-character ancient verse. Representative works include "Lamenting on the Way to Fengxian County," "Northern Expedition," "Qiang Village," "To Official Wei Ba," and the "Three Officials" and "Three Separations." His seven-character ancient verse excels in expressing opinions, with a bold, melancholic, and rugged style, such as "Song of Drunkenness to Zheng Guangwen," "Marching to Wash the Armies," "The Cottage Unroofed by the Autumn Wind," and "Song of Late Winter." His five- and seven-character regulated verse demonstrates exceptional skill, with five-character regulated verse like "Spring View," "Lamenting Li Bai from Afar," "Post-Walk," "Joyful Rain at Night," "Sentimental Thoughts by the Water Balustrade," "Night Journey at the Border," and "Ascending Yueyang Tower," and seven-character regulated verse like "The Prime Minister of Shu," "Old Man in the Wilds," "Hearing the Imperial Forces Recapture Henan and Hebei," "Staying at the Office," "White Emperor," "Five Poems on the Generals," "Eight Poems of Autumn Moods," and "Ascending High Tower." Tang Dynasty regulated verse rarely surpassed these works. Du Fu also wrote many five-character and seven-character parallel couplets, significantly advancing the form. His "Lamenting on the Autumn Day in Kuifu, Addressing Zheng Jian and Li Bao" is over 1,000 characters long. However, many of his parallel couplets are filled with allusions and serve as mere formalities. His quatrains express emotions on the spot, reflect current events, and pioneered the (argumentative) style in quatrains, making substantial contributions.
Du Fu's poetry covers a broad and profound scope, with sincere and intense emotions. Artistically, it synthesizes the achievements of classical poetry while innovating and developing it. It greatly expands the realm of poetry in both content and form, exerting a wide influence on later generations. Du Fu was also revered as the Sage of Poetry. Du Fu's life was filled with hardships, and his poetry reflects this: "A century of songs are filled with sorrow, yet no one understands" (Du Fu, "Southward Expedition"). However, after his death, he was highly praised by Fan Huang, Han Yu, Yuan Zhen, and Bai Juyi. Du Fu's poetry had a profound influence on the New Yuefu movement's artistic thought and Li Shangyin's regulated verse that satirizes current affairs. However, Du Fu's poetry gained widespread recognition only after the Song Dynasty. Wang Yu, Wang Anshi, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Lu You held Du Fu in the highest regard, while Wen Tianxiang regarded Du Fu's poetry as a spiritual force for upholding national integrity. The influence of Du Fu's poetry has spanned from ancient times to the present, far beyond the realm of literature.