Commentary and Annotations on Lin Han Yinju Shi Hua

Author: Wei Tai, Chen Yingwan
Translator: Yingwan
Notes/Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features:
② The phrase "In a chaotic age": Du Fu wrote this poem in the second year of the Gengde era. At that time, the "An-Shi Rebellion" had just been suppressed, but the northern Hebei prefectures were divided and controlled by regional warlords, resisting Tang rule. The flames of war continued without interruption, and Du Fu was forced to travel to Henan, a devastated region. Therefore, in the poem, he reflects on these events, expressing his indignation.
③ "Old Du": Refers to Du Fu, distinguishing him from "Young Du" (Li Bai). In Volume 468 of Complete Tang Poems, Shen Fushi's poem "Repaying Tang Shiyu Yao Yuanwai for a Visit to Tanzhou" mentions: "Shen Fushi, the guardian of Mount Meng and Mount Lu, said: 'The golden verse of seven-character lines surpasses Old Du, and the eight-character techniques of the 'Wood' school excel in the high hall.'" Qiang Fangping reads Du Gongbu's poems: "The cultural and literary prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, the magnanimity of Old Du in managing his household." Tang Jiao encounters Gong'an: "At the boat crossing of Langlang in Gong'an, I encountered him reciting Old Du's poems with high praise." Huang Tingbi, in his poem "Responding to Hu Gai's Gift of Learning Old Du's Poetry," writes: "Old Du's literary talent dominates his own school, with pure and upright style."
④ The phrase "Disaster and chaos": Wang Sishuang in Du Yi (Volume 10) comments: "'Bank flowers' and 'masted swallows' reflect the shallowness of human emotions." Pu Qiji in Du Xinjie (Volume 36) notes: "Lines 3 and 4 (as per the editor's note: these two lines in the poem about leaving Tanzhou), the scene of setting sail, as Hong Zhong described, is to use external objects to express human emotions. The coldness of human emotions is implied in the words." These interpretations are based on Wei Tai.
⑤ "Disaster and chaos": Refers to death and turmoil. Later, it often denotes political instability. In the Great Elegies, it says: "Heaven has brought disaster and chaos, and famine and disaster have arrived." In Yan Shi's Family Records, it states: "Living in a peaceful era, one does not know the calamities of disaster and chaos."
⑥ "Good at doing good": Engaging in acts of kindness. In the Records of Music of the Records of the Grand Historian, it says: "Hearing the music of the five tones, people are inspired to do good and be generous."
⑦ "Likes scholars": Hospitality; enjoys welcoming talented individuals. In the Biography of Yuan Qiang and Yu Qing of the Records of the Grand Historian, it states: "I have heard that you are fond of scholars, and scholars from afar come a thousand miles to visit you, because you value scholars and despise concubines." In the Biography of Wei Gongzi of Han Yu's Epitaph for Wang Jun, it says: "General Li, the Golden Guard, was young and liked scholars."
⑧ "One general, one welcome": "General" refers to seeing off, welcoming guests. In Lin Wangzhi's Northern Journey, Confucius said to his disciples: "When you travel, do not have anything to see off or welcome. I dare say that your journey will be clear." Confucius replied: "A person is empty of things, and does not grasp things. If one does not grasp things, things cannot grasp one. Only those who are unharmed can interact with others in seeing off and welcoming." In the Huainanzi, it says: "Therefore, the sage is like a mirror—neither seeing nor welcoming, thoughtful but not hiding. Thus, he transforms without being startled." In Ling Yuan's Departure from His County, it says: "For twenty years, I have been heartbroken, and now I will see off and welcome."
⑨ "Gentle and soft": Relaxed and graceful. In the Zhou Yi (Volume 4), it says: "This is to make the people gentle and soft." Tong Zhao notes: "Soft means at ease." Du Yu in the Preface to the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Make them gentle and soft, allowing them to seek for themselves." Kong Yingda's annotation states: "Both 'gentle' and 'soft' mean at ease, with a sense of relaxation." Also, peaceful and harmonious. In Wen Ren's Assignment of the Dizi, it says: "Gentle and soft, warm and moist, like a gentleman." Wei Tai's interpretation should include both meanings.
⑩ "Feeling and satire": Similar to satire, using gentle words to persuade and make people understand. Li He has a collection of five poems titled Feeling and Satire.
? "Bold and unrestrained": Originally refers to a person's unrestrained and unconventional personality. In Wei Tai's Biography of Qiang Fangping, it says: "Qiang Fangping was young and bold and unrestrained, often entering the palace hall, looking up at the high heavens, and being feared by the court." In the Biography of Li Yong of the New Tang Dynasty, it says: "Li Yong was talented and unrestrained, unable to manage petty matters." Later, it also refers to a literary style that is bold and unrestrained, without restraint. In the Twenty-Four Poems, there is a category titled "Bold and Unrestrained." Yang Tingzhi's Brief Explanation of the Poetic Tastes says: "Bold is unrestrained. Bold is expressed internally, unrestrained is expressed externally. Bold means having nothing in the world to hide, unrestrained means nothing in the world can bind me."
? "Furious eyes": Refers to vigorous momentum. In the first of two poems by Wang Anshi titled Seeing Qiang Xuanzhi Off to the Yue Commandery, it says: "Only the West Xing Ferry remains, where the waves are furious." This refers to the surging waves. Xu, Wu Zixu. In Mi Fu's Commentary on the Mountain of the Sea, it says: "People only look for the muscles and bones of furious eyes, but they do not know that unrestrained eyes also have muscles and bones." This refers to the vigor of calligraphy. Yan Yu in The Waves of the Poets states: "In its later form, it becomes loud and furious, which is contrary to loyalty and kindness. It is almost like cursing poetry." This refers to a rough and superficial poetic style.
? Li Bai (701–762): Known as Taibai, styled Qinglian Jushi. His ancestral home was Longxi Chengji (now east of Qinan County, Gansu Province). He grew up in Mianzhou Zhangming County (now Qinglian Township, Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province) in the Sichuan region. A famous poet of the Tang Dynasty. The New Tang Dynasty and Old Tang Dynasty both have biographies of him.
? The phrase "Liu Hou": These lines are from Du Fu's poem about seeking the hermit Fan Shi with Li Shiba.
? "Fine lines": See the note at the end of the eighth line.
? Yin Jing (Zi Jin): A famous poet of the Southern Dynasties, from Wuwei Gucang (now Wuwei City, Gansu Province). Liang Chong once served as the Legal Officer of the Prince of Dongdong. During the reign of Emperor Chen Wen, he served as the Assistant Military Advisor in the Prince's Court. He was successively appointed as the Governor of Cao Prefecture and the Outer Gentleman of the Imperial Secretariat. He was intelligent from a young age, writing poetry and prose at the age of five, producing a thousand words a day. He was knowledgeable and widely read in history and biography, especially skilled in five-character poetry, second only to the famous ones. The New Tang Dynasty has a biography of him, and his biography is attached to Yin Zichun's in the Southern History.
? The eight lines "Water North": These lines are from Han Yu's poem to Xu Tong. This poem was written in the spring of the sixth year of Emperor Jingzong's reign in the Yuanhe era. See the note at the end of the eighth line.
? "Water North Mountain Person": Refers to Shi Hong.
? "Water South Mountain Person": Refers to Wen Zao. According to the preface to Han Yu's Farewell to Wen Tingzhi, "Those who possess talent but hide it and do not seek recognition are called Shi at the northern bank of the Luo River and Wen at the southern bank. When the Duke of Wei appointed Shi as a talent and invited him with courtesy, he was brought to his court. Within a month, Wen was also invited as a talent, and Shi was recommended as a matchmaker, and Tan was recommended as a messenger, and he was also brought to the court." This is the story of "Water North Mountain Person" and "Water South Mountain Person."
? "Bent waist": According to Qian Zhongshu's Annotations to Han Yu's Poems, the character "bent waist" is quoted as "bent man" in the original text.
? "Same village": Refers to the same village. In the Strategies of the State of the Zhan Guo Ce, it says: "Now, the highest among scholars are no better than commoners, walking and offering sacrifices in the morning, while the lowest are rustic and live at the door, sharing the same village. The lowest among scholars are also very low." Song Liao notes: "The village is in the village, and the village is in the wilderness, both having doors and being five hundred households."
? "Shao Shi Mountain Person": Refers to Li Bo.
? "Shao Shi Mountain": Located north of Dengfeng in Henan Province, west of Mount Song. It is named after the stone room in the mountain.
? "Censor": Officials who supervise and criticize. Ban Gu in The White Tiger Enclosure on criticism and remonstration says: "The ruler is supreme, so assistants and advisors are set up, and censors are appointed." During the Tang Dynasty, censors included the Censor-in-Chief, the Censor, and the Chancellors. According to the Biography of Li Bo in the Old Tang Dynasty, it is recorded that in the first month of the first year of the Yuanhe era, Li Bo was appointed as the Left Censor, but he did not arrive. Han Yu mentioned "remonstrating with a censor but not responding," which was a common occurrence, but not recorded in official history.
? "Reprimand": The original text originally wrote "reprimand," but according to The Preparations for the Collection of Han Yu's Poems (Volume 17) and The Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems, it was corrected to "reprimand." The original text also had "reprimand" after the second "reprimand," which was also corrected.
? "Reprimand mouth": Speaking too much, speaking too much.
? "Current affairs": The affairs of the time. In the Biography of Li Tong of the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Pei Songzhi's annotation cites Wang Yin's Biography of the Wei Dynasty: "Every time he spoke, he spoke of the profound and distant, but he never discussed the affairs of the time or evaluated people."
? "Current affairs": Later, it was often referred to as "world affairs."
? "Drive and use": To drive and use. Later, in the Biography of Huan Tan of the Han Dynasty, it says: "The empress was young and longed for hardship, sometimes driving and using sorcerers and alchemists to seek external methods, which cannot be ignored." In The New Collection of the Jade Terrace (Volume 1), the poem "Jiao Zhongqing's Wife" says: "I cannot endure being driven and used, leaving nothing to do."
? "Servants and drivers": Servants and those who drive chariots.
? "Farewell Shi Hong to the Yue Commandery": The collection's title is Farewell Shi Hong to the Yue Commandery. Qian Zhongshu's Annotations to Han Yu's Poems (Volume 17) and The Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems both mention "Shi Hong" as "Shi Tingzhi."
? "Hold": To hold.
? "Book of Planting Trees": In the Records of the Grand Historian, it says: "What is not removed is the five grains, divination, and the book of planting trees." Later, it was used to represent retirement and farming. Xin An's Zhuge Tian in the Ode to the Magpie says: "Exchange the strategy of planting trees for a family of planting trees." This likely originates from Han Yu.
? "Worldly Avoiders": People who avoid the world and live in seclusion. In Zhang Xie's Striving for Perfection, it says: "Retire to the forest, the courtyard is idle, fishing in the marsh, and living for oneself. This is the preference of those who are idle and avoid the world."
? "Repaying kindness": Repaying kindness. In the Biography of Kuan Jing of the Han Dynasty, it says: "A day of benefit is a month of merit, but it is not enough to repay kindness."
? "Go away": Go away. In the New World of the World of the World of the World, it says: "Go away! There is nothing left to repay."
? "Wine tour": Circulating and drinking wine. In the Biography of Yuan Ji of the Records of the Grand Historian, it says: "Wan Fu was displeased and got up, circulated wine to Wu An."
? "Rise": To rise, to set out.
? "You": The original text originally wrote "you," but according to The Preparations for the Collection of Han Yu's Poems (Volume 17) and Han Yu's Secret Collection, it was corrected to "you."
? "Gift to Chu Tong": The collection's title is Gift to Chu Tong.
? "Spring and Autumn": Refers to Chu Tong placing the Spring and Autumn Annals aside and deeply studying its classics.
? "Five Classics": Fang Song's Zhengxue Zhengzheng (Volume 1) states: "The Hang and Shu editions are the same, while the Lou edition has 'Zuo Zhuan.'" In Han Yu's Collection (Volume 5), it is noted: "The Spring and Autumn Annals and Zuo Zhuan are already lost in the world, but the scholars of the world still follow the three classics. Making 'five' and 'Zuo' are both incorrect: Qian Zhongshu's Annotations to Han Yu's Poems says: 'The Jun edition and Wei edition have 'five,' while the Kao edition, Li edition, and Yu edition have 'three.'" In Complete Tang Poems, it is also "three."
? "Store on the high shelf": To store and not use. In the New World of the World, it says: "Geng Shi often had ambitions for the Central Plains, and he noted in the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Han Dynasty: 'These people, such as Du Yi, Yin Hao, and others, had famous reputations in the world, but he did not value them. He often said: 'These people should be stored on the high shelf, and only after the world is settled can we discuss their appointments.'"
? "High classics": Ancient classics passed down from generation to generation. In the Biography of Wang Qi of the History of the Jin Dynasty, Wang Xun and others discussed the transmission of ancient classics: "Wang Xun thinks that it is comprehensive and thorough, and he collects the lost classics from the chaos. He deeply seeks and studies, and he studies the beginning and end of things." Zhou Ji says: "The Book of Changes is a book. It originates from the beginning and ends at the end." See the previous notes.
? Yuan Zhun claims to understand Old Du. His epitaph says: "Above, he surpasses Cao and Cao, and below, he is inferior to Shen and Song." By the time of Han Yu, he said: "Reach out and pull the whale's teeth, and drink the celestial nectar from the gourd."
? For those who are high, to drink celestial nectar; for those who are deep, to pull the whale's teeth.
? How deep and profound should their thoughts be?
? And their standards stop at Cao, Cao, Shen, and Song?
? Annotation ① "Yuan Zhun": Yuan Zhun's epitaph for Du Gongbu, the former Head of the Ministry of Works: "When I read the poems, I knew that there was something that converged in the small and the great."
? Yuan Zhun: See the previous eighth note ①.
? Old Du: See the previous fourth note ③.
? "Above, he surpasses": In Yuan Zhun's epitaph for Du Gongbu, the original text reads: "As for Zibai, he is what is called above, he is close to Feng and Sao, below, he is close to Shen and Song, anciently, he is close to Su and Qu, and he is as grand as Xuan and Liu." The last two sentences are sometimes written as: "Speak of bricks and tiles, and drink of Li, and breathe of Cao and Cao."
? "Halo": To borrow, to possess. Cao and Cao: Cao Zhi and Cao Pi. In The Art of Rhetoric, it says: "As for Yang and Ban, Cao and Cao, in describing mountains and rivers, and shadowing things, none of them do not weave comparisons to express their essence, and they listen to the back and forth, and benefit from this achievement."
? "Thin": To approach, to be close to.
? Shen and Song: Shen Qianqi and Song Zhiwen. Li Shangyin's Five Poems of Random Composition (No. 1) says: "Shen Qianqi and Song Zhiwen cut verses and show their talents, while Wang and Ye fall into the good company." In the Biography of Song Zhiwen of the New Tang Dynasty, it says: "After the Wei Jian'an, until the left and right, the poetry rules were often changed. Until Shen Yue and Yu Xin, they added elegance, and they avoided awkwardness, and they standardized sentences and paragraphs, like brocade woven into patterns. Scholars followed them, and they were called Shen and Song."
? Han Yu: See the previous fifth note ⑦.
? "Reach out": To reach out. In Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zixu, it says: "To reach out and rescue someone in danger, to block them, and to throw stones down, all of this is the same." In Volume 432 of the Taiping Imperial Records, it quotes The Original Transformation of the South: "There is a person at the door who says: 'You are a tiger, now you have a document.' This person is very capable, but he does not dare to reach out to accept it."
? "Drink": To take and drink.
? "Heavenly nectar": Nectar from the heavens, a rare drink. Qian Zhongshu's Annotations to Han Yu's Poems says: "Drink heavenly nectar to imply intoxication, and pull the whale's teeth to imply depth and strength."
? "Deep": Hidden, hidden. In Xunzi's Zheng Lun, it says: "Above, he is hidden, and he holds the high heavens." Jie Jing notes: "Deep means hidden."
? "Thought": Thinking, thinking. Zhi, subtle, profound. Human thought is subtle and difficult to measure, so it is called thought. Deep and far.
? "How should it be": How it should be. This is an expression of regret, meaning to what extent.
? "Stop": Not only, not only. In the winter of the first year of the Xining era, Wang Anshi was appointed as Prime Minister from the position of Vice Premier. On that day, officials and subordinates rushed to his door to congratulate him, but as he had not yet thanked them, he did not see them. He alone sat in a small pavilion and suddenly frowned and frowned for a long time, took a pen and wrote on the window: "Frost becomes 'pine,' snow bamboo in Zhongshan Temple, send an old woman to this life." He put down the pen and went in, and he lived outside the White River Gate in Xianling. I visited him, and he happily invited me to sit together in a Buddhist temple. We sat in a monk's room, and at that time, although there was no frost or snow, the pine and bamboo were like those in the poem. I then mentioned the poem I had written on the window and said this poem. He nodded and smiled.