Su Shi

Author: Yang Yi, Guo Xiaohong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features:
"Like the snow-covered ground where wild geese tread,
Life is ever-changing, like the fleeting marks they leave behind.
These marks scattered everywhere soon fade,
Wild geese fly on, caring not where they go.
The old monk is now dead, enshrined in a new pagoda,
The broken walls offer no trace of old inscriptions.
Do you still remember the rugged path we once trod?
Long roads left us weary, the crippled donkey brayed."
Annotations:
1. Ziyou: Su Shi's younger brother, Su Zhe, styled Ziyou.
2. Mianchi: A place name (now Mianchi County, Henan Province). In the first year of the Jiayou era, Su Shi and his brother Zhe traveled to the capital for the imperial examinations and stayed overnight in the temple of the old monk Fengxian.
3. Wild geese: Refers to wild geese.
4. "The old monk" line: In Su Zhe's original poem, the note under "Old temple walls shared by us in inscription" reads: "I once stayed in the temple of the old monk Fengxian while traveling for the examinations with Zisan." When Su Shi wrote this poem, Fengxian had already passed away, and his remains were enshrined in a new pagoda.
5. Broken walls: Means the walls of Fengxian's temple had collapsed.
6. Old inscriptions: Poems written in the past.
7. Crippled donkey: A lame donkey.
Explanation:
Life is unpredictable, like the random footprints of wild geese on snow. These prints are scattered everywhere and soon vanish. Wild geese fly on, indifferent to their destination. The old monk Fengxian has long passed away, his remains now enshrined in a new pagoda, and the temple walls have also collapsed. The poems we once inscribed on them are long gone. Do you still remember the hardships we faced on the road to the imperial examinations? The endless journey left us exhausted, and the donkey we rode was so weary it limped, braying endlessly.
Commentary:
This poem was written in the eleventh month of the first year of the Jiayou era (1061). The opening line, "Life is ever-changing, how can it be compared?" begins with a rhetorical question, striking and profound, reflecting deep contemplation on the philosophy of life. The characteristic of Song poetry in emphasizing philosophical insight is also evident. The next line uses the imagery of "wild geese treading on snow" to express the randomness and unpredictability of life, with a fresh and vivid metaphor. "Snow and mud marks of wild geese" has since become a famous idiom.
The lines "The old monk is now dead, enshrined in a new pagoda, and the broken walls offer no trace of old inscriptions" convey a sense of nostalgia for the passage of time and changes in human affairs, revealing a melancholy about the fleeting nature of life. The last two lines recall the hardships of the road to the imperial examinations, with a tone that feels like a gentle, conversational reflection. The past difficulties are dissolved in this familiar atmosphere, giving rise to confidence in the present and future. Though the poem laments the brevity of life, its spirit remains vibrant and uplifting, leaving no sense of despair.
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