Appreciation of Zhu De's Poems

Author: Hu Guoqiang / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features: This year marks the 120th anniversary of Zhu De's birth. To learn from Zhu De's outstanding qualities in dedicating his life to the Chinese revolution and the cause of communism, to commemorate his brilliant achievements in life, to inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of the Party, to provide revolutionary tradition education and communist ideal education for the masses, especially the younger generation, and to enable everyone to better read and appreciate Zhu De's brilliant poems, the researchers of the Zhu De Research Institute at the Yucai College of Southwest University, under the care and support of leaders such as Feng Xianzhi, Li Jie, Liao Xinwen, Chen Jin, He Huorèn, and Wu Zhengyu from the Central Party and the China Mao Zedong Poetry Research Association, have compiled this Appreciation of Zhu De's Poems. The poems selected in this book are based on the Collected Poems of Zhu De edited by the Central Party and published by the Central Party Literature Publishing House in December 2003, from which 100 poems were chosen for analysis.
The first poem, Military March at Yun Valley Temple: Morning Walk and Observations, was written after the death of Cai E in November 1916. Luo Peijin, the Chief of Staff of the Yunnan Army, was appointed by the Beijing government to temporarily take over as Governor of Sichuan. The Yunnan warlord faction led by Tang Jiyou, leveraging the victory of the War to Protect the Constitution, greatly expanded its power and occupied many counties and districts in Yunnan, Guizhou, and southwestern Sichuan. In March 1917, Luo Peijin, along with Liu Cunhou, the Sichuan warlord who was appointed as the Provincial Governor of Sichuan, and Dai Gan, the Guizhou warlord appointed as the Provincial Governor, fought a street battle over control of Chengdu. Luo Peijin's Yunnan Army suffered a decisive defeat, and Dai Gan was killed. Tang Jiyou was furious. On July 16, he issued a public declaration condemning Liu Cunhou for "rebellion" and organized the "National Salvation Army," appointing himself as the commander-in-chief and marched into Sichuan. In January 1918, Tang Jiyou, under the guise of opposing the abolition of the Provisional Constitution by Duan Qirui and supporting Sun Yat-sen's "Protect the Constitution" movement, allied with the "National Salvation Army" from Sichuan and Guizhou to drive out Liu Cunhou and Zhong Tidao and other Sichuan forces from Sichuan. The Yunnan Army then controlled most of southern Sichuan. While Tang Jiyou and his commanders fought for territory and looted the people, Zhu De led his troops to suppress bandits and pacify the localities near Luzhou, earning praise from the people. During the warlord conflicts in Sichuan, bandits were rampant everywhere. The areas around Luzhou, being close to Yunnan and Guizhou, suffered even more from banditry. At the time, Zhu De served as the commander of the Third Brigade of the National Salvation Army and concurrently as the commander of the Lower South Sichuan Pacification Command. Military March at Yun Valley Temple: Morning Walk and Observations was written during his campaign against bandits in eastern Luzhou. These are two pastoral poems with the theme of rural scenery encountered during military marches. With passionate brushwork, the poet depicts the lush mountains, clear waters, singing birds, and fragrant flowers of rural southern Sichuan, composing a pastoral song filled with vitality yet tinged with sorrow in a turbulent era. The two poems are essentially a pair, with the poet selecting scenes with the eye of an artist, capturing the fleeting colors and sounds of the countryside at dawn, skillfully arranging them into a dynamic and vibrant landscape. The first poem focuses on water, mountains, trees, and ancient temples, with more static elements than dynamic ones, yet the static scenes are imbued with movement. It emphasizes the interplay of morning light and the scenery. The opening couplet, "Emerald peaks rise in layers, dawn's light melts," paints a broad backdrop of layered mountains and lush green forests bathed in morning glow. The sunlight and endless mountain scenery blend with mist. The distant, hazy images of the mountains are lightly colored by the rising sun, creating an appropriate setting for the painting. The next line, "Morning dew like pearls drips from the," shifts the focus to a nearby scene—the dewdrop on a tree. The contrast between the distant mountains and the close-up tree, the large and the small, the hazy and the clear, adds to the charm. The next couplet, "Pagodas stand tall beyond floating clouds, ancient temples hide deep among trees," describes the towering pagodas and the hidden temples in the vast, lightly colored scene. The solemnity and stability of the pagodas complement the lightness and ethereality of the clouds. Looking down from the pagodas, the ancient temple is hidden among the trees, further emphasizing the seclusion of the place. In terms of scenery, the focus is on a single line and spot; in terms of color, the pagodas, temples, and tree clusters are relatively dark and muted. The next couplet, "Wind ripples fields in emerald waves, sun warms pomegranate flames to new red," shifts the scene to the vibrant sight of emerald waves and red pomegranate flowers. The poet combines visual observation with physical sensation. The breeze ripples the fields in layers of emerald green; the warm sunlight makes the blooming pomegranate flowers even more brilliant and dazzling. In terms of scenery, the focus is on the field; in terms of color, the wind, waves, sunlight, and flowers are bright and vibrant, beautiful and lively. The movement of the mountain wind, sunlight, and pomegranate flames contrasts with the stillness of the pagodas, temples, and trees, creating a natural and fascinating composition. The final couplet, "A natural masterpiece, crafted by heaven's art," expresses the poet's heartfelt admiration for the divine power that created such a wonderful picture. The joy and delight overflow beyond the words. The second poem describes stars, people, birds, clouds, ruined houses, winding paths, and long embankments, with a focus on movement. The scene is vibrant yet marred by the dissonant ruins and desolation. The line "Stars fall, people are scarce, birds are busy" reveals that banditry has forced the good people to flee their homes, highlighting the main cause of rural decline. It underscores the importance and necessity of suppressing banditry to ensure peace. "Stars fall, people are scarce, birds are busy; a hundred orioles on branches, skillful as a bell" begins by describing the unusually quiet and desolate scene of the mountain village in August. In the early morning, stars are falling, the breeze is gentle—prime time for farmers to work in the fields, yet few people are seen. The word "scarce" conveys the emptiness and desolation of the place, sparking the reader's curiosity. Are the villagers lazy, or has the place always been sparsely populated? In contrast to the human emptiness, the birds are lively and noisy, their chatter further emphasizing the village's desolation. The line "Bright morning light, splendid morning clouds red; dew mist floats, withered grass green" further paints the unusual emptiness and desolation. The poet then directly addresses the scene of the ruined and desolate village: tall and short ruined houses, winding paths unused by humans, and densely packed willows along the long embankments—all solidifying the meaning of "scarce." Despite such beautiful scenery, why is the place so empty? "Bandits roam, with no elegance, fleeing beauty like mice" answers the question. The poet reveals that the good people, unable to survive under the rule of bandits, are forced to flee in haste. Reading this, one cannot help but feel regret and lament. The poet's sympathy and care for the people, as well as his hatred for the bandits, are vividly portrayed. This poem appears to describe scenery but actually focuses on human affairs. From the sight of "scarce people" to the ruined houses and the reasons for the people's flight, the entire poem revolves around the theme of "scarce people." Both poems in Military March at Yun Valley Temple: Morning Walk and Observations primarily focus on depicting scenes and objects. They have a rigorous structure, emphasize visual effects, combine sound and color, and naturally blend emotion, scenery, and reasoning, with meaning beyond the words. These are outstanding features of the writing art of both poems. The concluding lines of both poems serve as a "dragon's head" to enhance the artistic impact of the entire poem. After reading, the lingering echoes and endless reflections are unforgettable. (Pan Dade) P16-18