Classical Chinese Poetry: A Selection and Appreciation---Xin Qiji

Author: Liu Zhongwei / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features:
"，
，，。
？。
，，。
，？
，，。
，。
，，？
，。"
In the fifth year of the Qiandao era (1169), Xin Qiji had been living in the Southern Song court for seven years after fleeing from the northern regions occupied by the Jin people. Despite his literary and martial talents, despite his experience in rear-guard warfare, and despite his constant requests to the court for a position, he was still only a minor official—the Tongpan of Jiankang Prefecture. One day, he climbed the Shangxin Pavilion in the west of Jiankang City and wrote this poem, sending it to Shi Zhengzhi, the then governor of Jiankang and commander of the Jiangnan naval forces. Shi Zhengzhi, styled Zhidao, was in fact a political opportunist who had been secretly collaborating with the peace faction since the early years of Emperor Xiaozong's reign. At the time Xin Qiji wrote this poem, Shi had not yet revealed his true colors and still maintained the facade of a pro-war figure.
The title "Liu" refers to a position held by a high-ranking official when the sovereign moved the capital or went on a tour. During the early years of the Southern Song, Emperor Gaozong once stayed in Jiankang before relocating the capital to Lin'an, hence the existence of the position of "acting governor" (Xinggong Liu).
P15-17