Clear Words Three Hundred Detailed Notes

Author: Duan Xiaohua
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-06-01
Features: "Gui Dianqiu" by Zhu Ziqun: "Sighing over past memories, crossing the river, with delicate eyebrows reflected against the Yue Mountains. Together in one boat, listening to autumn rain, light mats and thin quilts keep us cold separately."
[Annotations]
① Jiang Gan: Riverside.
② Qing E: Ancient women used green indigo to paint their eyebrows, which were fine and curved like silkworm antennae, hence the name Qing E. Yue Mountain: Mountains in Zhejiang. Ancient people often compared distant mountains to a woman's eyebrows. This line means: The lover's delicate eyebrows are lowered, looking similar to the distant, recumbent green mountains.
③ Ge: Large boat. Dan: Bamboo mat. Qin: Quilt.
[Analysis] "Gui Dianqiu" is originally a song for welcoming and sending off deities composed by Li Dehu in the Tang Dynasty. Li's lyrics include the line "Cool night in the Gui Palace, jade flute blows in the breeze," hence the name of the tune. It is a monophonic poem with 27 characters. The second, third, and fifth lines rhyme in the tone of Ping. This is a short lyric about love. The three characters "Sighing over past memories" abruptly come forth, clear and direct, leading the reader into the recollection of beautiful past events. The following are two small scenes from past life. One is "delicate eyebrows reflected against the Yue Mountains," where a boat beauty with dark eyebrows gazes at the Yue Mountains in the water. The other is "together in one boat, listening to autumn rain," where the lyricist and the beauty share a boat, listening to the rain. The line "light mats and thin quilts keep us cold separately" reveals the sorrow of the lyricist and the beauty being unable to be close. The autumn rain is naturally cold, but here, the coldness is more a psychological feeling produced by the boat dwellers than a physical sensation added by the rain. Though the two lovers are close at hand, they are as distant as if separated by the heavens, unable to be intimate or hear each other's heartfelt words, tender emotions—how could they not feel cold and desolate? Lyric critics argue that the two lines "together in one boat, listening to autumn rain, light mats and thin quilts keep us cold separately" are equivalent to (Feng Huai 200 lines), and they have a point. This short lyric expresses the lyricist's emotions with an extremely deep and subtle approach. Qian Zhouyi (Hui Feng Ci Hua) says: "Someone asked who should be considered the foremost lyricist among the early Qing Dynasty. After careful consideration, he named the head of Jin Feng Ting. When asked about his best works, he cited 'Dao Lian Zi' (i.e., 'Gui Dianqiu')." This shows how much the predecessors valued it.
Man Jiang Hong · Temple of Wu the Great Emperor① Zhu Ziqun:
Jade throne covered in moss,
I pay homage to the portrait,
purple beard like when first seen.
I imagine back then, Zhou Lang and Lu Di,
at once renowned.
Willing to beg from Zhang Zibu,
raising a cup but to belong to Gan Xingba.
Watch as ordinary,
laughing at Cao and Liu,
dividing Xia.
North and south divided,
the Yangtze River spans,
towers and bridges move,
surrender flags deceive.
I sigh at the division of the Six Dynasties,
who could rival later?
The original temple still stands in the dragon and tiger land,
the spring and autumn sacrifices never cease,
the remaining mountains surround with withered grass,
the women's walls empty,
the cold tide hits.
[Annotations]
① Wu the Great Emperor: Sun Quan, the ruler of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, styled Zhongmou. He declared himself emperor in the first year of Huanglong (229) and established his capital in Jianye (now Nanjing, Jiangsu). After his death, he was posthumously titled the Great Emperor. His temple was located west of Qingliang Temple in Nanjing.
② Jade throne covered in moss: The white jade base of the statue of Sun Quan in the temple was covered with green moss. Purple beard: According to historical records, Sun Quan had a purple beard. Beard: Long mustaches on the cheeks. Like when first seen: Like at the beginning.
③ Zhou Lang: refers to Zhou Yu. Lu Di: refers to Lu Xun. Reputation: Fame and status. These lines mean: Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, and others were once famous.
④ Willing: How could he not. Zhang Zibu: Zhang Zhao, styled Zibu, from Pengcheng (now Xuzhou, Jiangsu). He served as the long history of Wu, the middle-ranking commander of the, and later supported Sun Quan, becoming the General of Wu. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, when Sun Quan declared himself emperor, he returned credit to Zhou Yu, but Zhang Zhao disagreed. Sun Quan said to him, "If I had followed your advice back then, I would have been begging for food long ago." Belong to: To drink. Gan Xingba: Gan Ning, styled Xingba. Initially followed Liu Biao, later joined Sun Quan. He once offered advice to Sun Quan, suggesting attacking Huang Zhu (then the governor of Jiangxia) first, securing the western passes, and gradually infiltrating Bashu. Sun Quan deeply admired this and once raised a cup to express his determination, entrusting him with important tasks.
⑤ Watch as ordinary: Not to be taken seriously. Qu Xia: China.
⑥ Limited: Divided. Here refers to the Yangtze River as the boundary between north and south at that time. Surrender flags deceive: Refers to the Battle of Red Cliffs, where Wu sent Huang Gai to deceive Cao Cao, allowing them to burn Cao's camp.
⑦ Original temple: A temple other than the main one, referring to the Sun Quan temple visited. Dragon and tiger land: Refers to Nanjing. According to records, when Zhuge Liang visited Nanjing, he saw the surrounding mountains and sighed, "Zhongshan's dragons coil, and the stone city tigers crouch, this is the abode of emperors." Hence, later people often used "tigers crouching and dragons coiling" to describe the strategic and majestic terrain of Nanjing.
⑧ Cease: Stop. Chicken and pig society: A sacrifice with chickens and pigs. There were society days in spring and autumn, usually on the fifth day of the fifth month after the spring or autumn equinox.
⑨ Women's walls: Low walls on the city. Liu Yuxi's poem "Stone City": "Mountains surround the former state, the tide hits the empty city in solitude. The old moon by the Huai River, still passes the women's walls at night." These lines are inspired by this, meaning the heroes are long gone, but the land remains.
[Analysis] This is a lyric commemorating ancient sites. The lyric praises Sun Quan for persistently resisting the powerful Cao army, employing the aggressive Zhou Yu and Gan Ning, and achieving the. The lyric begins with Sun Quan's portrait. Next, it praises Sun Quan's achievements. The line "willing to beg from Zhang Zibu" shows Sun Quan's heroic spirit in facing strong enemies. Then, it ends the upper part with the elegant demeanor of Sun Quan, "in a light laugh, strong enemies turn to dust and smoke." The lower part criticizes the weakness of the Six Dynasties' rulers, implicitly mocking the opportunistic behavior of the Southern Ming court. The question "who could rival later" contains hidden sorrow and reflects the pain of remembering the past and lamenting the present. The final lines use scenery to carry emotions, leaving endless regrets implied. The entire lyric is bold and unrestrained, with precise allusions and extensive discussions, undoubtedly influenced by the unrestrained and vigorous style of Southern Song lyricists like Xin Qiji and Liu Guo.
Mai Hua Sheng · Yuhuatai① Zhu Ziqun:
Withered willows by Bai Men Bay,
tide hits the city and returns.
Small Changgan connects with large Changgan.
Singing boards and wine flags are scattered,
only fishing rods remain.
Autumn grass of the Six Dynasties is cold,
flower rain in empty altars.
No one is around, leaning on the railing.
Swallows fly with the setting sun, coming and going,
such a land.
[Annotations]
① Yuhuatai: Located south of Nanjing, Jiangsu. The heights can overlook Nanjing City.
② Bai Men: During the Southern Song Dynasty, the western gate of Jiankang (now Nanjing) was called Bai Men. Later, it referred to Nanjing City. Tide hits the city and returns: Inspired by Liu Yuxi's poem "Tide hits the empty city in solitude."
③ Small Changgan and large Changgan: Names of two places in Nanjing, referring to mountain streams and flatlands.
④ Singing boards: Bamboo boards used to keep rhythm while singing. Wine flags: Wine curtains, with cloth attached to poles, hung at the door to attract wine customers.
⑤ Six Dynasties: Wu, Eastern Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen successively established their capitals in Nanjing, known as the Six Dynasties. Flower rain in empty altars: Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, a monk named Yun Guang delivered a sermon here, and flowers fell like rain, hence the name.
⑥ Swallows: Liu Yuxi's poem "Wuyi Lane": "Wild grasses and flowers by the Vermilion Bird Bridge, the setting sun at the Wuyi Lane mouth. The swallows that once flew over the halls of Wang and Xie, now fly into ordinary households." The poem expresses the sense of time passing and changes through the fact that the once noble mansions of Wang and Xie have become ordinary houses. This line uses this meaning. Such a land: Here implies a sense of lament that the land is different from before.
[Analysis] "Mai Hua Sheng" is a lyric title, consisting of two tunes: "Lang Tao Sha" and "Xie Chi Chun," with this piece belonging to "Lang Tao Sha." Also known as "Entering the Netherworld," "Passing Longmen," "Refining Azaleas," and "Double-Regulated Small Order," there are six forms in total, with the standard form having 54 characters, with five lines and four Ping rhymes in both the upper and lower parts, and this piece belongs to the standard form. This lyric tightly combines the bleak autumn scenery before the eyes, the desolation of the ancient capital, and the sense of historical vicissitudes. Words like withered willows, tide hits, scattered, cold, empty, and setting sun permeate the entire piece, filling it with a sense of desolation, melancholy, and solitude caused by reflections on the land. The first line presents the desolate and empty scene of the Qinhuai River, with only withered willows swaying before the readers. The line "singing boards and wine flags are scattered, only fishing rods remain" succinctly captures the scene of desolation. The lyric's transition follows the upper part, with the two characters "Six Dynasties" encompassing a thousand years of history, describing the desolate and melancholic state of Nanjing since the Six Dynasties, blending reality and history. The final three lines skillfully use allusions to combine the sorrow of leaning on the railing with the reflection on the land, showing the lyricist's broad perspective and greatly expanding the lyric's realm to a higher level. "Mai Hua Sheng" is the same as "Lang Tao Sha," and many predecessors used it to express sorrowful emotions. This lyric, however, is bold and upright. Tan Xian believed this lyric "could split bamboo" (in "Zhai Zhong Ci"), showing its deeply moving power.