Works of Gong Mu (Volume 5)

Author: Gong Mu / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-08-01
Features:
Yellow Crane Tower, Spring of 1927
Boundless rivers flow through China,
A deep line connects north and south.
Foggy rain covers the vast land,
Tortoise and Snake lock the great river.
Where did the Yellow Crane go?
Only tourists remain.
Raising wine to the surging river,
My heart surges with the waves.
Explanation of the Poem:
Yellow Crane Tower is located on the western Yellow Crane Cliff in Wuchang County, Hubei. It was first built during the Three Kingdoms period under the Wu Kingdom and became famous after the Southern Dynasties. It was known as "the most spectacular sight in the world." Originally named after the cliff, later legends associated it with immortals riding cranes. For example, Yan Bojin in the Tang Dynasty cited the "Illustrated Records" saying, "Fei Yi, having ascended to immortality, once rode a crane back to rest here, hence the tower's name." (See Volume 810 of "Wenyuan Yinghua"). The "Taiping Huanyu Ji" (Volume 112) also followed this account. The "Record of Strange Events" (Volume 1) states, "Xun Gui, styled Shuwei, traveled east and rested on the Yellow Crane Tower. He looked southwest and saw something drifting down from the heavens, which soon arrived—it was the guest riding a crane. The crane landed near the door, and the immortal dressed in feathered robes and rainbow garments sat down. Host and guest conversed joyfully before parting, riding the crane across the clouds, vanishing into the mist." Another legend, cited in the "Record of Local Geography" (Volume 66), claims that Wang Zian, the prince of Jin, often rode cranes past this spot. These myths were popular before the Tang Dynasty, as evidenced by Cui Hao's poem: "The ancients rode the Yellow Crane away, leaving only this tower here"; and Li Bai's line: "Immortals await the crane, while sea travelers carelessly follow white gulls."
Yellow Crane Cliff is at the northern tip of Snake Mountain, right by the river. In recent years, due to the construction of the Yangtze River Bridge, the tower was demolished and rebuilt on Snake Mountain. Mao Zedong wrote this poem in the spring of 1927, during the Second Revolutionary War, just before the April 12th Incident. In January of that year, the revolutionary government was established in Wuhan, and the revolutionary masses had reclaimed the concessions of Hankou and Jiujiang from imperialist powers. In Shanghai, workers were staging fervent uprisings, and nationwide peasant movements were spreading, as Mao Zedong stated: "In a short time, hundreds of millions of peasants will rise up from central, southern, and northern China, like a storm, so powerful that no force can suppress them. They will break through all constraints and rush toward liberation. All imperialists, warlords, corrupt officials, and local tyrants will be buried in their graves." (From "Investigation Report on the Peasant Movement in Hunan"). Overall, the revolutionary situation was favorable. However, on the other hand, within the revolutionary united front, counter-revolutionaries like Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Jingwei were lurking, some openly preparing to split and betray. Within the party, Chen Duxiu's rightist opportunistic line not only failed to firmly oppose Chiang Kai-shek's arrogance but also indulged in toward Wang Jingwei's conspiracies, even confiscating weapons from workers' and peasants' self-defense forces and rejecting the correct proposals of Mao Zedong and many other comrades. This brought a severe crisis to the revolution. Against this political backdrop, Mao Zedong, after climbing the tower and gazing into the distance, raised wine to the surging river, his heart pounding with passion, and composed this poem, capturing his feelings at the time.
Analysis:
The first stanza depicts the scenery: From the tower, the view is vast and majestic—boundless, profound, and misty, unfolding from far to near. The word "lock" connects the twin mountains and the great river, vividly portraying the scene of tortoise and snake guarding the river while also hinting at the turbulent waters crashing against the cliffs. The imagery is rich in meaning, captivating the reader.
The second stanza expresses emotions: Leaning on the precarious tower, raising wine, reflecting on the past and present, responding to the surroundings, and moving from the scene to the heart, the tone is bold and profound. The word "chase" ties together the surging heart and river waves, vividly depicting the relentless forward momentum of the waves while metaphorically symbolizing the overwhelming revolutionary high tide. The imagery is profound yet explicit, leaving the reader to ponder deeply.
Reading the entire poem, closing one's eyes, one can vividly imagine the poet, with a drunken, wielding a giant brush, sketching a majestic and sublime realm. It not only captures the splendor of Yellow Crane Tower, the scenery of Wuhan, and the vast beauty of the motherland but also reveals the poet's lofty aspirations and passion, the great spirit and strength of the nation, and the spirit of the times and revolution. The poem was written just before the April 12th Massacre. The revolution, like a giant ship, was being steered blindly by rightist opportunists and was about to crash into hidden rocks. The poet clearly saw this situation, but his advice was ignored, and his correct opinions were rejected. How could his heart not be heavy? Yet he never despaired. With a head soaring beyond the confines of his era, he gazed into the future with the eyes of a giant. This is the image of the lyrical subject revealed in the poem.
Repeating the poem, one unknowingly expands one's heart and horizons, as if infected by a certain spirit, gaining some of the poet's unique vision and magnanimity. This goes far beyond mere landscape or emotional expression—it is the artistic brilliance of the great poet's subjective thoughts and emotions harmoniously blending with the objective reality of the scene. Though just a short poem and a small piece, it encompasses the winds and clouds and includes the past and present, making its scope infinitely vast and magnificent, truly like a thousand miles in a single measure.
Normally, a short poem like "Pusaman" has only 8 lines and 44 characters, like a small essay or a scroll in painting, suitable only for depicting small scenes, expressing subtle emotions, and recording fleeting moments. Historically, the famous bold poet Xin Qiji included 22 such poems in "Jiaxun Ci," but only one, "Written on the Wall of Jiangxi Zaikou," is slightly more expansive, earning praise from "Yiheng Pavilion Ci Xuan": "A bold and thunderous 'Pusaman' has never been seen before." His poem reads:
"Below the, clear river water flows,
How many tears of travelers have fallen here?
Looking northwest to Chang'an,
Alas, countless mountains block the view.
Green mountains cannot hold them back,
After all, the east flows on.
Evening by the river, I am filled with sorrow,
Deep in the mountains, I hear the cuckoo call."
This is indeed elegant and profound, a fresh perspective. However, it is merely expressing sentiments and venting frustrations. As for Mao Zedong's "Pusaman," though a short piece, its spirit and imagery are bold and vigorous, rivaling a long-form poem. It is truly a "great bell and drum, worthy of a resounding chorus." As Fan Kai wrote in the preface to "Jiaxun Ci": "Great instruments produce great sounds, and lofty aspirations inspire great thoughts."
The ancients praised Xin Qiji with these words. Today, we borrow them to describe Mao Zedong's poem. The sun has risen—can a bonfire still shine? With Mao Zedong and his poem, who else can match them? This judgment is not based on our preference but on fair comparison. Mao Zedong's poem is not only comparable to Xin Qiji's but also to Cui Hao's poem; it surpasses both in quality.
Yellow Crane Tower is a historical landmark, visited and sung by countless people since ancient times. Yet after Cui Hao wrote his poem, many dared not follow, even the great poet Li Bai sighed, "With such a view before me, I cannot compose—Cui Hao's poem stands above all." Thus, writing about Yellow Crane Tower without following the old patterns is indeed difficult. Yet Mao Zedong's poem, though shorter than Cui Hao's, completely avoids the overused scenery of Qingchuan Pavilion and Parrot Isle. It begins with grandeur—turbulent waves and a vast spectacle—then moves to specific descriptions of misty rain and majestic landscapes. It incorporates legends while giving them contemporary meaning, and through specific actions and contexts, it reveals the poet's inner brilliance and expresses his feelings upon climbing the tower. Cui Hao's poem is merely a high-platform view, reflecting on the past and expressing homesickness. Mao Zedong's poem, however, is deeply rooted in the revolutionary struggles of the time and the soil of reality. He cares about the future of the motherland and the nation. This is truly "great instruments producing great sounds, lofty aspirations inspiring great thoughts." Compared to Cui Hao's poem, it seems.
P303-309