Original text of ancient poem

The sound of waves beats on the pillow and the dawn is long, and the moon peeks into the small person. The ruthless Bian River flows from the east, carrying only one boat to leave Xizhou.

We were drunk together in Huapu, Zhuxi, and the smell of wine was more than the tears. Who taught that Fengjian is in the dust? Create a trouble and send it to others!

Translation

After a farewell drink, I returned to the boat and heard the sound of the waves of the Huai River, like a slap on my pillow, and before I knew it, it was dawn again. The waning moon seen through the gap in the boat canopy is so small. The Bianshui River is ruthless, and I follow my old friend to the east, but I am carrying a boat full of parting sorrows and regrets, and I am heading to Xizhou alone.

Between the flower ponds of Zhuxi, you and I once got drunk together. The friendship when we had a happy gathering that day was better than the sadness after parting. Who made me discover you among all living beings and become friends with you, which led to the trouble of saying goodbye today.

Notes and explanations

Poppy: This tune was originally a Tang Jiaofang song. It was first chanted about Xiang Yu’s doting on his concubine, Poppy, so it became famous. It is also known as "Spring Water of a River", "Jade Pot Water", "Twelve Peaks of Wushan", etc. Double tone, fifty-six characters, four sentences each in the upper and lower parts, all with two oblique rhymes converted into two flat rhymes. Ancient Ci poems began to be roughly based on the things they chanted, and the music and singing gradually formed a fixed tune. Later, they began to be called tune names or Ci Pai. Such is the case with "Poppy Poppies".

Changhuai: refers to the Huaihe River.

Gap Moon: The moonlight seeping through the gaps in the boat canopy.

Bianshui: the name of the ancient river. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the entire eastern section of the Tongji Canal from the Yellow River to the Huaihe River was collectively called Bianshui or Bianhe River.

Xizhou: the name of the ancient Jianye city gate. During the Jin and Song Dynasties, Jianye (today's Nanjing, Jiangsu Province) was the administrative seat of Yangzhou Cizhou. Since affairs were administered in the west of Taicheng, it was called Xizhou.

Fengjian: demeanor and knowledge, also refers to the observation and physiognomy of people.

Creation background

This poem was written in the winter of the seventh year of Yuanfeng, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty (1084). At that time, Su Shi met Qin Guan, and then had a parting drink on the Qinhuai River. This poem is the author's sentimental work after saying goodbye to Qin Guanyin.

Poetry Appreciation

The first two sentences of this word describe the scene after drinking farewell on the Huaihe River. Qin Guan Houyi's boxing was sent from Gaoyou, up the canal, through Baoying to Shanyang, and ended at Huaishang, a journey of more than 200 miles. Drink in the tent and say goodbye. The poet returned to lie down in the boat, and only heard the sound of the waves of the Huaihe River, like a slap on the pillow, and before he knew it, it was dawn again. The word "xiao" indicates a restless night's sleep. "Gap Moon" refers to the moon seen in the cracks in the boat canopy. According to Wang Wengao's "Compilation and Annotations of Su Wenzhonggong's Poems·General Case", Su Shi arrived in Shanyang on the winter solstice and arrived in Sizhou on December 1st. It was at the end of November when I said goodbye to Qin Guan. The moon I saw was the waning moon that rose from the east shortly before dawn, so the words "peeping at people's smallness" are really descriptive. "The ruthless Bianshui River flows from the east, and only carries one boat of Lihen to Xizhou." This is a famous sentence in the second language. One branch of the Bian River flows from Kaifeng to the southeast, passing through Yingtianfu (Nanjing in the Northern Song Dynasty, today's Shangqiu, Henan Province) and Suzhou, and then enters the Huaihe River at Sizhou. On this trip, Su Shi first arrived at Sizhou from Huaishang River, and then went westward up the Bian River to Yingtian Mansion. The flowing water is ruthless, following the old friend to the east, but he is carrying a boatload of separation and sorrow, and is heading west alone. "The ruthless flowing water has sentimental guests" ("Pan Gold Boat"), a similar meaning is also found in Su's poems, and this poem is so good that it is all about "carrying a boat away from hatred". Many predecessors have used water to describe sorrow. Su Shi's poem materializes sorrow and hatred, and can be carried in a boat and go upstream. This wonderful metaphor was copied by later generations. Li Qingzhao's poem "Wulingchun": "I'm afraid that the boat on the Shuangxi River will not be able to carry it, and there will be many sorrows." Its reputation is even higher than that of Su's poems.

"Xizhou", Long Yusheng's "Dongpo Yuefu Notes" quoted Fu as Yangzhou, but in fact the word only refers to the western states and counties, which is the destination of Dongpo's trip.

In a few sentences, we recall the time when the two of them traveled together. In 1079 AD (the second year of Yuanfeng), Dongpo moved from Xuzhou to Huzhou and went with Qin Guan. They passed Wuxi and visited Huishan, where they sang and enjoyed themselves. They reunited in Songjiang and went to Wuxing, where they visited Guanyin Temple in the west and visited various temples. The word "Zhuxi Huapu was once drunk together" should refer to the relationship at this time. "The smell of wine" refers to the happy gathering that day; "tears" refers to the sadness after farewell. After the Dragon Boat Festival of that year, Qin Guan left Dongpo and went to Kuaiji. In July, Dongpo was imprisoned for the Wutai poem case. Qin Guan heard the news and hurried across the river to Wuxing to inquire about the news. In the next few years, Su Shi lived in Huangzhou and was demoted to his post, and never saw Qin Guan again. "The taste of wine is more than the taste of tears", it should be said with emotion. The last two sentences are pretended to be ironic, which shows the true feelings. "Fengjian" refers to evaluating a character based on his or her appearance. Volume 4 of Wu Chuhou's "Qingxiang Miscellaneous Notes": "The matter of Fengjian was the urgent task of identifying the virtuous people in the past and promoting the virtuous talents." Dongpo spared no effort in appreciating Qin Guan. In 1074 AD (the seventh year of Xining), Dongpo read Qin Guan's poems and was so amazed that he became a spiritual friend. The two met three years later and had a great time. Later, he recommended Qin Guan to Wang Anshi many times. It can be seen that the friendship between literati and scholars is really incomparable.