Who has never died since ancient times? A historical translation of "Keeping a Loyal Heart": Who has been able to live forever since ancient times? I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty reflected in the annals of history.
From: "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" by Wen Tianxiang of the Song Dynasty
Original text
After a hard encounter, the stars are scattered all around.
The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs.
Afraid to say panic on the beach, sigh alone in the ocean.
Who has never died since ancient times? Keep your loyalty to reflect history.
Interpretation
Looking back on my early years of hard work in transitioning from the imperial examination to becoming an official, it has been four years since the war ended. The country is in danger like catkins in a strong wind, and an individual is like duckweed in a sudden rain. The disastrous defeat at Panpantan makes me still terrified. Being trapped in Yuanlu by Ling Dingyang makes me feel lonely and lonely. Who has been able to live forever since ancient times? I want to leave a piece of patriotic loyalty reflected in the annals of history. Extended information
1. Appreciation
"Crossing Lingding Ocean" is a poem written by Wen Tianxiang, a minister of the Song Dynasty, when he passed Lingding Ocean in 1279. The first two sentences of this poem reflect the poet's review of his life; the middle four sentences closely follow "Fightings are rare" and clearly express the author's understanding of the current situation; the last two sentences are the author's unhesitating choice about his own destiny.
The whole poem expresses the impassioned patriotic enthusiasm, the high moral integrity and the outlook on life of sacrificing life for righteousness. It is a noble expression of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation.
2. Creation background
This poem is found in Wen Tianxiang's "The Complete Works of Mr. Wenshan" and is dated to 1279 AD (the second year of Song Xiangxing). In 1278 AD (the first year of Xiangxing in the Song Dynasty), Wen Tianxiang was defeated and captured at Wupoling in the north of Haifeng, Guangdong. He was taken to a ship and wrote this poem when he crossed the Lingding Ocean the following year. Later, he was escorted to Yashan. Zhang Hongfan forced him to write a letter to recruit Zhang Shijie, Lu Xiufu and others who were sticking to Yashan to surrender. Wen Tianxiang refused and showed this poem to clarify his ambition.
3. Introduction to the author
Wen Tianxiang (June 6, 1236 - January 9, 1283), was originally named Yun Sun, also named Song Rui and Lu Shan. The Taoist name is Fuxiu Taoist and Wenshan. A native of Luling, Jizhou, Jiangxi Province (now Futian Town, Qingyuan District, Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province), he was a politician, writer, patriotic poet, famous anti-Yuan minister, and national hero in the late Southern Song Dynasty. He was also known as the "Three Heroes of the Late Song Dynasty" together with Lu Xiufu and Zhang Shijie. ".
In the fourth year of Baoyou's reign (1256), he ranked first in Jinshi. In the first year of Kaiqing's reign (1259), he was granted the additional title of Chengshi Lang and Signing Letter Ning Haijun, Judge of Jiedu. In April of the sixth year of Xianchun (1270), he served as war inspector and Quanzhi Academy. He was dismissed from office because he drafted an imperial edict that satirized Quan Xiandao. In the first year of Deyou (1275), the Yuan army marched eastward along the Yangtze River, and Wen Tianxiang spent all his family wealth on military supplies.
Recruit 50,000 soldiers to guard Lin'an. Xuan served as an envoy for western Zhejiang and Jiangdong and also knew Pingjiang Mansion. He sent generals to help Changzhou, but because Huai general Zhang Quan failed to save him when he saw the danger, he was defeated and retreated to Yuhang. Xuan was appointed You Prime Minister and Privy Council Envoy, and was ordered to go to the Yuan army to negotiate peace. He was detained for denounced the Yuan Prime Minister Boyan, and was escorted to the north to escape. In May, in Fuzhou, he and Zhang Shijie, Minister of Rites Lu Xiufu, and Right Prime Minister Chen Yizhong supported King Yi of Zhao Shi as emperor.
The plan was to take the sea route to the north to recover Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but Chen Yizhong blocked it, so he went to Nanjianzhou (now Nanping, Fujian) to gather troops to fight against the Yuan Dynasty. In May of the second year of Jingyan's reign (1277), he attacked Jiangxi again, but was finally defeated and retreated to Guangdong alone. In December of the first year of Xiangxing (1278), he was captured in Wupoling (now Haifeng North, Guangdong).
The following year, Zhang Hongfan, the marshal of both the Mongolian and Han armies of the Yuan Dynasty, escorted him to Yashan (today's Xinhui South) and ordered Zhang Shijie to be surrendered. Wen Tianxiang refused and wrote the poem "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" to clarify his ambition. ?
He was later transferred to Dadu of the Yuan Dynasty (today's Beijing). Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, personally persuaded him to surrender and promised him the post of prime minister. Wen Tianxiang was upright and would rather die than surrender. He died in Dadu on the ninth day of December in the nineteenth year of Yuan Dynasty (January 9, 1283). Aged 47. [2] He is the author of "Wenshan Poetry Collection", "Guide Record", "Guide Record", "Song of Righteousness", etc.
Baidu Encyclopedia—Crossing the Lingding Ocean