Writing background:

This poem was written around the ninth to tenth year of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty (1349-1350). Wang Mian returned to Shaoxing after a long journey, bought land and built a house in Jiuli Mountain in Kuaiji, named Meihua House, and called himself the owner of Meihua House. This poem was written in the Plum Blossom House. At this time, it was just before the outbreak of the peasant uprising in the late Yuan Dynasty. The author wrote this poem with emotion when faced with the unresolved contradictions in real life.

Original poem:

"Ink Plum" Yuan Dynasty: Wang Mian

The trees at the head of the pond where I wash inkstones are all blooming, and there are faint ink marks.

Don’t let others praise you for your good color, just flow pure Qi and fill the universe.

Notes:

1. Mo Mei: plum blossoms painted with ink. There is also a poem titled "Light-black plum blossoms are treasures among plum blossoms."

2. My home: my home. The family of Wang Xizhi, a calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty. Because Wang Xizhi and Wang Mian had the same surname and hometown, they used this to compare themselves.

3. Inkstone washing pool: a pool for washing brushes and inkstones after writing and drawing. It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhong Yao practiced calligraphy when he was young. He often used the pool next to his home to wash his brushes, so that the entire pool ended up being ink-colored. It is said that Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty "came to the pond to study calligraphy, and the pond water was completely black." This is an allusion to boast of his love for the art of calligraphy, painting and culture.

4. Head: side.

5. Everyone: Duoduo means.

6. Light ink: Ink colors are divided into four types in ink painting, such as clear ink, light ink, thick ink and burnt ink. What it means here is that the blossoming plum blossoms are dotted with light ink.

7. Traces: traces, marks left behind.

8. Liu: It means spreading and spreading. There are many versions with the word "remain".

9. Qing Qi: The so-called Qing Qi, for plum blossoms, is naturally the fragrance of fresh fragrance, but here it is also a metaphor for people’s noble and self-loving spirit. The so-called Qing Qi means elegance, right view, and The spirit of harmony.

10. Fill the universe: permeate the heaven and earth. Full: diffuse. Qiankun: refers to the world between heaven and earth. ?

Interpretation:

A plum blossom grows beside the inkstone washing pond. The blossoming plum blossoms seem to be the traces of light ink left after washing the brush without bright colors.

It does not need others to praise its color, it only cares about filling the world with its light fragrance.

About the author:

Wang Mian (1287-1359 AD), named Yuanzhang, also known as Zhuishishanong, also known as "Shizhongweng", "Plum Blossom House Owner", etc. , a native of Fengqiao, Zhuji, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, was a famous painter, poet and seal carver in the Yuan Dynasty.

Extended information:

This poem on painting. The poet praises the virtue of the plum blossoms without asking for praise from others, but only wants to leave a fragrance to the world. In fact, he uses the plum blossoms as a metaphor to express his attitude towards life and his noble sentiments of not flattering the world.

The first two sentences, "My family washes inkstones on the tree at the head of the pond, and the flowers bloom with faint ink marks" directly describe the plum blossom. In the painting, the plum trees beside the small pond are in full bloom, and the blossoming plum blossoms are dyed with light ink. "Washing the inkstone pool" is an allusion to Wang Xizhi's allusion of "Linside the pool to study calligraphy, the pool water is completely black".

Three or four sentences praising Mo Mei for her noble character and integrity. It is painted with light ink. Although it is not delicate in appearance, it has an inner temperament of being pure and graceful, noble and dignified, and secluded and elegant. It does not want to use bright colors to attract people, please people, and seek praise from people. It just wants to Distribute a fragrance and let it stay between heaven and earth.

These two sentences are exactly the poet's self-portrait. Wang Mian's family was poor since he was a child. He herded cattle during the day and went to the Buddhist temple to study hard at night. Finally, he learned a lot of economics and was good at poetry and painting, and was versatile. But he failed in repeated attempts and was unwilling to curry favor with the powerful, so he gave up on fame and fortune and retired to Jiuli Mountain in eastern Zhejiang, where he made a living by painting. The two sentences "Don't let people praise the good color, just leave the pure energy to fill the world" show the poet's despising the popular customs, being self-reliant and not seeking merit.

This poem is titled "Mo Mei", which is intended to describe aspirations. The poet organically integrates painting style, poetry style and personality. Literally praising plum blossoms, actually praising one's own moral character.

In this poem, one "light" and one "full" fully show the personality. On the one hand, the plump plum blossoms and the poet's proud image appear vividly on the paper; on the other hand, it makes people feel the fragrance of calligraphy. The fragrance of plum blossoms seems to come to your face. In this way, "poetry style", "painting style" and personality are cleverly integrated together.

"Mei Mei" praises the elegance and integrity of plum blossoms. The poet also uses objects to express his feelings and uses plum blossoms to describe himself, showing his attitude towards life and noble sentiments. Some people believe that the poem on the painting points out the creative intention and emphasizes ethics and interests, and is even more famous in the history of art than the "Moumei Tu" itself.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Mo Mei (a poem by Wang Mian of the Yuan Dynasty)

Baidu Encyclopedia - Peasant Uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty