It's unexpected to win or lose a military strategist, and it's a man to be ashamed.

There are many talented children in Jiangdong, and it is unknown that they will make a comeback.

1. Wujiang Pavilion: It is located in Wujiangpu, northeast of Anhui County. "Historical Records of Xiang Yu's Biography" contains: Xiang Yu was defeated, and the director of Wujiang Pavilion prepared a boat to persuade him to cross the river and return to Jiangdong for further development. He felt ashamed to see his elders in Jiangdong, but committed suicide by the river. When Du Mu crossed the Wujiang Pavilion, he wrote this poem about history.

2. Unexpected: unpredictable.

3. Be ashamed and bear shame: It means that a gentleman can be flexible and should be tolerant of humiliation.

4. Jiangdong: It refers to Suzhou in the south of the Yangtze River, where Xiang Yu started his troops.

Translation

Victory and defeat are common and unpredictable in military strategists.

A real man is one who can endure failure and humiliation.

Among the children of Jiangdong, there are many talents.

If Xiang Yu had returned to Jiangdong that year, he might have made a comeback.

the first sentence says that winning or losing is a common occurrence in military strategists. The second sentence criticized Xiang Yu for not being broad-minded enough and lacking general bearing. Three or four sentences imagine that if Xiang Yu returns to Jiangdong and regroups, maybe he can make a comeback. This sentence has a pity for Xiang Yu's anger, but the main meaning is to criticize him for not being good at grasping opportunities, not being good at listening to other people's suggestions, and not being good at getting people and employing people. Sima Qian once criticized Xiang Yu's obstinacy of "Heaven kills me, not the crime of war" with the eyes of historians. Du Mu, on the other hand, talks about success or failure from the perspective of a military strategist. Both of them pay attention to personnel, but Sima Qian summed up the lessons he had learned and emphasized the reasons for his failure. Du Mu is an imaginary opportunity, emphasizing that military strategists must have foresight and indomitable will.

The first sentence pointedly points out that winning or losing is the common sense of military strategists, and implies that the key lies in how to treat the problem, paving the way for the following. "Things are unexpected" means that the victory or defeat is unpredictable.

The second sentence emphasizes that only "Bao is ashamed" is a "man". Xiang Yu was frustrated when he was frustrated, and he was ashamed to commit suicide. How can he be regarded as a real "man"? The word "man" is reminiscent of the overlord of the place of Chu, who boasted that he was stronger than mountains and rivers and was furious. Until his death, he had not found the reason for his failure, but only blamed himself on "bad times" and committed suicide in shame, which was ashamed of his title of "hero".

The third sentence, "Many talented children in Jiangdong", is an artistic summary of Tingchang's suggestion that "Jiangdong is small, with thousands of people, it is also a king". People have always appreciated Xiang Yu's phrase "I have never met my father and brother in Jiangdong" and thought it showed his integrity. In fact, this just reflects his headstrong self-use, and he can't listen to Tingchang's advice. He missed Han Xin and angered Fan Zeng. It was ridiculous indeed. However, at this last moment, if he can face the reality, "accept shame", adopt advice, return to Jiangdong, and rally again, the number of winners and losers may not be easy to measure. This comes to the last sentence.

"I don't know how to make a comeback" is the most powerful sentence in the whole poem, which means that if we can do this, there is still much to be done; Unfortunately, Xiang Yu refused to put down his airs and commit suicide. This provides a strong basis for the above one or two sentences, and it is quite imposing to see the situation of "Jiangdong children" and "making a comeback" in one go. At the same time, while regretting, criticizing and satirizing, it also shows the truth of "not losing with grace", which is also quite positive.

This poem, like the poem "Red Cliff", discusses the success or failure of the war and puts forward its own hypothetical speculation about the war that has ended in history. The first sentence is that winning or losing is a common occurrence in military strategists. The second sentence criticized Xiang Yu for not being broad-minded enough and lacking general bearing. Three or four sentences imagine that if Xiang Yu returns to Jiangdong and regroups, maybe he can make a comeback. This sentence has a pity for Xiang Yu's anger, but the main meaning is to criticize him for not being good at grasping opportunities, not being good at listening to other people's suggestions, and not being good at getting people and employing people. Sima Qian once criticized Xiang Yu's obstinacy of "Heaven kills me, not the crime of war" with the eyes of historians. Du Mu, on the other hand, talks about success or failure from the perspective of a military strategist. Both of them pay attention to personnel, but Sima Qian summed up the lessons he had learned and emphasized the reasons for his failure. Du Mu is an imaginary opportunity, emphasizing that military strategists must have foresight and indomitable will.