Patriotism is the deepest and most lasting emotion in the world. Lu Youyou lay down at night listening to the wind and rain, and dreamed of the iron horse glaciers.

From: Song Dynasty Lu You's "A Storm and Rain on November 4th"

Lying in a lonely village, I don't feel sorry for myself, but I still think about guarding the Luntai for the country.

I lie down at night listening to the wind and rain, and the iron horse glacier falls into my dream.

Translation: I lay upright in the lonely and desolate countryside, not feeling sad for my situation, and thinking about defending the country's borders. At the end of the night, I lay in bed and heard the sound of wind and rain, and dreamed vaguely that I was riding an armored horse across the frozen river to fight in the northern battlefield.

Creative background

After Lu You resigned from office in the 16th year of Chunxi (1189), Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, he lived idle in the countryside of his hometown of Shanyin. This poem was written on November 4th, 1192, the third year of Shaoxi reign of Emperor Guangzong of the Southern Song Dynasty.

At that time, the poet was already 68 years old (some say 69 years old). Although he was old, his patriotism had not diminished at all, and he thought about serving the motherland day and night. The poet's strong desire to regain the country has been impossible to realize in reality. Therefore, on a "stormy and rainy" night, he was moved by the scenery and thought, and in his dream he realized his wish of galloping across the Central Plains.