phorum - Our World Forum II at Asiawind - Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Our World Forum II at Asiawind

Newer Topic | Older Topic

毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-20-09 08:02

毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong poetry

No.1
賀新郎 He Xin Lang
(Written in 1923)

Back ground of the poem:

In 1912, Mao Zedong entered the First Normal School in Changsha, Huanan
province. He graduated and obtained his degree in 1918. He accompanied some
of the Hunan students to Beijing. These students were on their way to France
to work and study (工讀). He borrowed money to travel to Beijing and he
had no money when when he arrived in the ancient city. He desperately needed
a job. He went to see his former ethnics teacher at the First Normal School,
Yang Changji (楊昌濟) who had become a Professor at Beijing National University.
Professor Yang found a job as an assistant librarian in the University
for him. He told Edgar Snow in Yanan, in 1936:

"And here also I met and fell in love with Yang Kaihui (楊開慧). She was
the daughter of my former ethics teacher, Yang Changchi (楊昌濟), who had
made a great impression on me in my youth, and who afterwards was a genuine
friend in Peking"

The following year Mao Zedong returned to Changsha . In early 1921 he married
Yang Kaihui. In winter 1921 they moved into a cottage in Hengtang (橫塘:
東門小吳門外清水塘). Mao Zedong also used this cottage as the Office of
the Hunan Branch of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Their first son,
Anying (岸英) was born in this cottage. The Mao family lived there until
April 1923 when the Military Governor of Hunan province, Zhao Hengti (趙
恆惕), issued a warrant to arrest Mao Zedong for being an extremist "過激
派".

Mao Zedong left the family behind and went to Wuhan and then to Shanghai. Later, he went to Guangzhou city in Guangdong province to attend the CCP 3rd Congress in June.

In the autumn of 1924, he returned to Hunan province to establish Peasants Associations in the province.

This poem was written to say goodbye to his wife, Yang Kaihui (楊開慧).

No.1 賀新郎

揮手從茲去.
Hui shou3 cong2 zi qu4.
更那堪淒然相響, 苦情重訴.
Geng na4 kan qi ran2 xiang4 xiang4, ku3 qing2 chong2 su4.
眼角眉梢都似恨, 熱淚欲零還住.
Yan3 jiao3 mei2 shao du si4 hen4, re4 lei4 yu4 ling2 huan2 wang4.
知誤會前翻書語.
Zhi wu4 hui4 qian2 fan shu yu3.
過眼滔滔雲共霧, 算人間知己吾與汝.
Guo4 yan3 tao tao yun2 gong4 wu4, suan4 ren2 jian zhi ji3 wu2 yu4 ru3.
人有病, 天知否?
Ren2 you3 bing4, tian zhi fou3?

今朝霜重東門路,
Jin zhao shuang Zhong4 dong men2 lu4,
照橫塘半天殘月, 淒清如許.
Zhao4 heng2 tang2 ban4 tian can2 yue4, qi qing ru2 xu3.
汽笛一聲腸已斷,從此天涯孤旅.
Qi4 di2 yi sheng chang2 yi3 duan4, cong2 ci3 tian ya2 gu lu3.
憑割斷愁思恨縷.
Ping2 ge duan4 chou2 si hen4 lu3.
要似崑崙崩絕壁, 又恰像颱風掃環宇.
Yao si4 Kunlun beng jue2 bi4, You4 qia2 xiang4 Taifeng sao3 Huanyu.
重比翼, 和雲翥.
Zhong4 bi3 yi4, he2 yun2 zhu4

Now it is time for me to go and I wave good-bye to you,
It is hard to bear facing you and say farewell with bitter feelings.
Looking at your eyes I could see you holding back the tears.
.........................................................
Note:

Mao Zedong's first poem is so good that it is beyond my ability to translate
it into English. Anyway, without permission, I quote from the English translation
by Philip Short who has written a book on Mao Zedong. It is titled "MAO:
A Life"

"A wave of the hand, and the moment of parting has come.
Harder to bear is facing each other dolefully,
Bitter feelings voiced once more.
Wrath looks from your eyes and brows,
On the verge of tears, you hold them back.
We know our misunderstandings sprang from that last letter.
Let it roll away like clouds and mist,
For who in this world is as close as you and I?
Can Heaven fathom our human maladies?
I wonder

This morning frost lies heavy on the road to East Gate,
The waning moon lights up the pool and half the sky -
How cold, how desolate!
One wail of the steam whistle has shattered my heart,
Now I shall roam alone to the furthest ends of the earth.
Let us strive to sever those threads of grief and anger,
Let it be as though the sheer cliffs of Mount Kunlun collapsed,
As though a typhoon swept through the universe.
Let us once again be two birds flying side by side,
Soaring high as the clouds.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-20-09 09:24

Of the great leaders of the world, only Mao Zedong was a poet. This one
was written in autumn 1925 when he said goodbye to his beloved city Changsha
(長沙).

No.2
長沙 Changsha (written in Autumn 1925)

獨立寒秋,----------------Du2 li4 han2 qiu,
湘江北去,----------------Xiangjiang bei3 qu4
橘子洲頭.----------------Ju2 zi zhou tou2,
看萬山紅遍,-------------Kan wan4 shan hong2 bian4,
層林盡染;-----------------Ceng2 lin2 jin4 ran3,
漫江碧透,-----------------Man4 jiang bi4 tou4,
百舸爭流.-----------------Bai3 ge2 zheng liu2,
鷹擊長空,-----------------Ying ji chang2 kong,
魚翔淺底,-----------------Yu2 xiang2 qian3 di3,
萬物霜天競自由.------Wan4 wu4 shuang tian jing zi4 you2.
悵寥廓,--------------------Chang4 liao2 kuo4,
問蒼天大地,-------------Wen4 cang tian da4 di,
誰主浮沉.-----------------Shui2 zhu3 fu2 chen2

攜來百侶曾游,----------Xie2 lai2 bai3 lu3 zeng you2,
憶往昔崢嶸歲月稠.---Yi4 wang3 xi zheng rong2 sui4 yue4 chou2.
恰同學少年,--------------Qia2 tong2 xue2 shao4 nian2,
風華正茂;------------------Feng hua2 zheng4 mao4;
書生意氣,------------------Shu sheng yi4 qi4
揮斥方遒.------------------Hui chi4 fang qiu2
指點江山,------------------Zhi3 dian3 jiang shan,
激揚文化,------------------Ji2 yang2 wen2 hua4,
糞士當年萬戶侯.-------Fen4 tu3 dang nian2 wan2 hu4 hou2.
曾記否,---------------------Zeng ji4 fou3
到中流擊水,--------------Dao4 zhong liu2 ji shui3,
浪遏飛舟.------------------Lang4 e4 fei zhou.

Changsha

Alone, standing in autumn's chill
As the Xiang River
Flows north past Orange Island[1A],
I see the red-stained thousand hills
With crimson forests trooping.
On the lucid blue water a hundred barges sail,
Eagles fly above,
Fish glide in the deeps,
Under the unmoving sky, all living things strive for freedom.
I ponder, and ask the boundless earth
Who maters destiny?

In past years
I walked here with many companions,
Friends of crowded years and months of endeavor,
All of us students, all of us young,
In high assurance, strong and fearless,
Pointing the finger at all things,
Praising and condemning in our writings,
The highest in the land we counted no more than dust.
But do you remember?
How, reaching midstream, we struck the waters,
And the waves dashed against our speeding boats?

Source:
Mao Tsetung poems.
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976.

This is how Dr. Han Suyin, the world renowned writer, interprets this poem
in her book, "The Morning Deluge"
I quote:
"Changsha - Nothing is more beautiful to a Hunanese than the landscape of
the Xiang River in autumn, when the hills are russet and gold, and Orange
Grove island, opposite Changsha city, glows like a gold nugget in the sunset.
.......
The Revolution seemed very near, Mao stood, staring at the water. The Revolution
would go forward, but there would be obstacles to its progress.

There is no rapture, only sober purpose in this poem. Mao Zedong was perhaps
saying farewell to his own youth. As he slipped on foot across the hills,
autumn harvest was being reaped. Soon, armies would be trampling the winter
fields."

(題解 The explanation)

In 1912, at the age of 19, Mao Zedong entered the Hunan Provincial Normal
School (湖南第一師範學校). He graduated and obtained his degree in 1918
when he was 25 years old. His father, Mao Rensheng (毛仁生), a middle peasant,
was a very generous man who was willing to support his eldest son to study
all these years.

In 1918, also the year that his mother died, Mao Zedong and his school mates,
Xiao Yu (蕭瑜), Cai Hesen (蔡和森) and others organized an association
in the school. The Association was called Xin Min Association (新民會).
From then on, began the political activities of Mao Zedong

In Autumn 1925, again, Zhao Hengti (趙恆惕), the Military Governor of Hunan
province issued a warrant to arrest Mao Zedong for being an "extremist 過
激份子". He had to leave behind his wife Yang Kaihui (楊開慧), and their
two sons, Anying (岸英) and Anjing (岸菁). Before he left Changsha for the
city of Guangzhou (廣州), Mao Zedong stood on a high ground and stared at
the Xiang River for a long time as if he was saying goodbye to the river.
Then he wrote this poem.

http://yn.chung.id.au/Yang.Kaihui&Sons.jpg
http://yn.chung.id.au/Mao.TheTraveller.jpg
Note:
[1A]
橘子洲頭 (Orange Island). The actual name is 水陸洲 (Shii Lu Zhou)
is in the middle of Xiang River (湘江). Please refer to the map.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-20-09 13:43

No.3
黃鶴樓 The Pavilion of the Yellow Crane
Written in Spring 1927

茫茫九派流中國,---Mang2 mang2 jiu3 pai4 liu2 Zhongguo[*1],
沉沉一線穿南北.---Chen2 chen2 yi xian4 chuan nan2 bei3[**2].
煙雨莽蒼蒼,----------Yan yu3 mang3 cang cang,
龜蛇銷大江.----------Gui she2 xiao da4 jiang.[***3].

黃鶴知何去?--------Huang2 he4 zhi he2 qu4?
剩有遊人處.---------Sheng4 you3 you2 ren2 chu3.
把酒酹滔滔,---------Ba3 jiu3 lei tao tao,
心潮逐浪高!---------Xin chao2 zhu2 lang4 gao!

Wide, wide flow the nine streams through the land,
Dark, dark threads the line from south to north.
Blurred in the thick haze of the misty rain,
Tortoise and Snake hold the great river locked.

The yellow crane is gone, who knows whither?
Only this tower remains a haunt for visitors.
I pledge my wine to the surging torrent,
The tide of my heart swells with waves.

Source:
Mao Tsetung poems,
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976

[*1] 九派 jiu3 pai4
There are many tributaries from the provinces of Hunan and Hubei flow into
the Yangtze River that flows through China,

[**2] 一線 yi xian4
The railway lines from Beijing to Wuhan and then to Guangdong are like a
straight line that cuts through China.

[***3] 大江 da4 jiang
Changjiang (長江 or the Yangtze River)

http://yn.chung.id.au/1stCooperation.jpg

[The names in red squares are the Communist]
All these names were written by Dr. Sun Yat-sen

In May 1921, Dr. Sun Yat-sen became the President of the Guangdong Government.
The Chinese Communist Party was founded in July 1921. In January 1924 the
Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) and the Chinese Communist Party formed a
United Front. A military academy called Whampoa Military Academy (黃埔軍校
) was established. Dr Sun Yat-sen directed Chiang Kaishek, who just returned
from Russia after three months tour, to be the Principal the the Military
Academy. Dr Sun Yat-sen died in Peking on 12 March 1925. On 30th May 1925
general strikes in Shanghai spread to other cities. In July 1926, the Northern
Expedition against the Warlords began under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.
With the help of the Soviet Russian adviser Borodin Chiang Kai-shek's power
grew. The Kuomintang and the Communists launched the final stages of the
"Northern March" against the Warlords.

However, in July 1927, Chiang Kaishek betrayed the revolution and unleashed
the "White Terror" against the Communists. On 11th July 1927, the Northern
Expeditionary Army under the command of Chiang Kaishek began to disarm the
weapons of the revolutionary workers in Shanghai. The next day morning,
members of the gangs of the Green and Red Societies, wearing white armbands
bearing the Chinese character Gong (工), began to slaughter the revolutionary
workers. Zhou Enlai (周恩來 the future Premier of China), was the vice commander
of revolutionary workers. He was lucky and he escaped during the turmoil.

On 21st May 1927, the generals of the Kuomintang (國民黨) army, General
He Jian (何鍵) and Xu Kexiang (許克祥) began to arrest and kill the Communists
in Changsha. The Communists in Changsha canceled their plan of 100,000 peasant
army to attack Changsha.

At that time, Mao Zedong was in Wuhan (武漢) giving lectures at the Wuhan
branch of the Peasant Movement Training Institute. He was the head of the
branch. On 27th April of that year, at the 5th Congress of the CCP Mao Zedong
proposed to speed up the struggle of land reform, but without conclusion.

In order to prepare for any certain change of political events, Mao Zedong
sent his wife and their three children back to Hunan province. As Mao had
expected, on the 15th of July, Wang Jingwei (汪精衛), who was the head of
the leftist Kuomintang, declared, "To clean up the party 清黨 - meaning
to purge the Communists". That was the end of the United Front.
----------------------------------------------------------

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-20-09 18:06

毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong poetry

No.4.
Autumn Harvest Uprising 秋收起義
Written in September 1927

http://yn.chung.id.au/Autumn.Uprising.jpg
秋收起義 Qiu Shou Qi3 Yi4

軍叫工農革命,------Jun jiao4 gong nong2 ge2 ming4,
旗號鐮刀斧頭.------Qi2 hao2 lian2 dao fu3 tou2,
匡廬一帶不停留,---Kuang Lu yi dai4 bu4 ting2 liu2,
要向瀟湘直進.------Yao xiang4 Xiao Xiang zhi2 jin4.

地主重重壓迫,-------Di4 zhu3 chong2 chong2 ya po4,
農民個個同仇,-------Nong2 min2 ge2 ge2 tong2 chou2.
秋收時節暮雲愁,---Qiu shou shi2 jie2 mu4 yun2 chou2,
霹靂一聲暴動.-------Pi li4 yi sheng bao4 dong4.

The army [1A] called the workers and peasants for revolution,
The flag of sickle and axe [2B] had been hoisted.
We would not stop in the Kuanglu [3C] area,
But straight to Xiaoxiang [4D].

The peasants were being fleeced right and left by the landlords,
Who had become the enemies of all the peasants.
It was cloudy towards the end of the season for autumn harvesting,
Suddenly, a sound of thunderbolt it was an uprising.

[1A] In 1927, the Kuomintang (國民黨) called their army National Revolutionary
Army (國民革命軍), whereas the Communists called their army Workers and
Peasants revolutionary Army (工農革命軍). In May, 1928 the Communists changed
the name of their army to the Red Army (紅軍).

[2B] In 1933, the Communists changed their flag from sickle and axe (鐮刀
斧頭) to sickle and hammer (鐮刀錘子). Later, again, it was changed to Bayi
(八一 or August 1st after the Nanchang Uprising 南昌起義 on that night in
1927.). Since then it had become their official army flag. The CCP adopted
August 1st as the "Founding Day of the People's Liberation Army". During
the Japanese occupation the Red Army was renamed "The 8th Route Army 八路
軍". Their soldiers put up their thumbs and the second fingers upside down
to show the Ba (八) sign meaning the 8th Route Army.

[3C] Kuanglu (匡廬)
The original name of Kuanglu was Xiutong (修銅) which referred to the counties
of Xiushui (修水) and Tonggu (銅鼓) in Jiangxi province (江西省).

[4D] Xiaoxiang (瀟湘)
The original name of Xiaoxiang was Pingliu (平瀏) which referred to the
counties of Pingjiang (平江) and Liuyang (瀏陽) in Hunan province (湖南省
).

The background of the poem

On August 7, 1927, the Communist International ordered the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) to convene an emergency meeting in Wuhan (武漢) in Hubei province
(湖北省). In the meeting Chen Duxiu (陳獨修) was being criticized as the
Right Opportunist (右傾機會主義者). Ju Qiubai (瞿秋白) was elected the new
leader to lead the CCP. Ju Qiubai called on all the CCP branches to prepare
for uprising. For this Ju Qiubai was regarded in the CCP history as the
Left Opportunist (左傾機會主義者). Mao Zedong attended the meeting. After
the meeting the Central Committee dispatched him to Hunan province to organize
the Autumn Harvest Uprising.

On September 9, 1927, the regiment of the police force stationed in Xiushui
(修水), whose commander was Lu Deming (盧德銘), a Communist, the coal mine
workers at Anyuan Coal Mine (安源煤礦場), the peasant volunteers from Pingjiang
(平江) and Liuyang (瀏陽), together, they staged the Autumn Harvest Uprising.
At that time Mao Zedong was at Tonggu (銅鼓) directing the peasant volunteers
from Pingjiang and Liuyang. The plan was to attack and overrun Pingjiang
and Liuyang and then to attack Changsha (長沙) from the north and south.
Please refer to the map of Hunan province:

However, the peasant volunteers failed to take Pingjiang and Liuyang. They
retreated and arrived at Wenjiashi (文家市) in Liuyang. Mao Zedong persuaded
the volunteers to withdrew to Pingxiang (萍鄉) in Jiangxi province (江西
省). In October, with the remnant of about 800 men and 80 old rifles, Mao
Zedong led the volunteers and climbed the Jinggangshan (井岡山).

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-20-09 19:46

No.5.
井岡山 Jinggangshan [1]
Written in Autumn 1928.

http://yn.chung.id.au/Jinggangshan.jpg
[From the book "龔楚將軍回憶錄" volume one by 龔楚]

山下旌旗在望,------Shan xia4 jing qi2 zai4 wang4,
山頭鼓角相聞.------Shan tou2 gu3 jiao4 xiang wen2.
敵軍圍困萬千重,---Di2 jun wei2 kun4 wan4 qian chong2,
我自巋然不動.------Wo3 zi4 kui ran2 bu4 dong4.

早已森嚴壁壘,------Zao3 yi3 sen yan2 bi4 lei3,
更加眾志成城.------Geng jia zhong4 zhi4 cheng2 cheng2.
黃洋界上炮聲隆,---Huangyangjie shang4 bao sheng long2,
報導敵軍宵遁.------Bao4 dao3 di2 jun xiao dun4.

Our banners and flags are visible at the mountain foot,
On the mountain top sound our drums and bungles.
Thousands of enemies are besieging us,
Steadfastly we stand our ground.

We have already strongly fortified our fortress,
The unity of our wills is an impregnable stronghold.
From Huangyangjie[2] comes the thunder of guns,
It is reported that the enemies have fled.

The background of the poem.

On September 9, 1927, Mao Zedong led a group of peasants and staged an uprising
called the Autumn Harvest Uprising (秋收暴動) in Hunan province (湖南省).
The insurrection failed miserably. In October 1927, Mao Zedong congregated
the remnants of the uprising of about 800 men and 80 old rifles. They climbed
the Jinggangshan (井崗山) with the goal of establishing a revolutionary
base in the mountains (please see the poem "Autumn Harvest Uprising").

[1] 井岡山 Jinggangshan
Jinggangshan is a massive mountain range, lying between the two provinces
of Jiangxi (江西省) and Hunan.

At that time, there were only five villages in this region of 900 square
kilometers. All the families were Hakka People (客家人) whose forefathers
had come from the north several hundred years ago.The total population in
Jinggangshan was less than 2,000 and they were so poor that only a few of
them had more than a pair of trousers. They made fire by striking stones.
The red earth in Jinggangshan was so hard that hardly any crops grew in this
desolated area. The Hakka men were mostly porters and farm hands in the plains
below. Mao Zedong managed to win over two groups of about 600 armed Hakka
in this area. The Hakkas in Jinggangshan helped Mao Zedong to realize his
goal.

[2] Huangyangjie 黃洋界
Huangyangjie is the name of one of the five passes to Jinggangshan. The
other four passes are: Bamianshan (八面山), Shuangmashi (雙馬石), Zhushachong
(朱沙沖) and Tongmuling (桐木嶺).

In late August 1928, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) of Hunan province specially dispatched Du Xiujing (杜修經) to see
Mao Zedong and ordering him to lead the No.28 and No.29 Regiments of the
Red Army to bound for Guidong (桂東) in southern Huanan province. Knowing
that the main force of the Red Army had left Jinggangshan the Kuomintang
(KMT 國民黨) Army attacked Jinggangshan. In the morning of August 30th,
1928, four regiments of KMT forces from the provinces of Jiangxi and Hunan
launched an attack on Huangyangjie (黃洋界).

At that time, there were only two companies of the No.31st regiment left
at the base. By the afternoon the ammunition of the Red Army was about to
be exhausted. In desperation, a group of red soldiers carried an old and
rusty bazooka with three shells. The red soldiers fired their bazooka at
the KMT troops. The first shot was an empty shell with sound only. They
fired the second shot and it was also an empty shell producing only sound.
They fired the last shell. The third shot was a real shell and by coincident
the shell landed on the commanding post of the KMT. Then it was all quiet.
The red soldiers did not fire their guns as they were about to run out of
ammunition. They waited and waited from the assault from the KMT. But it
never came because the KMT had withdrawn that evening thinking that the main
force of the Red Army had returned. According to their record only the No.28
Regiment of the Red Army had one or two bazookas.

When he returned to Jinggangshan Mao Zedong was so happy that he wrote this
poem to celebrate the victory.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-21-09 08:09

No.6
蔣桂戰爭
The War Between Jiang and Gui
Written in Autumn 1929

風雲突變,--------------Feng yun2 tu bian4
軍閥重開戰.----------Jun fa2 chong2 kai zhan4.
灑向人間都是怨,---Sa3 xiang4 ren2 jian du shi4 yuan4
一枕黃梁再現.-------Yi zhen3 huang2 liang2 zai4 xian4

紅旗躍過汀江,------Hong2 qi2 yue4 guo4 Tingjiang,
直下龍岩上杭.------Zhi2 xia4 Longyan Shanghang.
收拾金甌一片.------Shou shi2 jin ou yi pian
分田分地真忙.------Fen tian2 fen di4 zhen mang2.

There is a sudden change in the situation,
Again, war breaks out among the Warlords.
And the people hate it,
As it is the reappearance of the Millet Dream [*1].

The red flags leap over Tingjiang,
And straight to Longyan and Shanghang.
We have reclaimed a part of the land [**2].
And we are busying dividing the land.

The back ground of the poem

In the spring of 1928, Deng Zihui (鄧子恢) staged an uprising in his hometown,
Longyan (龍岩), where he was born in 1893. Later he became a guerrilla
leader under Zhu De (朱德), the commander-in-chief of the Red Army. In February
1929 war broke out between Chiang Kai-shek and the Warlords, Li Zongren
(李宗仁) and Bai Chongxi (白崇禧) of Guangxi province (廣西省). The war
was a struggle for the control of the two provinces of Hunan (湖南省) and
Hunei (湖北省). The war waged on for two months until April when the Warlords
pulled out from Wuhan (武漢) in Hubei province and retreated to their home
base in Guangxi province.

In May, 1929, Deng Zihui wrote to Mao Zedong that the Kuomintang (國民黨
) army in the west of Fujian province (西福建省) had been transferred to
Guangdong province (廣東省) to fight the Warlords of Guangxi province and
there was a vacuum of military power in his hometown and the surrounding
region. In respond to Deng Zihui, in the end of May, Mao Zedong led his
troops marched through Tingjiang (汀江) and occupied Longyan (龍岩) and
Shanghang (上杭).

In September 1929, Mao Zedong was struck down by malaria. He nearly died.
While he was convalescing in the market town of Gutian (古田) in ShangHang
county (上杭縣) he wrote this poem commenting Chaiang Kai-shek's fight with
the two Warlords from Guangxi. The Warlords were Li Zongren (李宗仁) and
Bai Chongxi (白崇禧). Mao Zedong also wrote another poem titled Chong Yang
(重陽) which is No.7 in my record. It will be in my next post.

Note:
[*1]
The Millet Dream 一枕黃梁

It is a parable from the novel 枕中記 (Zhen Zhong Ji or The Pillow) written
by Shen Ji Ji (沈既濟) who lived during the Tang Dynasty (唐朝 618AD to
907AD).

There lived a scholar by the name of Lu Sheng (盧生) who was poor and unemployed.
Being unemployed and poor, Lu Sheng was disappointed in life and was much
dispirited. He often sighed under the burden of his problems.

Once he stayed at an inn in the city of Handan (邯鄲 present day Han Dan
city in Hebei province 河北省). An old monk occupying the next room repeatedly
heard Lu Sheng verbally despairing about his life. The monk went over and
talked to Lu Sheng who related his life of despair and hopelessness. He
gave Lu Sheng a ceramic pillow to rest his head when he went to bed that
night.

It was still daylight and in the inn's kitchen the innkeeper was cooking
yellow millet. Curious about what it could do, Lu Sheng laid in bed with
his head on the ceramic pillow. Before long he fell asleep.

Lu Sheng then had the sweetest dream. He arrived in an unrecognized country
and married a beautiful girl by the surname of Cui (崔). He passed the Imperial
Examinations and became a 進士 (Jin Shi or Imperial Graduate). He was appointed
an official and led a comfortable life. He was later blessed with five sons
who were extraordinarily gifted. Eventually he was appointed the Prime Minister.
He lived till the ripe old age of eighty. He was survived by many descendants.

Lu Sheng woke up to see the monk standing next to his bed and became aware
that the innkeeper was still cooking the yellow millet as dusk approached.
He realized that he had just had a dream. He had been a prosperous man for
fifty years with many offspring. Now he was back to being a dejected scholar.
He concluded that rich or poor after all was just like a short dream.

[**2]
金甌 Jin Ou

During the period of North and South Dynasties (南北朝 420AD to 589AD),
Emperor Wu Xiao Yan (梁武帝蕭衍 502AD to 549AD) referred 金甌 (Jin Ou) as
the land of his country the Liang Kingdom (梁王朝 502AD to 557AD)
--------------------------------------------------

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-21-09 21:05

http://yn.chung.id.au/Mao'sPoetry.jpg
No.7
重陽 Chongyang (Double Nine Festival)
Written in October 1929

人生易老天難老.---Ren2 sheng yi4 lao3 tian nan2 lao3.
歲歲重陽,--------------Sui4 sui4 Chongyang,
今又重陽.--------------Jin you4 Chongyang.
戰地黃花份外香.---Zhan4 di4 huang2 hua fen4 wai4 xiang.

一年一度秋風勁,---Yi nian2 yi du4 qiu feng jing4.
不似春光,--------------Bu4 si4 chun guang,
勝似春光.--------------Sheng4 si4 chun guang.
寥廓江天萬里霜.---Liao2 kuo4 jiang tian wan4 li3 shuang.

Men can grow old but not the sky.
The Double Nine Festival occurs every year,
Today is the Festival of Double Nine.
The yellow flowers growing in the battlefields are more fragrant.

Once a year the autumn wind blows strongly.
It is not like the spring time,
But now it is better than the spring time.
There are frosts in the boundless sky.

The back ground of the poem

The festival of Double Nine (重陽 Chong Yang) occurs every year on the 9th
day of the 9th month in the Lunar Calendar. It occurred on October 11, in
1929 in the Solar Calendar when Mao Zedong wrote this poem.

On June 22, 1929, in the 7th Congress meeting of the 4th Red Army at Longyan
(龍岩) in west Fujian province (福建省), Mao Zedong was being criticized
for practicing the "Patriarchal System 家長制" by Zhe De (朱德) and Chen
Yi (陳毅). In the election Mao Zedong was not elected as the Secretary of
the Military Committee.

He left the 4th Red Army and went to work in Shanghang (上杭), where he
had a severe attack of malaria and he nearly died of it. He was sick for
five months and began to recover in November 1929. In September 1929 Zhou
Enlai (周恩來) had taken charge of the Central Committee of the Chinese
Communist Party in Shanghai (上海). Knowing that Mao Zedong was not a member
in the Military Committee of the 4th Red Army Zhou Enlai wrote and directed
the 4th Red Army to reinstate Mao Zedong as the Secretary of the Military
Committee of the 4th Red Army. On November 26, 1929, Mao Zedong was reinstated
as the Secretary of the Military Committee according to the directive of
the " September Letter".

This poem was written when he was a malaria sufferer. This was how he felt
about life while he was lying on bed.

Mao Zedong took the idea from the Tang poem Li He (李賀 791AD to 817AD)
to write this poem. Li He was born in the city of Luoyang (洛陽市). He had
a very short life and died at the age of just 27. However, within his short
life he had written 243 (two hundred and forty three) poems. He was an exceptional
prominent poet in the Tang Dynasty. These are the two poem among them.

京城 Jing Cheng [*1A] - (The capital)

驅馬出門意,---Qu ma3 chu men2 yi4,
牢落長安心.---Lao2 luo4 [**2B] Changan xin.
兩事向誰道!---Liang3 shi4 xiang4 shui2 dao4!
自作秋風吟.---Zi4 zuo4 Qiu Feng Yin [***3C].

The explanations in plain Chinese and English.English

(1) 以前, 我騎著馬出門遠行, 心中滿懷著理想與憧憬 [****4D].
Previously, when I rode a horse to go for a long gurney, my mind was full
of ideal and looking forward for a realization.

(2) 如今, 應試落第, 羈旅長安, 卻又滿懷著落寞孤寂之情.
Now, I feel lonely when I depart from Changan as I had failed the Imperial
Examinations.

(3) 唉! 過去的理想, 今日的失意, 這兩種心事能向說傾訴呢!
Alas! my ideal of the past and the present disappointment are two different
things and whom shall I pour out my heart?

(4) 只好自己對著秋風吟詠, 發抒我一片淒涼的心情啊!
I can only face the autumn wind to recite poetry to express my miserable
heart.

Notes:
[*1A] 京城 (Jingcheng) refers to the capital of the Tang Dynasty Changan
(長安), the present day city of Xian in Shaanxi province (西安市陝西省).

[**2B] 牢落 (lao2 luo4]
means lonely; desolate (落寞孤寂)

[***3C] 秋風吟 (Qiu Feng Yin)
The author had never written a poem titled by this name

[****4D] 憧憬 (chong jing)
means look forward to realization

Li He was very fond of using the phrase Qiu Feng (秋風)
To Li He 秋 (qiu = autumn) and 悲 (bei = sad) were connected and inseparable.

-------------------------------------------------

Here is another poem by Li He

莫種樹 Mo Zhong Shu - (Do not plant trees)

園中莫種樹,---Yuan2 zhong mo4 zhong4 shu4,
種樹四時愁.---Zhong4 shu4 si4 shi2 chou2.
獨睡南窗月,---Du2 shui4 nan2 chuang yue4,
今秋似去秋.---Jin qiu si4 qu4 qiu.

The explanations in plain Chinese and English.

(1) 庭園裡面, 最好是不要種樹.
Do not plant trees in your flower garden.

(2) 因為那些樹啊! 不管什麼時候, 總是引人無限的哀愁.
As those trees will give you sorrow at all time.

(3) 然而, 如今我在月兒高照的南窗下獨睡,
However, now I am sleeping alone under the south window with the bright
moon shining.

(4) 雖看不到庭樹, 但是今年的秋天卻然和去年的秋天一樣讓人哀愁!
Although I cannot see the trees but I realize that this year autumn is the
same as last year's autumn making people sad.

Mao Zedong thought that he was going to die young, therefore he quoted the
poems from Li He who died very young at the age of 27.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-22-09 08:09

No.8
元旦 New Year
Written in January 1930

寧化, 清流, 歸化,---Ninghua, Qingliu, Guihua,
路隘林深苔滑!-----Lu4 ai4 lin2 shen tai2 hua2!
今日向何方?-------Jin ri4 xiang4 he2 fang?
直指武夷山下,----Zhi2 zhi3 Wuyishan xia4,
山下山下,-----------Shan xia4 shan xia4,
風展紅旗如畫.---Feng zhan3 hong2 qi2 ru2 hua4.

Ninghua, Qingliu, Guihua,
The paths are narrow with slippery moss in the deep woods!
From today where shall we go?
We go straight to the foot of Wuyi Mountain.
To the foot of Wuyi mountain, to the foot of Wuyi mountain,
The red flags are fluttering in the wind like painting.
--------------------------------------------------

Back ground of the poem

Having recovered from a bout of malaria and was reinstated as the Secretary
of the 4th Red Army, Mao Zedong convened a meeting at Gutian (古田) on December
28, 1929.

http://yn.chung.id.au/Gutian.jpg

In his speech, 50 pages long, Mao Zedong criticized Zhu De (朱德) who was
the commander-in-chief of the Red Army. Gutian village (古田村) is in Shanghang
county (上杭縣) in Fujian province (福建省).

The meeting lasted until December 30, 1929. On New Year day, in 1930, Mao
Zedong was in good mood and very happy because the people in the region
supported him. To celebrate the New Year, he wrote this poem.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-23-09 00:23

No.9
廣昌路上 On Guangchang road
Written in February 1930

漫天皆白,--------------Man4 tian jie bai2,
雪裡行軍情更迫.---Xue3 li3 xing2 jun qing2 geng po4.
頭上高山,--------------Tou2 shang4 gao shan,
風捲紅旗過大關.---Feng juan3 hong2 qi2 guo4 da4 guan.

此行何去?------------Ci3 xing2 he2 qu4?
贛江風雪迷漫處.--Ganjiang feng xue3 mi2 man4 chu3.
命令昨領,--------------Ming4 ling4 zuo2 ling3,
十萬工農下吉安.---Shi2 wan4 gong nong2 xia4 Jian.

It is white all over the sky,
Eagerly we march through the snow
Above our heads are the crags,
The red flags fluttering in the wind, we cross the big pass.

Where are we going?
To the snow-covered Gan River.
Yesterday we received the order,
That one hundred thousand of workers and peasants are marching to Jian.,

The background of the poem

On February 7, 1930, the committee members of the Red Army and the local
Communist Party convened several meetings. It was decided that the revolution
should score its first victory in the whole of Jiangxi province. Militarily,
the army should occupy the city of Jian. After the occupation the party
should declare the formation of a Soviet Government. So far the Red Army
had never occupied any big county city before.

In mid-February Mao Zedong led the Red Army from Guangchang and marched
towards Jian. Chiang Kai-shek ordered the Kuomintang army to draw close
to Jian. Due to the movement of the Kuomintang Army getting closer to Jian,
the Red Army gave up marching to Jian and returned to the south of Jiangxi
province.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-23-09 02:26

No.10
從汀州向長沙 From Tingzhou [1A] towards Changsha
Written in July 1930

六月天兵征腐惡,----------Liu4 yue4 tian bing zheng fu3 e4,
萬丈長纓要把鯤鵬縛.---Wan4 zhang4 Chang Ying [2B] yao ba4 Kun Peng [3C]
fu4.
贛水那邊紅一角,----------Ganshui na4 bian hong2 yi jiao3,
偏師借重黃公略.----------Pian shi jie4 zhong4 Huang Gonglue [4D].

百萬工農齊踴躍,----------Bai3 wan4 gong nong2 qi2 yong3 yue4
席捲江西直搗湘和鄂.---Xi juan3 Jiangxi zhi2 dao3 Xiang he2 E
國際悲歌歌一曲,----------Guo2 ji4 bei ge ge yi qu3,
狂飆為我從天落.-------Kuang2 biao wei2 wo3 cong2 tian luo4

In June Heaven's armies chastise the corrupt and evil,
Seeking to bind roc and whale with a league-long cord.
Red glows the far side of the Gan,
Thanks to our wing under Huang Gonglue.

A million workers and peasants rise up,
Sweeping Jiangxi towards Hunan and Hubei.
To the Internationale's stirring strains,
A wild whirlwind swoops from the sky.

Source:
Mao Tsetung poems,
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976

Note:
[1A]
汀州 Tingzhou
Tingzhou, an ancient name, is the cradle of the Hakka Chinese in Fujian
province (汀州是福建的客家搖籃). It is in the present day county of ChangTing
(長汀縣) in the west of Fujian province.

There are large numbers of Hakkas living in the province of Fujian, especially
in Zhangzhou (漳州) and Tingzhou (汀州). Ninghua Shibicun (寧化石壁村 or
the village of Ninghua), 福建的客家搖藍 or the cradle of the Hakka in Fujian
province is in Tingzhou. The village of Shibi is recognised by the World
Hakka Association as the cradle of the Hakka people in Fujian province.
On the bank of Tingjiang Mother River (汀江母親河) there is a statue called
"The Mother" which is sacred to the Hakka People. This is the mountain song
about the Overseas Hakka coming back to Shibicun composed by an unknown
Hakka scholar from the Malaysian Hakka magazine "Persekutuan Persatuan Persatuan
Hakka 馬來西亞客家公會聯合會"..

山歌唱來一籮籮,---Shan ge chang4 lai2 yi luo2 luo2,
遊子回到母親河,---You2 zi3 hui2 dao4 mu3 qin he2,
河南福建轉一轉,---Henan Fujian zhuan3 yi zhuan3,
方知祖先苦難多,---Fang zhi zu3 xian ku3 nan4 duo,
翻山越嶺受折磨.---Fan shan yue4 ling3 shou4 zhe2 mo.

There are lots to sing about in mountain songs.
The wandering sons have returned to Mother River.
Touring through the provinces of Henan and Fujian,
We realize the amount of hardship our ancestors had suffered,
Crossing the mountains and ridges.

翻山越嶺受折磨,---Fan shan yue4 ling3 shou4 zhe2 mo,
萬苦千辛都挨過,---Wan4 ku3 qian xin du ai guo4,
平地已有前人住,---Ping2 di4 yi3 you3 qian2 ren2 zhu4,
只好走入大山坡,---Zhi3 hao3 zou3 ru4 da4 shan po,
開天辟地淚沱沱.---Kai tian bi4 di4 lei4 tuo2 tuo2.

After crossing the mountains and ridges,
Our ancestors thought the hardship was over.
However, the flat fertile land was already being inhabited by the progenitors.
Without alternatives they settled in the hilly slopes.
With tears, they removed the forest and cleared the land before they planted the crops.

開天辟地淚沱沱,---Kai tian bi4 di4 lei4 tuo2 tuo2,
今日終有好結果,---Jin ri4 zhong you3 hao3 jie guo3,
開枝散葉天下走,---Kai zhi san4 ye4 tian xia4 zou3,
隔山隔水難隔疏,---Ge2 shan ge2 shui3 nan2 ge2 shu,
勿忘公公同婆婆.---Wu4 wang4 gong gong tong2 po2 po2.

Having removed the forest, cleared the land and planted the crops,
Wonderful results were achieved.
As today their descendants have spread far and wide through out the world.
Though they are separated by land and sea yet their relationship is inseparable.
Forget not our grandparents.

記得祖公和祖婆,---Ji4 de2 zu3 gong he2 zu3 po2,
回到祖地感觸多,---Hui2 dao4 zu3 di4 gan3 chu4 duos,
汀州寧化石壁村,---Tingzhou Ninghua Shibicun,
親情都像母親河,---Qin qing2 du xiang4 Muqinghe,
河水長流暖心窩.---He2 shui3 chang2 liu2 nuan3 xin wo.

Remembering our ancestors,
We return, with stirring emotion,
To the ancestral land of Shi Bi village in Ning Hua county of Ting Zhou
prefecture.
Our love is like Mother River
Whose water flows through our hearts.

河水長流暖心窩,---He2 shui3 chang2 liu2 nuan3 xin wo,
遊子歸來唱贊歌,---You2 zi3 gui lai2 chang4 zan4 ge,
優良文化應傳頌,---You liang2 wen2 hua4 ying chuan2 song4
結出美麗好花朵,---Jie2 chu mei3 li4 hao3 hua duo3,
千年萬代笑呵呵.---Qian nian wan dai xiao he he.

As the water of Mother River flows through our hearts,
The wandering sons sing the praise of
Our excellent culture
Blossoming with flowers
For the upcoming thousand generations.

[2B]
長纓 Chang Ying
漢書 - 終軍傳
"軍自請, 願受長纓, 必羈南越王而致之闕下".

[3C]
鯤鵬 Kun Peng
莊子 - 逍遙游
"北冥有魚, 其名為鯤, 鯤之大, 不知其幾千里也.
化而為鳥, 其名為鵬, 鵬之背不知其幾千里也".

[4D]
黃公略 (Huang Gonglue 1898 to 1931)
In 1928, Huang Gonglue led an uprising in Pingjiang county (平江縣) in Hunan
province (湖南省). In 1930, he became the commander of the Third Red Army
of a Red Base in west Fujian province. He was killed in October 1931 in
the battle fought in Jian (吉安) in Jiangxi province (江西省).

The background of the poem

In March 1930, Zhou Enlai (周恩來) went to Moscow to attend the 16th Congress
of the Communist Party of Soviet Union. Li Lisan (李立三) was the Acting
Leader of the Executive Central Committee (ECC) of the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) in Shanghai. As the leader of the CCP, Li Lisan sent Tu Zhen
(涂震) as the special representative of the ECC to Tingzhou (汀州) in west
Fujian province to attend the Nanyang Meeting (南陽會議). Tu Zhen, representing
the ECC ordered the Red Army to capture Nanchang (南昌in Jiangxi province
江西省) and Changsha (長沙 in Hunan province 湖南省) while Chiang Kai-shek
(江介石) was busy fighting the Warlords of Feng Yuxiang (馮玉祥) and Yan
Xishan (閻錫山).

In the meeting, it was decided that the Chairman of the Military Executive
Committee of the Red Army should be responsible for the attack. Mao Zedong
was the Chairman and therefore he should led the attack.

Mao Zedong led the First Red Army to attack Nanchang but failed. Peng Dehuai
(彭德懷) led the Third Red Army to attack Changsha on July 28. The attack
went on for 11 days until Chiang Kai-shek's General He Jian (何鍵), the
Kuomintang Army commander of Hunan province, repulsed the Communists attacked.
Peng Dehuai retreated.

Mao Zedong led his army and marched to Changsha to join up with Peng Dehuai.
On September 10, the two Communist armies joined forces and attacked Changsha.
The Communists suffered heavy loses. On September 13 Mao Zedong ordered
a retreat and gave up attacking Changsha.

Once the Communists left Changsha, General He Jian arrested Mao Zedong's
wife, Yang Kaihui (楊開慧) and his sister Mao Zehong (毛澤紅). However,
the peasants hid Mao Zedong's three sons whom He Jian also wanted to arrest
them. No one in Changsha could save the lives of Yang Kaihui and Mao Zehong.
They were subsequently executed on September 14, 1930.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re:毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-24-09 07:52

No. 11
反第一次大 "圍剿" Against the First Encirclement
Written in spring 1931

萬木霜天紅爛漫---Wan4 mu4 shuang tian hong2 lan4 man4,
天兵怒氣衝宵漢.---Tian bing nu4 qi3 chong4 xiao han4.
霧滿龍岡千嶂暗.---Wu4 man3 long2 gang qian zhang an4.
齊聲喚:-----------------Qi2 sheng huan4:
前頭捉了張輝讚.---Qian2 tou2 zhuo le Zhang Huizanzan.

二十萬軍重入贛,---Er4 shi2 wan4 jun chong2 ru4 Gan,
風煙滾滾來天半.---Feng yan gun3 gun3 lai2 tian ban4.
喚起工農千百萬,---Huan4 qi3 gong nong2 qian bai3 wan4
同心干,-----------------Tong2 xin gan,
不周山下紅旗亂.---Bu Zhou shan xia4 hong2 qi2 luan4.

Forests blaze red beneath the frosty sky,
The wrath of Heaven's armies soars to the cloud.
Mist veils Longgang, its thousands peaks blurred.
All cry out in unison:
Our van has taken Zhang Huizan![1A]

The enemy returns to Jiangxi two hundred thousand strong,
Fumes billowing in the wind in mid-sky.
Workers and peasants are wakened in their million
To fight as one man.
Under the riot of red flags round the foot of Buzhou Mountain.

Source:
Mao Tsetung poems,
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976

Note:
[1A]
張輝瓚 Zhang Huizan
He was the commander in charge of the Anti-Communist Campaign in Jiangxi
province and was also the commander of the 18th Division of the Kuomintang
Army. During the First "Encirclement " Campaign against the Soviet Chinese
Government he was captured by the Communists who beheaded him and put his
head inside a little wooden box and threw into the Gan River.

The background of the poem

In December 7, 1930, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) launched the first campaign
against the Chinese Soviet Government with a force of more than 100,000
against the Communists of about 40,000. The vanguard of the Kuomintang forces
of 10,000 was under the commander of Zhang Huizan (張輝瓚) who was followed
by Tan Daoyuan (譚道源) who was commanding 20,000 men. The rest were commanded
by other Kuomintang generals.

With lighting speed Zhang Huizan occupied Longgang (龍岡). However, it was
a trap set up by Mao Zedong. In the first assault Mao Zedong led his forces
and attacked Zhang Huizan's headquarters and captured the entire two brigades
of 9,000 men including Zhang Huizan himself. He was later trial by the peasants
and was beheaded. His head was put inside a little wooden box and threw
into the Gan River (贛江).

On hearing that the Communists had wiped out the entire forces under the
command of Zhang Huizan, Tan Daoyuan withdrew. Mao Zedong would not let
them go away easily. He ordered his forces to chase and attack Tan Daoyuan'
men. They annihilated another 10,000 men. The First "Encirclement" Campaign
was over. The time was January 1931. The Red Army captured their first radio
set. Mao Zedong was overjoyed and he wrote this poem to celebrate the victory.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-24-09 11:21

No.12
反第二次大 "圍剿" Against the Second "Encirclement" Campaign
Written in summer 1931

白雲山頭雲欲立,---Bai2 yun2 shan tou2 yun2 yu4 li4,
白雲山下呼聲急,---Bai2 yun2 shan xia4 hu sheng ji2,
枯木朽株齊努力.---Ku mu4 xiu3 zhu qi2 nu3 li4.
槍林逼,-----------------Qiang lin2 bi
飛將軍自重宵入.---Fei jiang jun zi4 chong2 xiao ru4.

七百里驅十五日,---Qi bai3 li3 qu shi2 wu3 ri4,
贛水蒼茫閩山碧,---Gan shui3 cang mang2 Min shan bi4,
橫掃千軍如卷席.---Heng2 sao3 qian jun ru2 juan3 xi2.
有人泣,-----------------You3 ren qi4,
為營步步嗟何及! --Wei2 ying2 bu4 bu4 jie he2 ji2!

The very clouds foams atop White Cloud Mountain[1A],
At its base the roar of battle quicken.
Withered trees and rotten stumps join in the fray.
A forest of rifles presses,
As the flying General[2B] descents from the skies.

In fifteen days we have marched seven hundred li
Cross misty Gan waters and green Fujian hills,
Rolling back the enemy as we would a mat.
A voice is heard wailing;
His "Bastion at every step" avail him not!

Source:
Mao Tsetung poems,
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976

Note:
In the previous poem "Against theFirst "Encirclement Campaign" Mao wrote
"二十萬軍重入贛," which referred to:
一九三一年四月, 何應欽調集二十萬軍隊作為第二次大 "圍剿".

[1A] 白雲山 White Cloud Mountain
This mountain is in the southwest Donggu town (西南東固鎮) of Jian county
(吉安縣) in Kiangxi province (江西省).

[2B] 飛將軍 the flying General
This refers to chapter 109 in the book "Shi Ji 史記" by Sima Qian (司馬遷
145BC to 86BC). "The Flying General" was the title conferred to General
Li Guang (李廣) by Emperor Wen Liu Heng (文皇帝劉恆179BC to 157BC) for having
defeated the Xiong Nu (匈奴) more than 70 times

The background of the poem

Chiang Kai-shek realized the mistake in the First Encirclement Campaign
by ordering Zhang Huizan (張輝瓚) to attack and occupied Longgang with lightning
speed. It was a trap set up by Mao Zedong and the entire 18th division under
the command of General Zhang was captured.

In this campaign Chiang Kai-shek deployed 200,000 troops and appointed He
Yingqin (何應欽) as the commander-in-chief. Chiang Kai-shek changed his
method of dealing with the Communists. He adopted the tactic of "穩扎穩打
, 步步為營, 緊縮包圍 Go ahead steadily, strike sure blows and advance gradually
and entrench oneself at every step and tighten the ring of encirclement."

第二次大 "圍剿" started from May 10, 1931 to May 30, 1932.
何應欽為總司令, 總兵力二十萬.

However, on May 16, the Red Army, under the command of Zhu De (朱德), ambushed
and wiped out the Chiang Kai-shek's 28th Division, under the command of
Gong Bingfan (公秉藩) in Donggu (東固) of Jian county (吉安縣) in Jiangxi
province (江西省). For the next 15 days the Red Army destroyed Chiang Kai-shek'
s Army like chopping the fingers one by one. The Red Army fought five large
battles with Chiang Kai-shek's Army and won five battles from the east to
the west in the region of 700 hundred miles circumference.

The second encirclement and suppression campaign was launched on May 10,
1931 and ended on May 30, 1931. The Red Army captured 20,000 prisoners and
many rifles.

I quote from Professor Stuart Schram, who was the Professor of Politics
(with reference to China) in the University of London and Head of the Contemporary
China Institute of the School of Oriental and African Studies.

"The Second Campaign was both more difficult and more interesting as an
example of Mao's tactics. The relation between the opposing forces had become
more than twice as unfavourable to the Red Army; the attacking force numbered
nearly 200,000 men, whereas the Red Army had only 30,000. This made it all
the more important to strike first against the weakest units in the enemy
forces.

For twenty-five days in late April and early May the Red Army encamped at
Tungku (東固 Donggu), despite the danger of discovery, waiting for Wang
Chi-yu's division to leave its strong-point at Futian (富田). At last the
moment came; the Red Army fell on elements of both Wang's division and Gong
Bingfan's, totaling eleven regiments, and routed them in a battle near Futian.

Truly, the Nationalist Army 'groped in the dark', while the Red Army 'walked
in daylight'. After this first succesful engagement, the Red army marched
700 li (One li is approximately one third of a mile) in fifteen days, fought
five battles against the weaker units of enemy forces, and captured 20,000
rifles. This was the end of the Second Campaign."

This was what Mao Zedong wrote in this poem about "In 15 days we have driven
700 li"
-------------------------------------------------

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-24-09 19:09

No.13
大柏地 The town of Dabodi[1A]
Written in summer 1933

赤橙黃綠青藍紫,---Chi4 cheng2 huang2 lu4 qing lan2 zi3,
誰持彩練當空舞?--Shui2 chi2 cai3 lian4 dang kong4 wu3?
雨後復斜陽,----------Yu3 hou4 fu4 xie2 yang2,[2B]
關山陣陣蒼.----------Guan shan zhen4 zhen4 cang.

當年鏖戰急,----------Dang nian2 au2 zhan4 ji2,
彈洞前村壁.----------Tan2 dong4 qian2 cun bi4.
裝點此關山,----------zhuang dian3 ci3 guan shan,
今朝更好看.----------Jin zhao geng hao3 kan.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet,
Who is dancing, waving this coloured ribbon against the sky?
The sun returns slanting after the rain,
And hill and pass grow a deeper blue.

A furious battle once raged here,
The village walls, bullet-scarred.
Now adorn hill and pass,
And make them doubly fair.

Source:
Mao Tsetung Poems,
Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1976

Note:
[1A] 大柏地 Dabodi
This town is in the west of Ruijin (瑞金), the capital of the Soviet.

[2B] 雨後復斜陽
Mao took this line from the Tang Poet 溫庭筠 (812AD to 870AD) Wen Tingyun's
poem titled "菩薩蠻 Pu Sa Man":
雨後復斜陽, 杏華零落香

The background of this poem:
In the beginning of 1929, Genral He Jian (何鍵將軍) and General Lu Diping
(魯滌平), the two Warlords of the provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi failed
in three attempts to destroyed the Red Base in Jinggangshan (井岡山). In
order to lure the troops of the Warlords to leave Jinggangshan, on January
14, 1929, Mao Zedong led the main force of the Red Army to leave Jinggangshan.
Mao Zedong led the Red Army to attack South Jiangxi province several times,
but the Red Army failed to make any gain in the attacks. Finally on February
11, 1929, in the town of Da Bo Di that the Red Army succeeded in destroying
the two regiments commanded by Liu Shiyi (劉士毅). The Red Army established
a Red Base in southern Jiangxi province and western Fujian province.

This is the poem that Mao Zedon wrote in 1933 describing how the Red Army
passed through Dabodi (大柏地) during this campaign in 1929.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Re: 毛澤東詩 Mao Zedong's poetry (1)

Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 03-25-09 20:05

No.14
會昌 Huichang [1A]
Written in summer 1934

東方欲曉,--------------Dong fang yu4 xiao3,
莫道君行早.----------Mo4 dao4 jun xing2 zao3.
踏遍青山人末老,---Ta4 bian4 qing shan ren2 wei4 lao3,
風景這邊獨好.-------Feng jing3 zhe4 bian du2 hao3.

會昌城外高峰,-----Huichang cheng2 wai4 gao feng,
顛連直接東溟.-----Dian lian2 zhi2 jie dong ming2.
戰士指看南粵,-----Zhan4 shi4 zhi3 kan nan2 yue4,
更加鬱鬱蔥蔥.-----Geng jia yu4 yu4 cong cong.

Soon dawn will break in the east.
Do not say: "You start too early";
Crossing these blue hills adds nothing to one's years,
The landscape here is beyond compare.

Straight from the walls of Huichang lofty peaks,
Range after ranges, extend to the eastern sea.
Our soldiers point southward to Guangdong
Looming lusher and greener in the distance.

[1A]
會昌 Huichang is in southern Jiangxi province (江西省).

The background of this poem

In January 1930, the Red Army moved from west Fujian province (福建省) to
southern Jiangxi province (江西省) and established in Huichang with the
intention to open up the southern region for the activities of the Red Amy
as the grass in this region is greener.

In this poem Mao Zedong pointed out that in 1934 the Red Army was in an
desperate situation and preparing for the Long March. At that time Mao Zedong
was being pushed out of any responsibility of leadership. The Chinese Soviet
Government was in control by the three leaders Bo Gu (博古), Zhou Enlai
(周恩來) and Li De (李德 whose real name was Otto Braun, a German Communist
sent to the Soviet by the Third International Communist Movement in Moscow.

http://yn.chung.id.au/LiDe.jpg
http://yn.chung.id.au/Li.De.(Otto.Braun).jpg
). Mao Zedong was sent to Huichang for "recuperate" because he was struck
down again with malaria. General Gong Chu (龔楚將軍) went to see Mao Zedong.
贛南軍區司令員龔楚去看他, 酒後毛澤東喟然長嘆, "我自從參加革命以來, 受過三
次開除中委和八次嚴重警告的處份, 這次更將造成失敗的責任, 完成推在我的身上
. 現在, 可不是我們井岡山老同志的天下了! 說時竟淒然淚下. From (龔楚[我和紅
軍])

Two weeks later the Long March began.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)

Reply To This Message

Newer Topic | Older Topic

The Asiawind forums are provided to you by InTechTra Inc.