Introduction
This poem talks about a cypress tree, symbolizing virtuous men like Kongming, the honorific name of Zhuge Liang, an outstanding statesman from Chinese history. Du Fu wrote this poem in 766, when the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763) had been put down, but China was still under attack by various barbarian groups. He was lamenting that China had talented men willing to serve the country, but did not take advantage of their services.
Tang Dynasty around 700 CE (AD)
Translation
Du Fu (712-770) | 杜甫 |
Song of an Old Cypress | 古柏行 |
Before the Kongming Temple lies an ancient cypress | 孔明廟前 有老柏 |
With boughs of bronze and roots of rock. | 柯如青銅 根如石 |
Its frosty skin rains down, encircling the span of forty arms; | 雙皮溜雨 四十圍 |
Its dark green leaves can reach some two thousand feet of sky. | 黛色參天 二千尺 |
Ministers and rulers had set a time to meet | 君臣已與 時際會 |
And the trees they left behind, the locals revered. | 樹木猶為 人愛惜 |
Clouds are coming now, bringing an air that sits about the Witch's Gorge | 雲來氣接 巫峽長 |
While the moon sends a cold that passes the mountain’s snowy white. ~~ | 月出寒通 雪山白 |
I recall in former times the path around the Brocade Pavilion, to the east— | 憶昨路繞 錦亭東 |
Lord Liu Bei and Kongming, both enshrined, now reside in that hall. | 先主武侯 同閟宮 |
On a lofty mountain, the trunks and branches reach the ancient plains; | 崔嵬枝幹 郊原古 |
And there are paintings, sweet and graceful, shown through the windows of an empty shrine. ~~ | 窈窕丹青 戶牖空 |
Sinking, dropping, seizing land, as though he holds the earth; | 落落盤踞 雖得地 |
Tall, alone, among a sky that’s vast and deep, with many winds. | 冥冥孤高 多烈風 |
A power sustaining him, brilliant and divine, | 扶持自是 神明力 |
Standing upright—a primal source— a feat of Nature. | 正直元因 造化功 |
A great building will tilt without its pillars and poles | 大廈如傾 要梁棟 |
But ten thousand pulling bulls can turn their necks—for he is a heavy mountain. | 萬牛迴首 丘山重 |
He did not show his culture yet has already startled the world; | 不露文章 世已驚 |
And he cannot avoid being cut down, but who will do it? | 未辭剪伐 誰能送 |
How can his bitter core escape the crickets and ants? | 苦心豈免 容螻蟻 |
A phoenix passes through the sweet smelling leaves to rest. | 香葉終經 宿鸞鳳 |
Men of purpose and those withdrawn do not complain—alas! | 志士幽人 莫怨嗟 |
Since ancient times, those of great talent have found it hard to be of use. | 古來材大 難為用 |
Commentary
Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang (Kongming)
The cypress tree in the poem is located near the Kongming Temple, a fact which Du Fu uses to make it symbolize Kongming himself. Kongming, the honorific name of Zhuge Liange (181-234) was a statesman and noted strategist of the Shu Han Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history (around 184-280).
The first part of the poem describes the scene and the tree, then alludes to the prosperity enjoyed by the Shu Han Kingdom as a result of the policies of its founder, Liu Bei, and his advisor, Kongming. The locals revered the trees, which symbolize the wise men. However, foreboding clouds have come to the Witch's Gorge (Wu Gorge), one of the Three Gorges, and a cold air is coming. These are symbols for the turbulent and dangerous times.
The next part relates to a recollection Du Fu has of a temple by his home (the Brocade Pavilion) that honors both Kongming and Liu Bei. Here he is imagining the tree personified as Kongming. By mentioning the temple close to his home he is making it more personal: he has skills to offer the country and is willing to serve, but the Emperor is making no use of him.
In the final section, he returns to the cypress tree, personified as Kongming. An example of the need for men of talent is that a great building (the emperor) needs pillars and poles (advisors) or it will tilt. Men of talent are like deeply rooted trees that provide a strong foundation: even if pulled by ten thousand bulls, they will be unmovable as a mountain. Instead, in Du Fu's time, these great men had withdrawn from society, unable to showcase their talents. However, he believed that there is no use in complaining since talented people have had a difficult time finding suitable employment since ancient times.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
杜甫 | 杜甫 | Dù fǔ |
古柏行 | 古柏行 | Gǔ bǎi xíng |
孔明廟前有老柏， | 孔明庙前有老柏， | Kǒngmíng miào qián yǒu lǎo bǎi, |
柯如青銅根如石； | 柯如青铜根如石; | Kē rú qīng tóng gēn rú shí; |
雙皮溜雨四十圍， | 双皮溜雨四十围， | Shuāng pí liū yǔ sì shí wéi, |
黛色參天二千尺。 | 黛色参天二千尺。 | Dài sè cān tiān èr qiān chǐ. |
君臣已與時際會， | 君臣已与时际会， | Jūn chén yǐ yǔ shí jì huì, |
樹木猶為人愛惜。 | 树木犹为人爱惜。 | Shù mù yóu wéi rén ài xī. |
雲來氣接巫峽長， | 云来气接巫峡长， | Yún lái qì jiē wū xiá zhǎng, |
月出寒通雪山白。 | 月出寒通雪山白。 | Yuè chū hán tōng xuě shān bái. |
憶昨路繞錦亭東， | 忆昨路绕锦亭东， | Yì zuó lù rào jǐn tíng dōng, |
先主武侯同閟宮。 | 先主武侯同閟宫。 | Xiān zhǔ wǔ hóu tóng bì gōng. |
崔嵬枝幹郊原古， | 崔嵬枝干郊原古， | Cuī wéi zhī gàn jiāo yuán gǔ, |
窈窕丹青戶牖空。 | 窈窕丹青户牖空。 | Yǎo tiǎo dān qīng hù yǒu kōng. |
落落盤踞雖得地， | 落落盘踞虽得地， | Luò luò pán jù suī dé dì, |
冥冥孤高多烈風。 | 冥冥孤高多烈风。 | Míng míng gū gāo duō liè fēng. |
扶持自是神明力， | 扶持自是神明力， | Fú chí zì shì shén míng lì, |
正直元因造化功。 | 正直元因造化功。 | Zhèng zhí yuán yīn zào huà gōng. |
大廈如傾要梁棟， | 大厦如倾要梁栋， | Dà shà rú qīng yào liáng dòng, |
萬牛迴首丘山重。 | 万牛回首丘山重。 | Wàn niú huí shǒu qiū shān zhòng. |
不露文章世已驚， | 不露文章世已惊， | Bù lù wén zhāng shì yǐ jīng, |
未辭剪伐誰能送？ | 未辞剪伐谁能送？ | Wèi cí jiǎn fá shuí néng sòng? |
苦心豈免容螻蟻？ | 苦心岂免容蝼蚁？ | Kǔ xīn qǐ miǎn róng lóu yǐ? |
香葉終經宿鸞鳳。 | 香叶终经宿鸾凤。 | Xiāng yè zhōng jīng sù luán fèng. |
志士幽人莫怨嗟， | 志士幽人莫怨嗟， | Zhì shì yōu rén mò yuàn jiē, |
古來材大難為用。 | 古来材大难为用。 | Gǔ lái cái dà nàn wéi yòng. |
Translation Notes
杜甫 | Birchleaf-pear-tree Man= Du Fu(712-770) | |
古柏行 | Old cypress/cedar walk/travel [walk/travel= Xing, a poetry genre] | |
孔明廟前有老柏， | Kong/hole Ming/bright Temple front there-is old cypress/cedar [Kong Ming = Zhuge Liang (181-234), chancelor of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms era. He was considered a supreme strategist.] | |
柯如青銅根如石； | Stem/stalk/bough as/like blue copper root as/like stone/rock [blue copper= bronze] | |
雙皮溜雨四十圍， | Double/pair skin/bark slip-away/glide rain four ten Wei/encircle/surround [Double= some versions use another “shuang”, means frost. The tree bark is white and smooth.], [four ten= forty], [Wei/encircle/surround= Wei, an ancient length unit, equal to 3 or 5 Chinese inches.] | |
黛色參天二千尺。 | Bluish-black color towards/take-part-in sky two thousand feet(in Chinese units) | |
君臣已與時際會， | Minister ruler already/finished at/and/with/to the-time/season meet/between/border/juncture meet/assemble/meet-together [meet/between meet= here means the people live in harmony] | |
樹木猶為人愛惜。 | Tree/plant wood particularly/like/as for people love/be-fond-of treasure/cherish/pity/regret [Note: The last two verses quote an anecdote from the Zhou Dynasty. Sir Zhao (cousin of Emperor Zhou Wu Wang), through wise policies, promoted 40 years of prosperity in Zhou. He sat under a tree when hearing the local cases. Because he always served the people’s interest, he locals loved him and thus honored that tree. This is recorded in the Book of Odes (sometimes referred to as Book of Poetry), the first classical anthology of Chinese poetry.] | |
雲來氣接巫峽長， | Cloud comes vital-breath/air/spirit connects/receives/catches Wu/wizard/sorcerer Xia/gorge long [Wu Xia = one of the Three Gorges, in Sichuan.] | |
月出寒通雪山白。 | Moon comes-out/sends-out cold/wintry/chilly through/pass-through/communicates snow mountain white [snow mountain= refers to the Mt. Minshan in Sichuan.], [Note: The last two verses depict the grand cypress.] | |
憶昨路繞錦亭東， | Recall/remember/reflect-upon yesterday/in-former/times/past path/way/road/journey bypass/wind-around/entwine/surround Jin/Brocade Pavilion east [Jin/Brocade Pavilion = a pavilion in Du Fu’s thatched cottage in Chengdu, Sichuan. The cottage is near Jinjiang River, thus got the name, Jin.] | |
先主武侯同閟宮。 | Early/former Lord Wu/military/martial/warlike Marquis/lord the-same hidden/secret/hideaway palace [Early Lord= Emperor Liu Bei] , [Wu Marquess= refers to Zhuge Liang’s title.] | |
崔嵬枝幹郊原古， | Rocky/high/lofty mountain/lofty/rugged/rocky branch stem outskirts plain old/ancient [Rocky mountain/lofty = a lofty look] | |
窈窕丹青戶牖空。 | Sweet/refined graceful/slender/charming red/cinnabar/vermilion blue house window empty [red blue= idiom for painting, here refers to the paintings in the temple.], [Note: The spacious feeling reveals the temple’s tranquility.] | |
落落盤踞雖得地， | Fall/drop fall/drop entrench/tray/plate/dish seize-territory/sit/occupy though/even-if reach ground [Fall fall = leave out = in an independent and lofty way] | |
冥冥孤高多烈風。 | Vast/dark/gloomy/deep dim/dark/gloomy/deep alone/orphan/solitary high/tall/lofty many fierce/strong wind [Vast dim= the vast sky] | |
扶持自是神明力， | Help/assist/support/protect support/sustain/hold/grasp naturally/self/from is holy/god/spirit/supernatural-being bright/brilliant power/capability/influence [holy/god bright= the deities] | |
正直元因造化功。 | Upright/proper/correct straight primary/first/origin because-of/cause/reason make/construct/build melt/change/convert/reform result/achievment [make melt= the Nature] | |
大廈如傾要梁棟， | Big/grand/great/vast mansion if/as-if/like/as lean/incline/upset/pour-out/overflow want/need/necessary/essential beam/bridge/rafters pillar/ridgepole/the-main-beams-supporting-a-house | |
萬牛迴首丘山重。 | Ten-thousand bulls back/return/revolve/rotate head hill mountain heavy [Meaning: The cypress is as heavy as a mountain. So even ten-thousand bulls cannot move it; the bulls can only look back at the cypress tree.] | |
不露文章世已驚， | Not reveal/show/expose/bare literary/culture works/composition world already surprised/startled [Note: The old cypress does not show the beauty of flowers and leaves. A metaphor of Zhuge Liang’s talents.] | |
未辭剪伐誰能送？ | Not/not-yet avoid/decline/words/speech/phrase cut/separate/divide cut-down/subjugate/attack who can/able-to send/transport/dispatch [Note: Allusion for people, including himself, who want to serve the country and are not afraid of self-sacrifice—who can send them to help?] | |
苦心豈免容螻蟻？ | Painstaking/bitter/hardship/suffering heart/mind/soul how free-from/spare/excuse-from tolerate/looks mole-cricket ant | |
香葉終經宿鸞鳳。 | Fragrant/sweet-smelling leaf eventually/in-the-end/finally through/pass-through lodge/stop/rest/stay-overnight Luan/fabulous-bird male/phoenix/symbol-of-joy [Luan phoenix= virtuous people] | |
志士幽人莫怨嗟， | Ambitious/purpose/will/determination people/gentleman/scholar secluded/remote/quiet/tranquil people do-not/are-not complain/hatred/resentment/enmity sigh/alas | |
古來材大難為用。 | Ancient/old comes/returns material/stuff/talent big/great hard/difficult/arduous for use/employ/apply | |
Year:
2012
Reviews
No reviews yet.