Chinese poem - “Admiring Dong Ting Lake, written for Grand Chancellor Zhang" By Meng Haoran (Includes original song and video) | 《望洞庭湖贈張丞相》 - 孟浩然 (內有原創樂曲及影片)

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If you’ve been following us since we started, have you noticed out of all the Tang poems we’ve introduced, what’s often featured? The answer is landscape. The poets from the old days were all an emotional bunch of guys, and often went through rough patches in life. Thus when they had plenty of time on their hands, they like to wander around China, experiencing and reflecting on life. That is when they produced most of their best works.

Dong Ting Lake is China’s second largest freshwater lake and has featured in many poems and prose by the great artists over the years. Today we want to introduce a poem about this lake. The author is Meng Haoran, and is well known for his works which are based on nature and landscape. Meng was a rather unusual character and rumour has it that in his old age he defied doctor’s advice and died of eating seafood. Let’s take a look at his work now.

介紹了十一首的唐詩，突然想問大家一句：唐詩描寫得最多的是什麼？其實都不用問了，大家都很清楚答案就是山水。古詩人內心充滿情感，且可能大多因仕途失意，時間多的是，所以總愛到處遊歷，在中國這個充滿山水之美的國家，他們總找到動人的景色，再借景色寫詩作畫，表達自己內心的情感。

洞庭湖，中國第二大淡水湖，聞名於世，自然是氣勢恢宏，留下的詩句多不勝數，我們今天為大家介紹一首與洞庭湖有關的詩歌，作者是孟浩然，一名著名的山水田園派詩人，性格瀟洒放曠，據聞他晚年不聽醫生勸告，吃海鮮吃死了，可見他是一名多麼獨特的一個人。今天，就讓我們看看他的詩作。

The Background創作背景

This poem was written in AD733 when Meng Haoran was hoping to get an official position under the Tang Dynasty. He wrote this for the Grand Chancellor Zhang, the highest ranking official under the Emperor with the hope that Zhang would select him for a post. Despite the real objective behind this poem, Meng wrote about Dong Ting Lake so beautifully that this has become a remarkable piece of work about the landscape in China.

此詩應作於唐玄宗開元二十一年（733年）。當時作者期望登科出仕，便寫下此詩贈予丞相張九齡，希望得到他的引薦而獲取官位，雖然有著這樣的寫作目的，但作者將洞庭湖描寫得氣勢恢宏，情境交融，讓本詩成為難得的山水傑作。

Fun Fact 趣味小知識

reference

These type of self promotions poems are called gàn yè shī and were often written in the old days when one wanted promote themselves for an official position to work for the Emperor. “Admiring Dong Ting Lake, written for Grand Chancellor Zhang” is sincere yet subtle, and represents one of the best within this genre.
這類有著「自薦」意味的詩叫做「干謁詩」，是古人為了請求對方提攜自己而寫的詩。《望洞庭湖贈張丞相》情感真摯卻含蓄，是干謁詩中的代表作。

The Composition 作品大意

八月湖水平，涵虛混太清
Bā yuè hú shuǐ píng ， hán xū hùn tài qīng

氣蒸雲夢澤，波撼岳陽城
Qì zhēng yún mèng zé ， bō hàn yuè yáng chéng

欲濟無舟楫，端居恥聖明
Yù jì wú zhōu jí ， duān jū chǐ shèng míng

坐觀垂釣者，徒有羡魚情
Zuò guān chuí diào zhě ， tú yǒu xiàn yú qíng

The water level in Dong Ting Lake is reaching the bank levels in August, it is nearly touching the skyline
The mist shrouds over Yún mèng zé nearby, and the wave movements shakes Yuè yáng chéng
I want to cross the lake to the other side but I have neither a boat nor an oar. I feel I have let down the Emperor by just sitting here idly
I’m watching the anglers by the lake, and so envious that they have company

八月洞庭湖水盛漲，與岸齊平，湖水與天空渾然一體。
雲夢二漆水氣蒸騰，波濤奔騰，猶如要搖動岳陽城。
我欲橫渡卻無舟無槳，閒居不仕愧對聖明之世。
閒坐觀看垂竿釣魚人，只有羨慕他人得魚之情。

Highlights of the Poem 精選詩句

            「氣蒸雲夢澤，波撼岳陽城」
            Qì zhēng yún mèng zé ， bō hàn yuè yáng chéng

These two lines from the poem describes the momentum and power of DongTing Lake, bringing the lake to life and describing the impact it has on its surroundings. It is used as an analogy for Meng’s own passion and desire to make his own mark and to serve the Emperor.

上句「氣蒸」二字地描繪出洞庭湖雄偉廣闊的氣勢;「吞沒了兩個古澤」的描述更顯其氣勢磅礴。下句的「撼」字生動形象地體現出洞庭湖的動盪與澎湃，更顯作者寫景功力之深。孟浩然將洞庭湖描寫得生機勃勃，氣勢恢宏，襯托了他積極奮進的態度，表現了欲為國家效力之決心，讀來讓人精神振奮。

            「坐觀垂釣者，徒有羨魚情」
            Zuò guān chuí diào zhě ， tú yǒu xiàn yú qíng

The angler in the poem refers to the Grand Chancellor Zhang who has the power, and the poet is envious of those who are within the circle and can serve the Emperor. It reflects his helplessness in sitting around idly, hence the poem is subtly asking for help to advance his career.

上句的「垂釣者」意為掌權者，其實指的正是張丞相。下句巧用「臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網」的典故，表示自己對執政者的羨慕與因無人引薦而投閒置散的無奈之情，既達到懇求的效果又含蓄得體，巧妙的筆法十分耐人尋味。

The music and sketch 歌與畫

The music this week is a major chord to reflect the poet’s mood when admiring the lake. The Mandarin version is sung by @susanlo and the Cantonese version by @tine. In the sketch, the lake has blended with sky to represent the momentum and power of the lake, making the all important Yuè Yáng Chéng look so small next to it. >這次的音樂採用了大調，襯托出作者欣賞洞庭湖時愉快的心情，歌曲的國語部份由@susanlo主唱，粵語則是@tine主唱。在畫方面，我們將洞庭湖與天空融合為一，突顯洞庭湖的雄偉廣闊、氣勢磅礴，就連畫中下方的岳陽城也變的渺小。

Ancient China has produced many outstanding poets. Like modern day artists, they were full of uniqueness and originality, often running wild with their creativity. Next week, we’re going to feature one of them who also happens to be one of the most gentlemanly chancellor from the Tang Dynasty.

By the way, we've launched the CCP World Cup Where's the Ball Contest this week with a SBD10 prize pool!! It's really easy to play. If you haven't entered yet, head over here now to make your entry! The contest closes on Sunday before the World Cup Final match. You can also nominate your friends to play for more chances to win. Good luck!!

中國古代能人輩出，從唐詩中，我們能找到無數才華出眾的詩人，他們不拘世俗、天馬行空，就如同今天的藝術家一樣，展現出人類情感的升華。下一個星期，我們將會介紹另一位出色的詩人，他被譽為唐朝最有風度的宰相，就讓我們期待下星期的來臨吧！

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