–Mao Zedong, Spring 1931
Trees blaze red in frosty sky, a brilliant sight;
Heavenly troops’ wrath soars high, piercing heaven’s height.
Fog shrouds Longgang, dark peaks loom in the gray;
A cry breaks out: “Zhang Huizan’s captured, ahead we lay!”
Two hundred thousand troops invade Jiangxi again;
Dust and smoke roll high, blotting half the sky’s domain.
Rouse a million workers and peasants, one and all;
Unite as one – red flags storm Mount Buzhou’s wall!
Note
Towards the end of 1930 Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) employed about 100,000 men, divided into eight columns, with Zhang Huizan as field commander, to attack the Red area in Jiangxi Province, defended by 40,000 men whom the poet described as “Heavenly troops (godlike warriors)”.
Nine thousand men of the 18th Division under Zhang Huizan occupied Longgang, southeast of Ji’an County. On December 27, 1930 Mao Zedong massed the largest number of troops of the Red Army to attack the headquarters of the 18th Division at Longgang, capturing the entire force of nine thousand men and the divisional commander Zhang Huizan himself, without letting escape a single man or horse. Fearing defeat, the enemy forces retreated in disorder. So ended the first “Encirclement” campaign.
Four months later, Jiang Jieshi(Chiang Kai-shek) employed again 200,000 men to attack the Red area in Jiangxi Province. This poem was written between the first and the second “Encirclement” campaign. Mount Pillar (Mount Buzhou) was a legendary mountain below which furious battles had been fought in ancient times.
Fisherman’s Pride (Yujia’ao)
A cipai (tune pattern) in Chinese ci poetry, suited for bold, heroic themes.
First Encirclement Campaign (1930–1931)
Chiang Kai-shek’s 100,000-strong army attacked the Jiangxi Soviet; Red Army defeated them at Longgang.
Zhang Huizan
Nationalist 18th Division commander, chief commander of the first campaign, captured alive at Longgang.
Longgang
Mountain stronghold in Jiangxi, site of the decisive battle.
Heavenly troops
Classic metaphor for a just, invincible army (here, the Red Army).
Mount Buzhou (Buzhou Shan)
Mythic mountain from Huainanzi. Legend: Gong Gong (a rebellious god) struck it, breaking the sky-pillar – symbolizing revolutionary force overthrowing the old order.
渔家傲·反第一次大”围剿”
毛泽东, 一九三一年春
万木霜天红烂漫，
天兵怒气冲霄汉。
雾满龙冈千嶂暗，
齐声唤，
前头捉了张辉瓒。
二十万军重入赣，
风烟滚滚来天半。
唤起工农千百万，
同心干，
不周山下红旗乱。
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