Mao Zedong · Autumn 1929
A sudden burst of wind and rain:
The warlords fight again.
Sowing on earth but grief and pain,
Once more, a golden dream in vain.
Over River Ting our red flags leap;
To Longyan and Shanghang we sweep·.
A part of golden realm in hand,
We ‘re busy sharing out the land.
Note
In March 1929 began the war between Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) and the warlords of Guangxi Province. In August broke out the war between Jiang and two warlords of the Northern clique. Taking advantage of the clash between these warlords, the Red Army led by Mao Zedong crossed the River Ting in the west of Fujian Province, liberated Changting, Longyan and Shanghang in September, established revolutionary bases there and redistributed the land to the peasants.
Ci Poetry (Song Lyric)
Qing Ping Le (Pure Serene Music) is a classic cipai (tune title) in classical Chinese poetry, often used to express political commentary, scene description, and emotional expression.
Revolutionary Lyric Poetry in China
Poetry that records revolutionary history, exposes reactionary forces, praises peasant movements and the Red Army, typical of Mao Zedong’s poetic creation.
Chiang Kai-shek & the Guangxi Clique (Chiang-Gui War)
Refers to the 1929 civil war between Chiang Kai-shek’s group and the Guangxi warlords (Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi) fighting for territory and power.
Red Army & Revolutionary Base in Western Fujian
The Red Army crossed the Ting River, occupied Longyan and Shanghang, established revolutionary rule, and carried out land reform.
Sudden burst of wind and rain
A metaphor for sudden and drastic changes in the political and military situation.
A golden dream in vain
Allusion to the Tang legend The Tale of the Pillow: a man dreams of glory but wakes to find the millet still cooking. It means warlords’ ambitions are empty illusions.
Golden realm
Traditional Chinese metaphor for a complete, unbroken national territory.
Sharing out the land
Refers to the Land Revolution, in which the Red Army abolished feudal land ownership and distributed land to poor peasants.
清平乐·蒋桂战争
毛泽东 · 一九二九年秋
风云突变，军阀重开战。
洒向人间都是怨，一枕黄粱再现。
红旗跃过汀江，直下龙岩上杭。
收拾金瓯一片，分田分地真忙。
Leave a Reply