– by Mao Zedong, 1925
I stand alone in the autumn chill
On the bank of the Xiang River, heading north,
Watching the thousands of hills blaze red
And the woods dyed layer upon layer.
The river stretches clear, a hundred boats racing across the waves.
Eagles strike the sky, fish dart in the shallow depths –
All creatures strive freely under the frosty sky.
Lost in thought, I gaze at the boundless expanse;
Who rules the rise and fall of this vast land?
I recall the past, full of glorious years:
Together with a host of friends, we roamed in the prime of youth,
Scholars in full bloom, fiery and spirited.
Pointing to rivers and mountains, denouncing the age,
Our writings ranked lords and officials as mere dust.
Do you still remember
How we struck the river’s waves,
Sending the swift current leaping high?
Note
In 1925, Mao returned to Hunan and wrote this poem while overlooking the Xiang River in Changsha, expressing his revolutionary ideals and ambition to reform the nation.
Ci poetry (Song lyric)
A traditional Chinese poetic form governed by fixed tonal patterns and titles called cipai. Qinyuanchun (Spring in a Pleasure Garden) is a classic and grand cipai, often used to express lofty aspirations, landscape scenery, and heroic feelings.
Revolutionary youth culture in the 1920s
Progressive Chinese students and intellectuals criticized reality, pursued national independence and social reform, and formed a spirit of fearlessness and patriotism.
Traditional Chinese landscape lyricism
Combining natural scenery with personal emotions and political ideals is a major tradition in Chinese poetry, known as “using scenery to express emotion”.
Xiang River
The mother river of Hunan, running through Changsha; a core geographical symbol of the poem.
Hills and woods dyed in autumn colors
A typical scene of southern China in late autumn, symbolizing vigor and ambition rather than sadness.
All creatures strive for freedom
Expresses the vitality of the world and implies the pursuit of liberation and self-determination.
Companions / fellow students
Refers to Mao’s revolutionary friends and progressive young intellectuals of the New People’s Study Society, who gathered to discuss state affairs and pursue national salvation.
Pointing to rivers and mountains, denouncing the times
A classic expression for young intellectuals commenting on politics, caring about the country, and changing society.
Striking waves, leaping current
Metaphor for daring to challenge difficulties, opposing old forces, and carrying out revolutionary struggles fearlessly.
沁园春·长沙
毛泽东 · 一九二五年
独立寒秋，湘江北去，橘子洲头。
看万山红遍，层林尽染；漫江碧透，百舸争流。
鹰击长空，鱼翔浅底，万类霜天竞自由。
怅寥廓，问苍茫大地，谁主沉浮？
携来百侣曾游。忆往昔峥嵘岁月稠。
恰同学少年，风华正茂；书生意气，挥斥方遒。
指点江山，激扬文字，粪土当年万户侯。
曾记否，到中流击水，浪遏飞舟？
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