–Mao Zedong, February 1936 Behold the northern land’s grand view:A thousand leagues locked in ice and frost,Ten thousand leagues where snowflakes lostIn whirling flight the sky bestrew.Great Wall stretches far, beyond and near;One vast white waste alone appears.The Yellow River’s mighty tideFrom source to sea is stilled, dried.Mountains like silver serpents glide;Plains like waxen…
–Mao Zedong, 1934–1935 (On the Long March) I Peaks!On galloping steeds we ride, never weak.Look back – we standThree feet from Heaven’s hand.
– Mao Zedong, October 1929 Man ages all too easily, Heaven never grows old.Year by year comes the Double Ninth;Again the Double Ninth arrives,Yellow chrysanthemums on the battlefield smell especially sweet.
Wu Qing’an, also known as Wu Yun, distinguished himself when he was still a boy. A taishi (court historian) by the name of Ge was impressed by his writing and asked a friend to invite Wu to his residence.