–Mao Zedong, 1935
The west wind rages high;
Wild geese cry ‘neath frosty dawn and sky.
Frosty dawn and sky –
Hoof beats scatter low;
Bugles moan and die.
Don’t say this iron rampart stands fast;
Today we stride across, a new start cast.
A new start cast –
Green hills like ocean vast;
Setting sun like blood, unsurpassed.
Note
The Pass of Mount Lou (Loushan Pass) was situated to the north of Zunyi County. Guizhou Province, on the communication line between Guizhou and Sichuan. The Red Army on the long march occupied the Pass twice, before and after the Zunyi Meeting held in January 1935, when Mao Zedong’s leadership was established in the Chinese Communist Party.
Mao wrote this poem in February 1935, right after the Red Army recaptured Loushan Pass during the Long March. This victory came after the Zunyi Conference (January 1935), which re-established Mao’s leadership. It marked a crucial turning point after severe setbacks.
Ci Pai: Yi Qin E
A classic ci (song lyric) tune, originating from the Tang Dynasty. It is characterized by repeating lines and a somber, stirring tone, fitting for heroic and reflective themes.
Loushan Pass
A strategic, precipitous mountain pass in northern Guizhou, known as “the first pass of northern Guizhou”. It was a vital gateway between Sichuan and Guizhou, fiercely contested by warlords and the Red Army. The battle here was the Red Army’s first major victory on the Long March.
Revolutionary Landscape Poetry
A modern Chinese poetic style that merges descriptions of harsh natural scenery with revolutionary determination and optimism. Nature (mountains, wind, setting sun) becomes a metaphor for struggle and triumph.
West wind rages high
In Chinese culture, the west wind symbolizes cold, harshness, and adversity. It sets the bleak, tense mood of the pre-dawn battle.
Frosty dawn and moon
A vivid scene of a cold, moonlit morning. It conveys loneliness, hardship, and the quiet resolve of the marching army.
Hoofbeats scatter low; Bugles moan and die
Onomatopoeic imagery. “Scatter” and “moan” depict the suppressed, tense atmosphere of silent, rapid movement before battle.
Iron rampart
A metaphor for Loushan Pass’s impregnable, unbreakable defense.
Stride across, a new start cast
The core spirit: defying all obstacles, starting anew with unyielding courage, even after heavy losses.
Green hills like ocean vast; Setting sun like blood
The poem’s most famous lines.
Mountains like ocean
Symbolizes the endless, majestic revolutionary path.
Sun like blood
A powerful, tragic image of sacrifice, victory, and the solemnity of history.
忆秦娥-娄山关
毛泽东 – 1935
西风烈，
长空雁叫霜晨月。
霜晨月，
马蹄声碎，
喇叭声咽。
雄关漫道真如铁，
而今迈步从头越。
从头越，
苍山如海，
残阳如血。
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