ISBN: 0-9551672-2-1 PAGES: 32
Mao Zedong Selected Poems
Title: Mao Zedong Selected Poems
Chinese English Bilingual Version
Writer: Mao Zedong Translator: Haying Zhang
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was not only a great political leader of China, he also wrote many poems in his life. His poems are all in the traditional Chinese verse style. Mao's poetry is bold and powerful, bringing history, reality and commitment together. He is a romantic poet deeply influenced by the Tang Dynasty poets Li Bai and Li He. This publication includes twenty of his poems both in Chinese and English with explanation for each poem.
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Poems Selected:
1. 沁园春 长沙 Chang Sha (1925)
2. 菩萨蛮 黄鹤楼 Yellow Crane Tower (1927)
3. 西江月 井冈山 Jing Gang Mountain (1928)
4. 清平乐 蒋桂战争 Jiang Gui Conflict (1929)
5. 采桑子 重阳 The Double Ninth Festival (1929.10)
6. 如梦令 元旦 New Year's Day (1930.01)
7. 减字木兰花 广昌路上 On The Way To Guangchang (1930.02)
8. 蝶恋花 从汀州向长沙 From Tingzhou To Changsha (1930.07)
9. 渔家傲 反第一次大“围剿” Against The First Encirclement (1931)
10. 清平乐 会昌 Hui Chang (1934)
11. 忆秦娥 娄山关 Lou Shan Pass (1935.02)
12. 十六字令三首 Three Short Poems (1934-1935)
13. 七律 长征 The Long March (1935.10)
14. 清平乐 六盘山 Liu Pan Mountain (1935.10)
15. 沁园春 雪 Snow (1936.02)
16. 七律 人民解放军占领南京 The PLA Captures Nanjing (1949.04)
17. 七律 和柳亚子先生 Reply To Mr Liu Yazi (1950.10)
18. 蝶恋花 答李淑一 Reply To Li Shuyi (1957.05)
19. 七绝 为李进同志题所摄庐山仙人洞照 The Fairy Cave Of Lu Mountain (1961.09)
20. 卜算子 咏梅 Ode To The Plum Blossom (1961.12)
Sample Poems:
1. 渔 家 傲
反第一次大“围剿”
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，
风烟滚滚来半天。
唤起工农千百万，
同心干，
不周山下红旗乱。
AGAINST THE FIRST ENCIRCLEMENT
- To the tune of Yu Jia Ao
Spring 1931
Trees in frost, red leaves are blooming,
Heavenly troops anger rising,
Mountains look dark, fog in Long Gang,
We are shouting,
At the front, we seized Zhang Huizan.
Enemies’ huge troops came to Jiangxi again,
Half the sky wind and smoke coming.
Millions of workers and peasants are doing
The same thing.
Red flags down Buzhou Mountain chaotically flying.
Explanation:
Against The First Encirclement (1931) Zhang Huizan (Line 5), the KMT general who led the first Encirclement Campaign, was killed after being captured by the Red Army. Buzhou Mountain (Line 10) is a legendary mountain in the Chinese tradition. It is said Buzhou Mountain was one of the four pillars supporting the sky. The God of Water, Gong Gong quarrelled with the God of Fire, Zhu Rong for some reason. Gong Gong was defeated and got so angry that he banged his head against the Buzhou Mountain. The Buzhou Mountain pillar supporting the sky collapsed, a huge hole appeared in the sky and heavy rain poured down from heaven, causing a huge flood on earth. Here Mao expressed his appreciation for Gong Gong's rebellious spirit.
2.蝶 恋 花
答 李 淑 一
一九五七年五月十一日
我失骄杨君失柳，
杨柳轻扬直上重霄九。
问讯吴刚何所有，
吴刚捧出桂花酒。
寂寞嫦娥舒广袖，
万里长空且为忠魂舞。
忽报人间曾伏虎，
泪飞顿作倾盆雨。
REPLY TO LI SHUYI
-To the tune of Die Lian Hua
May 11, 1957
I lost proud Poplar you lost Willow,
Poplar and Willow soar up to Heaven,
Asking Wu Gang, what does he have?
Wu Gang takes out laurel wine.
Lonely Chang E spreads her vast sleeves,
Boundless sky, she dances only for good hearts.
Hearing a crouching tiger on earth,
Tears of joy fly like rain pouring down from bowls.
Explanation:
Reply To Li Shuyi (1957.05) This is a poem written in 1957 by Mao Zedong to a female friend, Li Shuyi. In the translation, ‘Poplar’ has the same sound as Mao’s first wife Yang Kaihui's surname, and ‘Willow’ has the same sound as Li Shuyi's husband Liu Zhixun's surname. Yang (Poplar) and Liu (Willow) were both communist members. Yang was killed by the KMT in 1930, and Liu died in 1932 in a battle. In the poem Wu Gang is a man who according to the Chinese legend, lives on the moon, and was forced by the gods to fell a laurel tree forever.
© Little Bird Publishing 2006
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