Thinking of a Beauty: A Song about History in Chibi

Thinking of a Beauty: A Song about History in Chibi

Author: Su Shi (1037—1101)

The vast river runs east.

The currents wash away

All of the millennium’s best and brightest.

To the west of the old fort,

They say it used to be Chibi for which three kingdoms

fought.

Random rocks shatter the clouds.

Thrilling water ravishes the shoreline,

Swirling up thousands of piles of snow-white foam.

The picturesque landscape,

It was once where many heroes used to roam.

Long ago there was a general Gong-Jin in reality,

Newly wed with Xiaoqiao, an exceptional beauty.

What a robust and radiant man!

Sporting a silk headscarf and waving a feather fan.

During his casual talk,

Strong enemies perish like smoke and crumble like chalk.

While time traveling to the past establishments,

I laugh about my own sentiments

That cause early gray hair.

Life resembles a dream,

In which I toast to the moonlight flickering on the river.

The “three kingdoms” mentioned in the poem above existed from 220 to 280 AD, when China was divided as Wei (魏), Shu (蜀) and Wu (吴). The three fought one another to become China’s sole ruler. The general Gongjin depicted in the poem above served Wu, but the kingdom that eventually won was Wei.

About the Poet: Su’s given name was Shi, but he is better known as Dongpo because he called himself Dongpo Jushi (东坡居士), which means “east hillside Buddhist” in Chinese.

Disappointed with politics, Su learned to look upon life philosophically, with a sense of humour. He found comfort in the beauty of nature, fine arts and poetry. He is listed among the so-called “eight best writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties (唐宋八大家).”