Original text and translation of "Visiting Shanxi Village"

"Visiting Shanxi Village"

[Song Dynasty] Lu You?

Mo Xiao's farmhouse is full of wax and wine, and in good years there are enough chickens and dolphins for visitors.

The mountains and rivers are full of doubts and there is no way out, and there is another village with dark willows and bright flowers.

The flutes and drums follow the spring society, and the clothes and clothes are simple and ancient.

From now on, if I am allowed to take advantage of the moonlight, I will knock on the door all the time and night with my stick.

Translation:

Don’t laugh at the turbid wine brewed by farmers in the twelfth lunar month. In the harvest years, the dishes for entertaining guests are very rich.

The mountains are overlapping and the water is twisting. I am worried that there is no way to go. Suddenly, another mountain village appears in front of me.

The day of playing the flute and playing the drum in the Spring Society is approaching, but the villagers still preserve the ancient custom of simple clothes.

If I can still take advantage of the beautiful moonlight to go out for leisure in the future, I will knock on your door at any time with a cane.

Notes:

Lajiu: This refers to the wine brewed in the twelfth lunar month.

Tún: It means preparing sumptuous dishes. Sufficient: sufficient, abundant. Dolphin, piglet, refers to pork in Chinese.

Mountains and rivers overlap: mountains and rivers overlap one after another.

The willows are dark and the flowers are bright: the willows are dark green and the flowers are red.

Xiaogu: Play the flute and drum. Spring Society: In ancient times, the fifth Wu day after the beginning of spring was regarded as the Spring Society Day. People worshiped She Gong (God of the Earth) and the God of Grains to pray for a good harvest.

Ancient customs: retaining the simple ancient customs.

Ruoxu: If so. Take advantage of the moon: Come by the moonlight when you have free time.

No time: There is no certain time, that is, anytime. Knock (kòu): knock on the door.

Introduction to the author:

Lu You (1125-1210), known as Wu Guan, also known as Fang Weng. Han nationality, native of Shanyin, Yuezhou (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang), and a famous poet in the Southern Song Dynasty. When he was young, he was influenced by his family's patriotism. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, he took the examination of the Ministry of Rites and was deposed by Qin Hui. During the reign of Emperor Xiaozong, he was granted a Jinshi background. He entered Shu in middle age and devoted himself to military life. He was appointed to Baozhang Pavilion and was waiting to be appointed. In his later years, he retired to his hometown. He kept writing throughout his life, and now has more than 9,000 poems, which are extremely rich in content. Together with Wang Anshi, Su Shi and Huang Tingjian, he is known as the "Four Great Poets of the Song Dynasty", and together with Yang Wanli, Fan Chengda and You Miao, he is known as the "Four Great Masters of the Southern Song Dynasty". He is the author of "Jiannan Poetry Manuscript", "Weinan Collected Works", "Shu of the Southern Tang Dynasty", "Notes of Laoxue'an", etc.

Interpretation and Appreciation:

The first couplet: "Don't laugh at the farmers' wax wine. In good years, there are enough chickens and dolphins for guests." It describes the farmers' hospitable and honest conduct in good harvest years.

Mountains and rivers are full of doubts and there is no way out, and there is another village with dark willows and bright flowers." This sentence describes the scenery of a mountain village and was used by later generations to describe a situation that had fallen into a desperate situation and suddenly turned around.

Neck couplet: "The flutes and drums follow the Spring Society, and the simple and ancient style of clothing remains." It not only writes the joy of the Spring Society, but also expresses the simplicity and loveliness of the folk customs.

The last couplet: "From now on, if I am allowed to take a leisurely trip to the moon, I will knock on the door at night with my stick." It describes a person taking a leisurely trip by the moon and visiting villagers at night.

The poet was impeached by the capitulationists and returned to his hometown, of course he was aggrieved. Compared with the deceitful officialdom, the simple life in my hometown will naturally produce infinite gratification. In addition, although the poet seems to be at ease, he cannot forget the state affairs. The people who serve the country are short-sighted and have no long-term plans. However, the poet has not lost confidence and is convinced that one day he will be able to achieve peace and prosperity. This state of mind coincided with the scenery he was traveling to, so the two aspects negotiated, resulting in the couplets "Mountain Heavy" and "Willow Darkness" that have been passed down through the ages.

Lu You’s Qilu is the most effective. This seven-rhyme poem has a rigorous structure and a prominent main line. There is no word "you" in the eight lines of the poem, but the word "you" is used everywhere, which is full of excitement and endless meaning. And clearly layered. Especially the two couplets in the middle have neat contrasts and are good at describing difficult scenes, like beads falling on a jade plate, flowing smoothly, reaching a high artistic level.