Cattle are the faithful friends of mankind, not only eat grass and milk, but also plough fields and carry weights, and people who can bear hardships and selfless dedication are often compared to cattle.
If there was a cow in the ancient rural family, its economic conditions were generally relatively good, so the cow also symbolized a kind of wealth in a sense. The old cow is industrious, selfless, brave and stubborn, but also takes little and contributes a lot, so poets often praise its noble qualities. The following introduces two poems about old cattle, idyllic and leisurely, the picture is warm, full of strong local atmosphere.
Ripe
Song Dynasty: Kong Pingzhong
The 100-mile west wind is fragrant, and the Mingquan Falls Dou Valley appears.
The old cow roughed the cultivation debt, and the grass slope lay in the sunset.
Kong Pingzhong was a poet in the middle and late Northern Song Dynasty, he was a man of integrity, did not like to go with the flow, and was degraded many times in his life. His poetry works mostly reflect real life, and this poem has been passed down for a long time and is also a very good pastoral poem.
The first two sentences delicately depict a beautiful picture of the countryside, the golden autumn season, the west wind is refreshing, the poet takes a walk in the countryside, only to see the endless field of 100 miles, the fruit is abundant, the grass is fragrant, and it is gratifying to see the harvest in sight.
The poet reveled in the beauty of the countryside in front of him, and at this time, the sound of gushing water drew his eyes to a pool of green water. The spring water flows out of the crevices of the rocks and merges into the deep pool below, emitting a pleasant sound of Qingyue, and it symphonizes with the busy sounds of people on the sunbathing field, showing a rich harvest scene.
The last two sentences are full of rural atmosphere, "The old cow has roughed the cultivation debt, and the grass slope lies in the sunset." After the crops are ripe, the weather is getting cooler, and the old cattle have finished a day's work, as if relieved, lying on the slope and eating grass, a leisurely and self-satisfied appearance. It was as if to say to the people, don't disturb me, I want to rest well, I need to reload my ammunition, and I will continue to fight tomorrow.
Under the setting sun and on the slope, an old cow and a piece of grass seem to be a silhouette, and it is like a custom painting of the countryside. The lazy appearance of the old cow also reflects the quiet and idyllic atmosphere of the countryside, and makes people feel the hardships of the peasants' labor and the pressure on their shoulders.
Village residence
Song Dynasty: Zhang Shunmin
The water wraps around the bamboo fence in the field, and the elm money falls on the hibiscus flowers.
The sunset cow has no one to lie on its back, and it brings the jackdaws back in pairs.
Zhang Shunmin was a poet and painter of the Northern Song Dynasty, who lived during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, was upright and outspoken, and although his career was uncertain, he always adhered to the principle of his own life as a person. This "Village Residence" is his masterpiece, depicting the scenery in the countryside and also showing the author's leisurely interest.
The author was once the inspector of the imperial court, and during this period, he was busy with work every day, and usually had the rare opportunity to travel. So when he occasionally enjoys the natural landscape of the countryside, the mood is extremely relaxed.
The first two sentences depict many images, such as the babbling of water, the green leaves of grass, the green water, the hedges of green bamboo, the elm tree with its leaves falling, and the sparse hibiscus flowers on the branches. The desolate scene in front of him not only conveys the season of late autumn, but also shows a quiet atmosphere and a faint sadness in the poet's heart.
The poet was lamenting that time was rushing, and suddenly saw an old cow leisurely walking in his direction, which also aroused great interest from Caizi. "Sunset cattle back no one lies down", is still the sunset evening light, or return from labor, but the cow's back is missing the shepherd boy, there is no hoe behind the farmer, is this old cow going to the field alone?
The reader must also want to know the answer, but the author is silent, and the ending is more intriguing, "with the jackdaw two returns" . The poet watched silently, until he approached, and then he saw clearly that the back of the cow was not empty, but there were two jackdaws, which was really full of poetry, as if the breeze was mixed with the smell of grass, earth, and even cow dung.
The author is worthy of being a poet and painter, an old cow that walks slowly, a jackdaw standing quietly, and seems to be a pair of friends. They coexist in harmony and contrast with each other, which surprises the poet and makes him feel that his existence is superfluous. The poet will surely hold his breath and not dare to disturb the tranquility of this moment!