Chu Guangxi may not be as famous as the "poetry immortal" Li Bai and the "poetry sage" Du Fu, but he can also become a first-class poet, because he is one of the representative figures of the Tang Dynasty landscape pastoral poetry school.
Although he was not as talented as Wang Wei and Meng Haoran. However, in terms of the creation and influence of idylls, Chu Guangxi's idylls are more than and better than Wang and Meng.
Although he was in the Sheng Tang Dynasty, Chu Guangxi's fate was uncertain, and he was only in his 30s to enter the middle school entrance examination, and after being a minor official for more than ten years, he was frustrated by his career and retired to Zhongnan Mountain. This experience in his life is somewhat similar to that of Tao Yuanming, who was on Peng Zeling for less than three months and was unwilling to bend his waist for five buckets of rice and hang up his crown and hide in Lushan.
During the period of seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain, Chu Guangxi also farmed his own land to support himself like Tao Yuanming. Most of the idylls he created during this time were related to farm work or idyllic scenery.
Therefore, he is also the second most influential pastoral poet after Tao Yuanming.
Today, let's share a famous poem by Chu Guangxi, which is beautiful, fresh and gratifying, and full of light.
01 Wing Shan Spring / Mountain Stream Spring Appreciation
Don Chu Guang Xi
There is water in the mountains, and the loan is unknown.
The ground is the sky, and the sound of rain is heard in the air.
Turn to the deep stream full, and divide the small pond flat.
No one sees him, and he is old and self-purifying.
Translations
There is a spring in the mountain, and I ask others what the name of the spring is, but no one knows.
The sky is reflected on the surface of the spring, and the color of the whole ground is the same as the color of the sky, and the spring water flows down from the high cliff like rain.
This spring water flows from the mountain, filling mountain streams and streams, and the tributaries are filled with small ponds.
The tranquility and indifference of this spring water is not seen, but no matter what, this spring water is still so clear year after year.
The poet's poem is written about the spring water in the mountains, the tone is fresh, and the poet is both rich and colorful and exquisitely crafted.
The poet of the first league has a flat tone and starts with a very ordinary spring water.
The jaws "reflect the sky, and the air is the sound of rain." "It's a stroke of Genius. There are metaphors and exaggerations.
Bai Juyi wrote about the river in this way: The spring river is as green as blue.
Chu Guang Xi has a new cut: the reflection of the sky, the blue sky reflected in the water, is it the color of the water or the color of the sky? This is a bit of a Zen, just like the Six Ancestors Hui can talk about the wind, whether the wind moves or the sails.
The phrase "flying in the air and making rain" is very brilliant, showing us a scene of mountain streams running in the mountains.
The poet vividly expresses the spring water in the mountain in a single movement and stillness.
The neck link is intended from a negative point of view, paraphrasing the situation in which the mountain spring has been neglected: although the mountain spring is pure and fresh, when it flows into a deep stream, the water overflows, and is divided into small ponds, the original clarity and aura of the mountain spring are covered by this suffocating environment, as if anyone does not want to see the "reflection" and "flying" of the mountain spring. These descriptions are intended to build momentum for the rest of the text.
The poet of the tail link has a scene to change his feelings, from the narrative to the discussion, pointing out the purpose of the poem: the "tranquility" of the mountain spring is not paid attention to, but it is still year after year, self-cleaning and self-purification, maintaining a spotless disposition.
Although the mountain spring is ordinary, it is flowing out of the ordinary and noble, and the poet's last sentence implies to himself: I would rather be a mountain spring that has been snubbed than to be in league with those who are corrupt officials and mercenaries.
02 Ill-fated Chu Guangxi
Although Chu Guangxi was a first-class poet, he was too bitter compared to Wang Wei and Meng Haoran.
At the age of 30, he was admitted to the jinshi, and he worked as a petty official for many years, but he was frustrated in his career and retired to live in seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain.
Although Wang Wei also lived in seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain, Wang Wei belonged to the half-official and half-hidden, receiving a high salary while enjoying the idyllic scenery, and Chu Guangxi was undoubtedly a farmer. I can only plough.
Probably not used to living a life of seclusion, soon after living in seclusion, Chu Guangxi came out to be an official again, and in the past few years he has had good luck and has been continuously promoted. Within a few years, he became the Inspector of Imperial History.
It wasn't long before the An Shi Rebellion broke out, and An Lushan's rebels soon broke through Chang'an, and many officials were captured, and Chu Guangxi was one of them. Forced to do so, he accepted the pseudo-post. But soon the rebels were defeated. Because Chu Guangxi was questioned and imprisoned for "losing his temper," after trial, he did not have major guilt, and although the death penalty was exonerated, the living crime could not be escaped. The dying Chu Guangxi was relegated to Lingnan.
Although Han Yu and Su Shi were both relegated to Lingnan in their later years, they all left where they lived, and Chu Guangxi was not so lucky, and eventually died in Lingnan.
epilogue
Chu Guangxi's exquisite five-word poem can be compared with Wang Wei's "Mountain Residence Autumn Breeze".
Wang Wei said, "Feel free to rest in the spring, and Wang Sun can stay for himself."
Chu Guangxi said, "No one sees tiantang, and the elderly are self-purifying."
It's all the same realm: tranquility
If he had lived in seclusion like Tao Yuanming, he might not have been so desolate in his later years.
Although his career was relatively unsuccessful, his poetic influence was relatively large, and the great literary hero Su Rui of the Northern Dynasty and fan Cheng, a famous minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, mostly admired his poetry.