今我不乐思岳阳，身欲奋飞病在床。
jīn wǒ bù lè sī yuè yáng ， shēn yù fèn fēi bìng zài chuáng 。
美人娟娟隔秋水，濯足洞庭望八荒。
měi rén juān juān gé qiū shuǐ ， zhuó zú dòng tíng wàng bā huāng 。
鸿飞冥冥日月白，青枫叶赤天雨霜。
hóng fēi míng míng rì yuè bái ， qīng fēng yè chì tiān yǔ shuāng 。
玉京群帝集北斗，或骑骐驎翳凤凰。
yù jīng qún dì jí běi dǒu ， huò qí qí chuǎn yì fèng huáng 。
芙蓉旌旗烟雾乐，影动倒景摇潇湘。
fú róng jīng qí yān wù lè ， yǐng dòng dǎo jǐng yáo xiāo xiāng 。
星宫之君醉琼浆，羽人稀少不在旁。
xīng gōng zhī jūn zuì qióng jiāng ， yǔ rén xī shǎo bù zài páng 。
似闻昨者赤松子，恐是汉代韩张良。
sì wén zuó zhě chì sōng zǐ ， kǒng shì hàn dài hán zhāng liáng 。
昔随刘氏定长安，帷幄未改神惨伤。
xī suí liú shì dìng cháng ān ， wéi wò wèi gǎi shén cǎn shāng 。
国家成败吾岂敢，色难腥腐餐风香。
guó jiā chéng bài wú qǐ gǎn ， sè nán xīng fǔ cān fēng xiāng 。
周南留滞古所惜，南极老人应寿昌。
zhōu nán liú zhì gǔ suǒ xī ， nán jí lǎo rén yīng shòu chāng 。
美人胡为隔秋水，焉得置之贡玉堂。
měi rén hú wéi gé qiū shuǐ ， yān dé zhì zhī gòng yù táng 。
寄韩谏议注 or "Annotation on Han Jian Yi's Memorial" is neither the most eloquent of Du Fu`s works nor most representative of his dominant poetic style. However, this poem is unique, and not to be overshadowed by his other works.
This poem was written by Du Fu after he left Kuizhou (夔州) and before he entered the gorge (出峡). Having experienced the hardships of life and the vicissitudes of the world, he was now in his old age and struggling with illness, entering his twilight years. The opening line "今我不乐 Today I am not happy" indicates the poet's state of mind at the point of time. This is also expressed in the concluding lines, where Du Fu expresses his consistent concern for the people and the state.
The line "周南留滞 " or "Zhou Nan is stranded" compares Han Jianyi (韩谏议) to Ma Tan (太史公司马谈), expressing regret for his lack of opportunity to serve the court and the people, despite his talents. The line "南极老人" or "The Old Man of the South Pole" reveals the poet's ultimate concern in his poetry, which is not limited to personal emotions, but rather to the fate of the country and the people.
Du Fu hopes that "美人 beauty" can be offered to the "玉堂 Jade Hall" which symbolises the court. He deeply regrets that Han Jianyi, who had talent comparable to Han Zhang (韩张) and Sima Qian (司马迁) both renowned officials, did not have the opportunity to serve the court and the people, ending up stranded and spending his whole life in obscurity. A great misfortune for the country.
Although this poem is in the form of seven-character lines, it can be said that it embodies the style of the "Chu Ci" （楚骚之风）in terms of the selection of poetic imagery, the creation of artistic conception, and the expression of emotions.
Ye Jianran's （叶矫然）"Poetry Talk of the Longxing Hall" 《龙性堂诗话》called this work "文心幻森，直登屈、宋之堂 the ethereal forest of literary heart, straight into the halls of Qu Yuan and Song Yu" showing a deep understanding of the Chu Ci style.
今我不乐思岳阳，身欲奋飞病在床。
"My heart is melancholy, yearning for Yueyang (a town on the shores of Dongting Lake), longing to soar high but instead confined to a hospital bed. "
These opening lines were praised by Yang Lun (杨伦) in his commentary "Mirror and Scale of Du Fu's Poetry" 《杜诗镜铨》for their mystical and ethereal quality. (“开口便有神游羽御之意“）
美人娟娟隔秋水，濯足洞庭望八荒。
"How lovely is the lady from afar across the autumn waters, as you wash your feet by the shores of Dongting Lake, gazing wistfully in all directions."
The following lines 美人 or "beautiful woman" and 秋水 or "autumn waters" continue the metaphors from Li Sao 《离骚》 and evoke the sentiments of missing Han Jianyi.
鸿飞冥冥日月白，
"The geese fly towards the distant sky, while the bright sun and moon radiate their brilliance."
青枫叶赤天雨霜。
"The autumn breeze tinges the green leaves of maple trees red, and frost descends upon the autumn sky."
"鸿飞冥冥" or "The wild goose flies into the misty void" borrows from the language of Fa Yan 《法言》 to compare Han Jianyi's seclusion.
“叶赤” or "Red leaves" and “雨霜” or "rain and frost" draw on the imagery of poems by Bao Zhao (鲍) and Xie Lingyun (谢) to depict the deep autumn scene. The lines from other poems are selected based on the similarity of their imagery, creating a seamless fusion of poetic atmosphere. The poet's emotions seem to come from the heavens and be born from the water. The frequent mentions of place names such as “岳阳” or "Yueyang city," “洞庭” or "Dongting Lake" and “潇湘” or "Xiaoxiang river " indicate the location of Han Jun's retreat and imbue the poem with a strong regional characteristic of Chu culture.
玉京群帝集北斗，或骑骐驎翳凤凰。
"The celestial beings of the Jade Palace gather in the North Star Palace, some riding the mythical creatures of Qilin, while others mounted on the Phoenix."
芙蓉旌旗烟雾乐，影动倒景摇潇湘。
"The fluttering flags adorned with hibiscus decorations are waving like a mist, casting their shadows against the Xiang River that reflects the beauty of the bright sun."
星宫之君醉琼浆，羽人稀少不在旁。
"The celestial emperor of the star palace is reveling there in fine wine, but alas, immortals are scarce and far away."
This poem uses this representation of heaven to reflect the realities of society. These six lines describe events in heaven as a reference to the events of the imperial court and the Emperor. Much like the depiction of a fantastical world in Li Bai's "Drinking Alone by Moonlight" 《梦游天姥吟留别》which we will cover in a later article.
The poet employs symbolism and metaphor like Qu Yuan (屈原) to depict the ethereal and elusive nature of the world of gods and immortals, yet every line is a metaphor of the political realities of the time. Using analogy, the poet starts with the thought of the "美人 beautiful woman" in the autumn waters of Dongting Lake and leaps to the realm of celestial officials, expressing a strong contrast between “仕” or "serving" and “隐” or "hiding", conveying the glory of the past and misery of the present.
"羽人稀少不在旁" or "Few flying men are nearby" is a portrayal of Han Jun's political fate, while "影动倒景摇潇湘" or "the shadow moves and the scene shakes Xiangjiang" corresponds to the place where "美人 beautiful woman" (Han JianYi).
似闻昨者赤松子，恐是汉代韩张良。
"According to what I've heard, you retired already and, like Zhang Liang during the Han Dynasty, followed the eponymous Red Pine."
The Taoist hermit, who was once a gifted counsel and assisted the emperor in winning a battle, uttered these remarks. The mention of Han Zhangliang's famous quote "运筹帷握之中，决胜千里之外” or "holding the fate of the nation in one's hands, deciding the outcome from a thousand miles away" (from "Annals of Emperor Gaozu" in the "Book of Han")《汉书·高祖纪》is a compliment to the political skill that Han Jianyi had.
昔随刘氏定长安，帷幄未改神惨伤。
"You once pacified the country. However, the weight of administrative duties left you weary and disheartened"
国家成败吾岂敢，色难腥腐餐风香。
"You stated that the fate of the country is beyond your control. You abandoned the material world in search of the Tao (Taoism), unable to remain in this impure world."
周南留滞古所惜，南极老人应寿昌。
"Sima Qian, the renowned historian, bemoaned being stuck in Luoyang, and you, why did you chose to retire in Xiangxiang?" "When the Old Man Star emerges in the sky, the Earth will be at peace and in excellent health."
In Chinese astrology, the Old Man Star (also known as the "Grand Duke Jupiter" or "Tai Sui") is associated with a deity believed to influence one's fortune and luck in a given year.
美人胡为隔秋水，焉得置之贡玉堂。
"Why can't we see one other over the autumn waters? When are you going to be willing to return to court and come out of seclusion??"
According to Qiu Zhao Ao`s (仇兆鳌) "Detailed Annotations on Du Fu's Poetry" 《杜诗详注》 Huang Shengyu (黄生语) believes that Du Fu used Han Jianyi's experience as a metaphor for his own life. Du Fu felt deeply that one's personal destiny is difficult to control when caught up in the political maelstrom. Therefore, he could understand Han Jianyi's tragic experience of "帷握未改神惨伤" or "holding the fate in one's hands without changing the painful expression."
Du Fu used Han Jianyi as a metaphor for himself, and the image of Han Jianyi can be seen throughout the poem, reflecting the poet's own struggles. As for the line "国家成败吾岂敢，色难腥腐餐枫香" or "How could I dare to govern the nation's rise and fall? Only the lovely scent of maple can conceal the terrible taste, which is difficult to swallow." it is unclear whether it is a reference to Han Jianyi or the poet's own inner thoughts.