登高 Climbing Heights
风急天高猿啸哀，渚清沙白鸟飞回。
fēng jí tiān gāo yuán xiào āi ， zhǔ qīng shā bái niǎo fēi huí 。
The winds rush, the sky soars, the gibbons' mournful cry, Clear waters, white sands, birds return to the sky.
无边落木萧萧下，不尽长江滚滚来。
wú biān luò mù xiāo xiāo xià ， bù jìn cháng jiāng gǔn gǔn lái 。
Endless falling leaves rustle, softly descending, The boundless Yangtze River, endlessly rolling.
万里悲秋常作客，百年多病独登台。
wàn lǐ bēi qiū cháng zuò kè ， bǎi nián duō bìng dú dēng tái 。
Traversing a thousand miles, sadness lingers, a constant traveler, A hundred years of afflictions, alone atop the stage.
艰难苦恨繁霜鬓，潦倒新停浊酒杯。
jiān nán kǔ hèn fán shuāng bìn ， lǎo dǎo xīn tíng zhuó jiǔ bēi 。
Difficulties and regrets, etched upon frosty temples,In disarray, the murky wine cup now rests.
Background
In the autumn of the year 767 AD (唐代宗大历二年), within the bounds of Kuizhou (夔州), the poet Du Fu, at the age of fifty-six, found himself standing alone atop a high terrace outside the White Emperor City (白帝城). Gazing upon the desolate autumnal scene of the river, his thoughts were stirred, and he became immersed in the melancholy of his drifting life and the sorrows of his old age and solitude. Thus, was born this magnificent Seven-character-quatrain, renowned as the "Crown of Seven-character-quatrains" (七律之冠)
Overview
The poem "Climbing Heights" by Du Fu evokes an overall sense of desolation and loneliness. The blending of emotions and scenery allows his personal sorrow, frustration, and melancholy to merge with the desolate autumn landscape. He skillfully conveys a deep sense of gloom and dejection, leaving readers overwhelmed with a surge of emotions, akin to an unstoppable volcanic eruption.
The poet begins with the autumn scene, but swiftly transitions to his own feelings and experiences. He vividly describes his old age and ailments, ascending the high terrace with a heavy heart, expressing his emotions of longing for loved ones in a distant land. The final couplet, "Worn by hardship, burdened by regrets, with frosty temples and a wine cup set aside," uses four poignant words - "hardship," "pain," "bitterness," and "regret" - to depict the depth of his inner suffering and melancholy. The verses are filled with sorrows, tangled thoughts, and unfulfilled aspirations, showing the poignant feelings of autumn and the profound sense of distress.
In terms of writing techniques, the first couplet focuses on portraying the specific scenery, akin to the meticulous brushstrokes of a painter, carefully depicting form, sound, color, and demeanor. The second couplet, however, emphasizes creating an atmospheric portrayal of autumn, like an impressionistic painting, leaving room for readers' imagination. The third couplet expresses emotions, addressing both time (vertical) and space (horizontal), depicting his wandering life in a foreign land and his ailing health. The fourth couplet then delves into the effects of aging, illness, and the hardships of the times, unraveling the root cause of his distress and dejection. Through this masterful composition, Du Fu's deep sense of patriotism and empathy for his era are vividly conveyed on paper.
Line Breakdown
风急天高猿啸哀，渚清沙白鸟飞回。
The winds rush, the sky soars, the gibbons' mournful cry, Clear waters, white sands, birds return to the sky.
"Climbing Heights" starts with depicting the scenery, setting the stage, and creating a desolate atmosphere. The first two lines are a perfect blend of motion and stillness, with a tranquil atmosphere enveloped within the dynamic description, presenting a masterful ink painting with a cold color tone.
The use of "urgency (急) " and "mourn (哀)" immediately immerses the reader into the melancholic ambiance crafted by the author. The poet's anguish and distress are condensed and projected onto the plight of the birds, described as flying back in the desolate and barren "clear waters and white sands (渚清沙白)" This creates a bleak and desolate image, where the "clear shores" are associated with purity and tranquility, but contrasted with the "white sands" and lonely flight of the birds, evoking a sense of isolation, akin to the feeling of a lonely bird circling a tree, without a place to rest. The overwhelming sense of sorrow and grief arises naturally.
The overall composition of the painting reveals a narrow and microscopic view of a specific place in the vast world, showcasing a bleak watercolor painting. The poet manages to capture the essence of the desolate and deserted landscape, skillfully utilizing imagery to depict the solitary existence and sorrowful emotions of the birds, allowing the reader to deeply resonate with the poem's mood and meaning.
无边落木萧萧下，不尽长江滚滚来。
Endless falling leaves rustle, softly descending, The boundless Yangtze River, endlessly rolling.
The first two lines masterfully capture the quintessential essence of autumn in Kui Prefecture. The poet gazes upwards at the boundless expanse of rustling falling leaves and gazes downward at the unceasing rush and tumultuous flow of the river. While portraying the scenery, the poet deeply conveys his own emotions. The phrases "boundless (无边)" and "unending (不尽)" add vividness to the imagery, evoking not only the rustling of falling leaves but also the surging power of the mighty Yangtze River. Implicitly, it conveys the fleeting passage of time and the sorrow of unfulfilled aspirations. Through the poignant and melancholic couplets, the poet's profound artistic prowess is showcased, exuding a grandeur akin to the flow of innumerable rivers merging eastward. Previous generations have praised it as a unique and unparalleled achievement in the realm of poetic expression.
万里悲秋常作客，百年多病独登台。
Traversing a thousand miles, sadness lingers, a constant traveler, A hundred years of afflictions, alone atop the stage.
In the next couplet, the perspective returns back to the microcosm, focusing back on the poet himself. It reads: "Through thousands of miles, sorrowful autumn often leaves me as a guest, For a hundred years, plagued by ailments, I stand alone on the platform." The phrase "sorrowful autumn" already evokes a deep sense of melancholy, and "through thousands of miles, sorrowful autumn" intensifies the feeling of heartache. The use of the word "常" (often) emphasizes the perpetual companionship of the poet with this sorrowful autumn, creating a profound and poignant sense of desolation that leaves one without solace.
The poet's choice of words is indeed skillful and nuanced. Normally, "作" (to accompany) is used with abstract things, such as "作难" (to make it difficult) or "作别" (to say farewell). On the other hand, "做" (to do/make) is used with concrete and tangible things, like "做作业" (to do homework) or "做衣服" (to make clothes). However, here the poet uses "作" with "客" (guest), which is typically a concrete and tangible term referring to a person. The use of "作" instead of "做" adds a sense of artistry and complexity to the verse. "万里悲秋" (sorrowful autumn through thousands of miles) is an abstract concept, symbolizing the sense of loneliness and melancholy that the poet experiences while away from home. By using "作" with "客," the poet intensifies the feeling of solitude and sorrow, emphasizing that it is only "万里悲秋" (sorrowful autumn through thousands of miles) that keeps him company, leaving him "独登台" (alone on the platform) in a foreign land with a profound sense of loneliness and melancholy, deeply intertwined with the desolation of the autumn scenery. This artistic choice achieves an exquisite level of expression, expressing the poet's feelings of sorrow and contemplation in the autumn season.
艰难苦恨繁霜鬓，潦倒新停浊酒杯。
Difficulties and regrets, etched upon frosty temples,In disarray, the murky wine cup now rests.
The poem's eight lines are all well-crafted. At first glance, the beginning and end may appear unrelated, and the core and heart of the poem seem unconcerned with symmetry. However, upon closer examination, one finds that every sentence and word within the poem adheres strictly to poetic rules. Not only does the entire composition follow the prescribed structure, but even at the level of each individual sentence and word, meticulous adherence to poetic principles is evident. This poem achieves not only the mastery of form but also the artistry of expression, surpassing the daring of both ancient and modern poets. Its well-deserved acclaim as an exceptional work of all ages, as extolled in Hu Yinglin's "Forest of Poetry," is beyond question.
“旷代之作” - 胡应麟《诗薮》
