古柏行 Ode to the Old Cypress

孔明庙前有老柏，柯如青铜根如石。

^{kǒng míng miào qián yǒu lǎo bǎi ， kē rú qīng tóng gēn rú shí 。}

霜皮溜雨四十围，黛色参天二千尺。

^{shuāng pí liū yǔ sì shí wéi ， dài sè cān tiān èr qiān chǐ 。}

君臣已与时际会，树木犹为人爱惜。

^{jūn chén yǐ yǔ shí jì huì ， shù mù yóu wéi rén ài xī 。}

云来气接巫峡长，月出寒通雪山白。

^{yún lái qì jiē wū xiá cháng ， yuè chū hán tōng xuě shān bái 。}

忆昨路绕锦亭东，先主武侯同閟宫。

^{yì zuó lù rào jǐn tíng dōng ， xiān zhǔ wǔ hóu tóng huī gōng 。}

崔嵬枝干郊原古，窈窕丹青户牖空。

^{cuī wéi zhī gān jiāo yuán gǔ ， yǎo tiǎo dān qīng hù yǒu kōng 。}

落落盘踞虽得地，冥冥孤高多烈风。

^{luò luò pán jù suī dé dì ， míng míng gū gāo duō liè fēng 。}

扶持自是神明力，正直原因造化功。

^{fú chí zì shì shén míng lì ， zhèng zhí yuán yīn zào huà gōng 。}

大厦如倾要梁栋，万牛回首丘山重。

^{dà shà rú qīng yào liáng dòng ， wàn niú huí shǒu qiū shān zhòng 。}

不露文章世已惊，未辞翦伐谁能送。

^{bù lù wén zhāng shì yǐ jīng ， wèi cí jiǎn fá shuí néng sòng 。}

苦心岂免容蝼蚁，香叶终经宿鸾凤。

^{kǔ xīn qǐ miǎn róng lóu yǐ ， xiāng yè zhōng jīng sù luán fèng 。}

志士幽人莫怨嗟，古来材大难为用。

^{zhì shì yōu rén mò yuàn jiē ， gǔ lái cái dà nán wéi yòng 。}

Overview

"Ode to the Old Cypress" uses the old cypress as a metaphor for the poet's own aspirations, with the main theme focused in the first section.

The poem features parallel sentences, with three sets of eight lines each. The sets rhyme, forming distinct paragraphs in a structure similar to another of his poems "Washing the Warhorse" 《洗兵马》.

Throughout the poem, the metaphor between the tree and his characters remains the central focus, with the poet's feelings and emotions interwoven into the description of the cypress tree. Every line mentions the tree, but each sentence also metaphorically represents people.

While the poem is ostensibly about the cypress, the true subject is the poet's admiration for Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮), and Du Fu`s own aspiration to serve the court just as he did.

First Section

The first six lines of the poem comprise the first paragraph, praising the majestic ancient cypress tree and how it brings people together.

孔明庙前有老柏，柯如青铜根如石。

Before the temple of Kong Ming, there stands an ancient cypress tree, With branchesand trunk like bronze and roots firmly set as stone can be.

霜皮溜雨四十围，黛色参天二千尺。

Its bark is pure and smooth, its girth measures forty spans in all, Towering twothousand feet, it stands majestic and tall.

In this context, each line that praises the cypress also metaphorically praises Zhuge Liang, and at the same time, covertly alludes to Du Fu himself. The towering strength and majesty of the cypress embodies Du Fu`s ideal character of a noble warrior, and also his own confidence in his character.

君臣已与时际会，树木犹为人爱惜。

Liu Bei and Kong Ming, a fateful meeting of minds and hearts, And to this day, the tree remains cherished and set apart.

Second Section

The second section consists of ten lines, transitioning from the ancient cypress tree of Kuizhou (夔州) to the ancient cypress tree in the ancestral temple of Chengdu (成都先主庙). The fourth line in particular, depicts both tree and person, harmoniously blending together.

云来气接巫峡长，月出寒通雪山白。

High and proud, the cypress is received by the clouds and mist, And in the moonlight, its shadow reaches far, its beauty cannot be missed.

忆昨路绕锦亭东，先主武侯同閟宫。

Thinking back to days of yore, the small path winding round my cottage door, The temple of the great sage and shrine of the warrior lord,

崔嵬枝干郊原古，窈窕丹青户牖空。

The cypress branches rise and sway in the ancient countryside, The temple's halls and gates stretch wide, painted deep and wide.

落落盘踞虽得地，冥冥孤高多烈风。

The ancient cypress stands alone,despite its lofty and firm abode, Battling fiercewinds that threaten its power and beautiful glow.

扶持自是神明力，正直原因造化功。

Its support is a divine power, strong and sure, Its uprightness and grandeur, a testament to the Creator's power.

To Du Fu, Zhuge Liang was able to realise his potential because of the mutual understanding and support between ruler (Liu Bei) and subject (Zhuge Liang).

While these passages seem to describe a recollection of the past, they are however expressions of Du Fu`s own lamentation. That he is not understood or valued by the court at that time. It is an expression of regret, not being able to use his knowledge and talent to serve the court.

Third Section

The third section contains eight lines, discussing both object and person. The final sentence in addition, is an expression of the poet's frustration at not being able to show his ambitions and his grief at his talent being unrecognized.

大厦如倾要梁栋，万牛回首丘山重。

If a great building were to topple, it would need beams and posts to keep it straight, The ancient cypress is heavy as a mountain and can't be moved by fate.

不露文章世已惊，未辞翦伐谁能送。

Though it bears no ornate patterns or color schemes, It still amazes the world and commands great esteem.

苦心岂免容蝼蚁，香叶终经宿鸾凤。

Though it tries hard, it cannot escape the worms and pests, Yet in its fragrant leaves, phoenixes and cranes find their rest.

志士幽人莫怨嗟，古来材大难为用。

So let not men of honor and gentle souls despair or wail, For since time immemorial, great talent is rare and hard to avail.

If the first eight stanzas were only hinting at Du Fu`s own plight, the last four stanzas of eight lines, directly express the poet's emotions through the use of extended metaphor.

By linking himself with the ancient cypress, the poet skillfully portrays his own talent and potential as being unappreciated.

The metaphor of a collapsing building represents the country's crisis, and highlights the importance of talents in times of crisis. However, the heavy timber is harder to move than the hills, and even ten thousand oxen cannot pull it, implying that during the national crisis, talented individuals are often overlooked and cannot be put to good use. This is in stark contrast to the close relationship between Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei.

The poet laments that despite being as simple and unadorned as an ancient cypress tree, not flaunting the beauty of its flowers and leaves, naturally exposing its character. He is willing to be cut and offered to the temple as did Liu Bei bringing Zhuge Liang out of seclusion. However, for Du Fu there is no lord who has seeked for him.

The cypress tree is deeply distressed, yet inevitably harmed by ants; its fragrant leaves are only appreciated by the phoenix and dragon. Similarly, the poet's talent is unrecognized, just like the cypress tree.

Finally, the poet lets out a great sigh, expressing the sorrow of how difficult it is for great talent to be realised.