阁夜 Night in the Pavilion
岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵。
suì mù yīn yáng cuī duǎn jǐng ， tiān yá shuāng xuě jì hán xiāo 。
As the year wanes, the balance of light and dark hastens, Far away, frost and snow clear the cold night.
五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇。
wǔ gēng gǔ jiǎo shēng bēi zhuàng ， sān xiá xīng hé yǐng dòng yáo 。
The fifth watch, drums and horns sound mournful and resolute, In the Three Gorges, stars and rivers shimmer and sway.
野哭千家闻战伐，夷歌数处起渔樵。
yě kū qiān jiā wén zhàn fá ， yí gē shù chǔ qǐ yú qiáo 。
Wild cries echo from a thousand homes, war and strife heard, Barbarian songs rise from several places, fishermen and woodcutters.
卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥。
wò lóng yuè mǎ zhōng huáng tǔ ， rén shì yīn shū màn jì liáo 。
Sleeping dragon, leaping horse, in the end, it's all dust and earth, News and affairs, messages and letters, all remain in silence and emptiness.
Background
This poem was composed during the winter of 766 AD when Du Fu was residing in the Western Pavilion of Kuizhou (夔州西阁). At that time, warlords in Sichuan were embroiled in constant conflict, and the Tibetan Empire continued to raid the Sichuan region. Du Fu had also experienced the loss of his close friends, including Li Bai (李白), Yan Wu (严武), Gao Shi (高适), and others. Reflecting on the times and reminiscing about the past, he penned this poem.
Overview
In the serene mountain city where Du Fu resided, he gazed upon the night scenery of the gorge and listened to the mournful beat of distant drums. This experience stirred a multitude of emotions within him. The present scene spurred him to contemplate the tumultuous state of the nation, while historical figures served as a mirror for him to reflect on his own circumstances. In the depths of his soul, he sought to rise above the trials and tribulations of life, and it was from this well of emotion that he crafted the poem.
Though the poem carries an undertone of sorrow and melancholy, it also conveys a heroic spirit and a sense of transcendence and has been celebrated as an outstanding example of Du Fu's regulated poetry.
In the poem, Du Fu vividly recounts what he observed, heard, and felt during his night sojourn at the Western Pavilion. His narrative transports us from the cold winter night to the rhythmic drums at dawn, from the starry expanse above to the turbulent river below, from the natural beauty of the landscape to the chaos of warfare and human affairs, and from the present reality to the echoes of a thousand years gone by.
The poem possesses a majestic quality that encompasses the entirety of the universe, bridging the gap between eras ancient and contemporary. During the Ming Dynasty, Hu Yinglin bestowed high praise upon this work, describing it as, "Encompassing the universe in its grandeur, with craftsmanship as precise as the finest detail," and aptly labeling it the "trailblazer of seven-character regulated poetry."
“气象雄盖宇宙，法律细入毫芒” - 胡应麟
Line Breakdown
岁暮阴阳催短景，天涯霜雪霁寒宵。
As the year wanes, the balance of light and dark hastens, Far away, frost and snow clear the cold night.
The opening two lines immediately set the stage in terms of time. "岁暮" signifies the winter season, "阴阳" alludes to the sun and the moon, and "短景" evokes the idea of short days in winter. The single word "催" vividly conveys the notion of long nights and short days, creating a sense of time passing swiftly and inexorably. In the following line, "天涯" refers to Kuizhou, which also carries the connotation of being in a distant and remote place. On a cold winter night when the frost and snow have just cleared, the brilliance of the snow makes it almost as bright as day. Faced with this desolate and melancholy nocturnal scene, Du Fu cannot help but be filled with a myriad of emotions.
五更鼓角声悲壮，三峡星河影动摇。
The fifth watch, drums and horns sound mournful and resolute, In the Three Gorges, stars and rivers shimmer and sway.
In the lines "五更鼓角声悲壮," the poet describes what he hears and sees during the night. In the first part of the couplet, "五更" (the fifth night watch) refers to the time just before dawn. The "鼓角" signifies the drum and horn sounds used in ancient times to mark time and issue orders in the military. On a clear night sky, these drum and horn sounds are particularly loud and resonate, signaling that dawn is approaching. The poet, filled with worries, can't sleep, and the sound of the drums and horns becomes even more poignant. This indirectly suggests that the region around Kuizhou is not peaceful, as troops are active even before daybreak.
The next line describes the sky after rain, free from dust, with the Milky Way shining exceptionally clear. The stars twinkle in the night sky, reflecting on the turbulent river of the Three Gorges. The scene is indeed beautiful. Previous scholars have praised this couplet as "magnificent." Its brilliance lies in the poet's ability to vividly convey his deep concern about the current situation and his appreciation of the beauty of the Three Gorges at night. The lines have a grand and solemn atmosphere, a pleasing tone, and exquisite literary craftsmanship. Within the word "magnificent," there is the poet's profound and solemn sentiment.
野哭千家闻战伐，夷歌数处起渔樵。
Wild cries echo from a thousand homes, war and strife heard, Barbarian songs rise from several places, fishermen and woodcutters.
In the lines "野哭千家闻战伐，夷歌数处起渔樵," the poet describes what he hears just before dawn. As soon as news of war and battle is heard, the cries of mourning from a thousand households echo through the countryside, creating a scene of great sorrow and misery. "夷歌" refers to the songs of the minority ethnic groups within Sichuan. Kuizhou, where Du Fu is residing, is a place where various ethnic groups live together.
Also known as the songs of fishermen and woodcutters, "夷歌," are often heard in the deep of the night. "数处" implies that these songs are not coming from just one location. These lines vividly portray the typical environment of remote Kuizhou. "野哭" (cries from the wild) and "夷歌" (songs of the minority) create a sense of the times and a strong local flavor. For Du Fu who cared deeply for his country and its people, both of these sounds intensify his sense of sorrow.
卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥。
Sleeping dragon, leaping horse, in the end, it's all dust and earth, News and affairs, messages and letters, all remain in silence and emptiness.
In the lines "卧龙跃马终黄土，人事音书漫寂寥," the poet gazes into the distance, observing the Wuhou Shrine in the western suburbs of Kuizhou and the Baidi Shrine in the southeast. This view triggers a deep sense of contemplation. "卧龙" refers to Zhuge Liang, and "跃马" is a phrase borrowed from Zuo Qiuming's "Farewell My Concubine" in which Gongsun Shu, during the late Western Han period, declared himself emperor amid the chaos. Du Fu had previously praised him, "Gongsun, you occupied the heights, your ambitions endless," in his poem "On the White Emperor's City."
“公孙初据险，跃马意何长？”- 《白帝城》
These great figures from history, whether wise or foolish, have all turned to dust in the end.
The closing lines express the poet's profound grief and sorrow. They convey a sense of resignation and acceptance of the desolation that surrounds him. In the poet's eyes, the deaths of historical figures like Zhuge Liang and Gongsun Shu, as well as the deaths of countless common people due to warfare and turmoil, all contribute to the pervasive sense of desolation. While these lines may seem resigned, they reflect the poet's inner conflict and anguish.
The final couplet suggests that it's not easy for people of talent and aspiration to find their place in the world. Du Fu laments the challenges faced by those who aspire to greatness but often find themselves marginalized or misunderstood. The phrase "志士幽人莫怨嗟" (Talented individuals and reclusive scholars, don't complain or regret) captures this sentiment.