月夜忆舍弟
Remembering My Younger Brother on a Moonlit Night
戍鼓断人行，边秋一雁声。
shù gǔ duàn rén xíng ， biān qiū yī yàn shēng 。
露从今夜白，月是故乡明。
lù cóng jīn yè bái ， yuè shì gù xiāng míng 。
有弟皆分散，无家问死生。
yǒu dì jiē fēn sàn ， wú jiā wèn sǐ shēng 。
寄书长不达，况乃未休兵。
jì shū cháng bù dá ， kuàng nǎi wèi xiū bīng 。
Background
This poem was written by Du Fu in Qinzhou, during the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang, in the autumn of the second year of Qianyuan (759 AD). In the 14th year of Tianbao (755 AD), the Anshi Rebellion broke out, and in September of the second year of Qianyuan, the leaders of the rebel army, An Lushan and Shi Siming, led an army south from Fanyang to Pianzhou. It occupied and advanced west to reach Luoyang. ahead. Shandong and Henan provinces were devastated by the war. At that time, Du Fu's brothers were scattered in this area, and due to the effects of the war, they could not be contacted. This poem faithfully reflects his thoughts and feelings during this period.
Overview
Expressions of longing for loved ones and friends are common themes in classical poetry. However, such works should try to avoid mediocrity and clichés. It is not enough to rely on the author's life experience. You must also show ingenuity in your artistic techniques. Du Fu displays his mastery and brilliance in dealing with this familiar subject.
The poem is well constructed, with a consistent flow and a good balance between beginning and ending. The lines flow seamlessly into each other, showing a carefully disciplined structure. The phrase "未休兵" resonates with "断人行", gazing at the moon evokes memories of his deceased brother, "无家" evokes frustration with undelivered letters, and the uncertainty of a scattered family. The destiny will be developed seamlessly.
During the Anshi Rebellion, Du Fu was expelled and suffered great hardships. With both his personal family worries and national anxieties on his shoulders, he evoked mixed emotions. With one touch, countless threads shoot out from his pen, lending a sense of deep melancholy, weight, and abruptness to the familiar theme of his yearning for home and family.
Line Breakdown
戍鼓断人行，边秋一雁声。
The drumbeat of the garrison halts the wanderer's stride, Amidst the border's autumn, a lone goose's cry abides.
The first line of this poem seems abrupt and uneven. Although the title is "Moonlit Night", the author does not start by describing the Moonlit itself, but first describes the autumn scenery of the border as follows.
"The sound of drums from the boundary blocks the way of the traveler, and the cry of a lone goose resounds beyond the boundary." Tell him what he hears. All he can think of is a desolate landscape. The heavy, monotonous beat of drums and the distant crowing of lone geese bring no vitality. Instead, the already dilapidated and desolate nature of the border is emphasized. The phrase "travelers' roads are broken" underscores the social environment, indicating that conflicts are still frequent and escalating, resulting in road blockages. These two lines create a deeply melancholic atmosphere and form the background of Moonlight.
露从今夜白，月是故乡明。
The dew, this night, takes on a pallid hue, The moon, resplendent, graces my homeland true.
The second line touches on that subject. "The dew, this night, takes on a pallid hue" not only describes the landscape, but also refers to the season. It was the night of the Shiratsuyu Festival, when the cool dew poured down.
" The moon, resplendent, graces my homeland true." also depicts such a scene, but it is a little different from the previous line. The author's presentation is not only based on objective reality, but also contains subjective feelings. The moon is the same all over the world, but the author claims that the moon in his hometown is the brightest.
It is a psychological illusion in itself, undoubtedly expressed with certainty. But this method of representing the imaginary as real cannot escape reason. Rather, the author's tender feelings are deeply expressed, emphasizing nostalgia for his homeland. Craftsmanship is also reflected in these two lines of text. The essence conveyed is simply "the dew is white tonight" and "the moon is bright in my hometown", but when the word order is changed the tone becomes very bold and powerful. Therefore, Wang Dechen commented:
"Zi Mei (Du Fu's other name) is adept at turning everyday conversations into something special, often by dissecting and inverting sentences, resulting in powerful expressions and deep semantic stability. .” - Zhu Shi 《麈史》
Here the reader can see Du Fu's ability to turn everyday into magic.
These two lines, seemingly written effortlessly, have nothing to do with the memory of the author's brother. The longing for home comes not only from looking at the moon, but also from the sound of drums on the border, the call of wild geese, and the cold dew. Each word evokes memories of his older brother, and each line is filled with deep emotion.
有弟皆分散，无家问死生。
My cherished siblings, fate has dispersed afar, Homeless, I ponder the mysteries of life and war.
诗由望月转入抒情，过渡十分自然。月光常会引人遐想，更容易勾起思乡之念。诗人今遭逢离乱，又在这清冷的月夜，更是别有一番滋味在心头。在他的绵绵愁思中夹杂着生离死别的焦虑不安，语气也分外沉痛。“有弟皆分散，无家问死生”，上句说弟兄离散，天各一方；下句说家已不存，生死难卜，写得伤心折肠，感人至深。这两句诗也概括了安史之乱中人民饱经忧患丧乱的普遍遭遇。
The transition from moon-gazing to expressing emotions is natural and seamless. Moonlight stimulates thought and often causes homesickness. The poet is currently experiencing turmoil and has a unique feeling in this cold, clear moonlit night. Mixed with his lingering melancholy is the fear and anxiety caused by separation and the uncertainty of life and death. The timbre is particularly dark.
"My cherished siblings, fate has dispersed afar, Homeless, I ponder the mysteries of life and war." The line marks the absence of his home and kin, as well as expressing the unpredictability of life and death. Written with heartbreaking sorrow, these lines are deeply moving and deeply reflect the common experience of the suffering and turmoil endured by the Anshi Rebellion.
寄书长不达，况乃未休兵。
Letters I send, a futile journey they embark, For battles unceasing cast an ominous dark.
In the final couplet, the poet further expresses his inner fears and concerns. His loved ones are widely scattered, and the delivery of letters is often hampered, not to mention in times of frequent wars where life or death is uncertain. The lines are veiled in subtlety and full of deep emotion.
Reading this poem makes it clear why Du Fu was able to write such a concise and powerful verse:
"For three months, the beacon fires have been burning; A letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold" - Facing Spring《春望》
Profound life experiences serve as the deepest wellspring of artistic creation.
