[updated October 2022]
Toast the Secular Scholar Zhang Hu, Sent This Long-lined Poem to Him
酬 张 祜 处 士 见 寄 长 句 四 韵
七 子 论 诗 谁 似 公
曹 刘 须 在 指 挥 中。
荐 衡 昔 日 知 文 举
乞 火 无 人 作 蒯 通。
北 极 楼 台 长 挂 梦
西 江 波 浪 远 吞 空。
可 怜 故 国 三 千 里
虚 唱 歌 辞 满 六 宫。
Chou Zhang Hu Chu Shi Jian Ji Chang Ju Si Yun
Qi zi lun shi shei si gong
Cao liu xu zai zhi hui zhong.
Jian heng xi ri zhi wen ju
Qi huo wu ren zuo kuai tong.
Bei ji lou tai chang guo meng
Xi jiang bo lang yuan tun kong.
Ke lian gu guo san qian li
Xu chang ge ci man liu gong.
Toast the Secular Scholar Zhang Hu, Sent This Long-lined Poem to Him
Seven poet-masters who discussed their work looked just like you
Cao Cao’s son and Liuzi had very good models to emulate.
In former days, Mr. Heng was properly introduced because he knew
the origins of culture
Without people helping you to progress, many will talk bad of you.
Long time dream of the northern polestar above palace buildings
Remote Xi River waves swallowed by the emptiness.
Able to sympathize with a hometown being a thousand miles away
Palace full of singers singing songs without their hearts.
Notes:
Zhang Hu: Poet famous for the two lines that described his home as being a thousand miles from the palace. He was away from his hometown for twenty years. Du Mu compared himself to this man.
Cao Cao’s son: His son was Cao Pi (ca. 187-226 AD) who was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period after forcing the last Han emperor to abdicate. He was also a famous and accomplished poet who reportedly wrote the first seven-character poem in Chinese history. His model was his father, Cao Cao (155-220 AD). The father was famous as a Han Dynasty warlord and chancellor who was important during the transition to the Three Kingdoms period. His son, Cao Pi, succeeded him.
Mr. Heng: Man who lived during the times of Confucius and was noted for being a good man.
Liuzi: This was a philosophical treatise written during the Liang period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589 AD). Authorship is controversial. Latest scholars point to a man, Liu Zhou (516-567 AD) as the author. Liu wrote a long ten-scroll book on philosophy, politics, economics, military, culture, the philosophy of the yin-yang, Daoism and Confucianism, all the aspects required of a future king or emperor.
Xi River: Western tributary to the Pearl River in southern China.