Upon hearing this, the students immediately began to discuss it animatedly.
Shui Diao Ge Tou is the name of a ci (lyric poetry) tune. Its standard form is a double-tone tune of ninety-five characters. The first section has nine lines with four rhyming lines, and the second section has ten lines with four rhyming lines. From this, countless variations of the tonal patterns can be derived. It is one of the twelve classic ci tune names in the world.
Lu Zhengping sneered.
"Playing hard to get!"
However, before Lu Zhengping could finish speaking, Mr. Dongshan's loud voice echoed throughout the surrounding area.
"When will the moon be clear and bright? I raise my cup to ask the heavens. I wonder what year it is tonight in the celestial palace?"
Instantly! The previously noisy pleasure boat fell silent!
The renowned scholars surrounding Mr. Dongshan were all stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
Without pausing at all, Mr. Dongshan recited the poems written on the Xuan paper in his hand in a serious manner according to the rhythm.
He spoke slowly and softly, but everyone present could hear him clearly.
"I long to ride the wind and return, yet I fear the jade palaces and crystal towers, where the cold is unbearable at such heights. I dance with my shadow, but how can it compare to being in the human world?"
Everyone present was a top scholar and renowned Confucian scholar in the Great Li Dynasty, representing the pinnacle of the literary world in the entire Great Li.
After reading the first half, everyone present felt the grandeur of the poem.
The greatest truths are the simplest; there are no complicated metaphors. Although it is about the moon, the moon is not seen except at the beginning.
The flowing water is like the Guanghan Celestial Palace slowly unfolding in the bright moonlight.
I long to ride the wind and return, as if a stream were flowing into a river or the sea, a sense of grandeur, ethereal beauty, and timelessness washes over me.
Transcendent and otherworldly! Untouched by the slightest trace of human nature!
With just a few strokes, a picture of the poet ascending to the moon is created.
Since the founding of the Great Li Kingdom, its literary culture has flourished.
There are countless poems about the Mid-Autumn Festival and those praising the moon.
Today, the writings are full of flowery language but have no substance whatsoever.
Although there are occasional masterpieces that return to simplicity, none can compare with this "Prelude to Water Melody" in terms of artistic conception, momentum, connotation, and transcendence!
Just a few words were enough to make everyone present break out in a cold sweat.
At this moment, these renowned scholars finally understood why Mr. Dongshan trembled upon seeing this article!
"The moon turns through the red pavilion, shines low through the embroidered window, illuminating my sleepless night. There should be no resentment, yet why is the moon always full when we are apart?"
A touch of melancholy rose in my heart, and a cold wind whistled across the lake.
Some scholars who had traveled thousands of miles to study were moved to tears.
People experience sorrow and joy, separation and reunion; the moon waxes and wanes. Nothing in this world is ever perfect.
May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, even though we are thousands of miles apart.
After finishing one sentence, Mr. Dongshan reluctantly repeated it.
May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, even though we are thousands of miles apart.
Quiet! Utter silence!
Everyone seemed to be immersed in the sorrow of being unable to see their loved ones.
Faintly, the sound of weeping could be heard.
Mu Zian seemed to have expected this all along.
After all, this poem, "Prelude to Water Melody," is a masterpiece that has been passed down through thousands of years of Chinese culture.
With this word, who can rival it?
Since the time of "Prelude to Water Melody," all other Mid-Autumn Festival poems have become obsolete!
After a short while, Mr. Dongshan let out a long sigh.
"What fine words! What fine words! They should be remembered for eternity! What virtue or ability do I, an old man, have to comment on them?"
After saying this, Mr. Dongshan bowed to Mu Zian and Yao Yao, expressing his admiration.
"It was my poor eyesight, please forgive me, young master."
These words shocked everyone present.
The dignified number one literary figure of the Great Li Dynasty is now apologizing to a junior.
With a snap.
The folding fan in Lu Zhengping's hand fell to the ground.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Perhaps Mu Zian's poem was too much of a blow to him, or perhaps he couldn't accept his failure.
In short, Lu Zhengping seemed to have gone mad at this moment.
Mr. Dongshan snorted coldly upon seeing this.
"How dare you act so presumptuously in public!"
Lu Zhengping was so frightened by the rebuke that he froze on the spot.
Mr. Dongshan naturally stuffed the Xuan paper with the poem written on it into his clothes.
The surrounding scholars were seething with hatred. If it weren't for the fact that people nowadays need to consider their reputation, they would have already grabbed it.
After all, this is the original manuscript of a timeless classic.
How come this old scoundrel has become so cunning after all these years? He wasn't like this before!
Feeling the resentful gazes cast at him by his old friends, Mr. Dongshan coughed lightly.
"Do you all realize today that the path of literature is boundless, and there are heavens beyond heavens? You must never generalize when judging people or things."
Upon hearing this, all the students looked ashamed and bowed to Mu Zi'an in apology.
"We apologize for our abruptness and ask for the company's forgiveness."
Mr. Dongshan nodded in satisfaction.
"The winner of this poetry contest is this young master."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhengping completely broke down.
At this moment, he seemed to have become a complete clown.
As one of the leading figures in Beijing's younger generation of literary figures, he has never been so insulted!
Lu Zhengping pointed at Mu Zian and roared furiously.
"This poem could not possibly have been written by him! You cheated! You cheated!"
"My father is the current Registrar of the Ministry of Revenue, and you are just a nobody with no official rank! How could you possibly compose such a timeless masterpiece? This poem of yours must have been bought!"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in silence.
How could such timeless lines be measured by money?
Copying? Where did you copy from? Whose work did you copy from?
Looking at Lu Zhengping, who was going crazy, Mu Zian remained calm.
Without any psychological burden, the world today has no Li Bai, no Su Shi, no Du Fu, and certainly no Wang Anshi.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com