(6) Jun: refers to a person who brings disaster to the country.
Yuhuan and Feiyan: Yang Yuhuan and Zhao Feiyan are both known for bringing disaster to the country.
(7) Dangerous railing: a railing on a tall building.
【Creation Background】
This poem was written in the spring of the first year of the Jing Kang period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1126 AD), after the Jin army withdrew from its first invasion of the south.
At this time, the Southern Song Dynasty, which was in crisis, got a chance to breathe, but the Southern Song court did not cherish it. Instead, the two emperors Huizong and Qinzong started to quarrel again, and there were constant disputes in the court. Within a year, 26 people successively became prime ministers, but no one made effective arrangements to resist the Jin Dynasty. Zhao Jiu asked to be taken hostage in the Jin camp and made great contributions, which earned him a certain reputation. However, he was also more suspicious of Emperor Qinzong Zhao Huan and had to stay away from the court. At this time, Zhao Jiu watched the crisis become more and more serious, but he was unable to change it. He was depressed and could not speak clearly, so he created this song "Mo Yu'er"
【Appreciation】
Spring will be gone in a hurry after a few more storms. I cherish spring, but I am always afraid that the flowers will bloom too early, not to mention that countless petals have fallen. Spring, please stay for a while, haven't you heard that the endless grass has blocked your way back? It's really hateful that spring is so silent, and the only thing that seems to be diligent and affectionate is the spider webs between the carved beams and painted buildings, which are stained with flying catkins all day long in order to keep spring.
A Jiao of Changmen Palace hoped to be summoned again, but the date was repeatedly delayed. It was all because she was too beautiful and some people were jealous. Even if she spent thousands of gold to buy Sima Xiangru's famous poem, to whom could she confide her deep affection? I advise you not to get carried away. Haven't you seen that Yuhuan and Feiyan, who were once popular, have turned into dust? Idle worries are the most painful torment. Don't go up to the tower and look out from the railing. The setting sun is just over there, in the misty willows that break your heart.
【evaluate】
This poem was written in the spring of the first year of the Jingkang reign (1126). Zhao Jiu was 18 years old at the time. After being a rich and noble prince for many years, the crisis of the country's extinction prompted Zhao Jiu's thoughts to change and he began to consider the future of the country. During the first siege of the city by the Jin army, Zhao Jiu asked to be taken hostage in the Jin camp and fought back against the Jin people's arrogance and rudeness in a polite and restrained manner. Zhao Jiu's performance won the respect of the Jin people, but also made the Southern Song monarchs and ministers who were bent on collusion lose face. The author was ostracized and attacked because of this. His ambition to save the nation from danger could not be realized, and his strategy to recover lost territory was not adopted. The author was moved by the scene and used this poem to express his long-term depression.
On the surface, this poem is about the depression of a woman who has lost favor, but in fact it expresses the author's worries about state affairs and the heavy mood of being repeatedly excluded. The poem expresses strong dissatisfaction with the stupidity and corruption of the small Southern Song Dynasty court and the complacency and rampantness of the capitulationists.
The first part of the poem uses "spring" to metaphorically represent the good opportunity to fight against the Jin Dynasty, and expresses the complex emotions of cherishing spring, complaining about spring, and retaining spring. The poem begins with "How many more storms can be eliminated?" On the surface, it is written for the spring flowers, but in fact, it is worried about how many blows the Southern Song Dynasty can withstand in the crisis? Originally, the power comparison between Song and Jin was not without the ability to fight, but due to the stupidity and corruption of the court and the rampant destruction of the surrender faction, the good opportunity to fight against the Jin Dynasty was lost in vain. Although there were several opportunities for war, they all failed due to the surrender faction's betrayal. The good opportunity to fight against the Jin Dynasty was fleeting, and "Spring is gone in a hurry" is a vivid portrayal of this situation. The good spring of fighting against the Jin Dynasty and restoring the country has vanished, how the author misses this good spring! "Cherish spring and fear that the flowers will bloom early." However, reality is ruthless: "What's more, there are countless fallen petals!" These two sentences rise and fall, showing the contradiction between ideals and reality. "Fallen petals" are a symbol of the passing of spring. It symbolizes the decline of the country and also expresses the author's lament about wasted time and unsuccessful career.
Faced with the disappearance of spring, the author did not sit back and wait for death. On the contrary, out of patriotic indignation, he cried out loudly: "Spring, please stay! I heard that there is no way back for the fragrant grass at the end of the world." These two sentences know that the return of spring is an irreversible law of nature, but he forcibly retains it. On the surface, it is written about "cherishing spring", but in fact it is a direct admonition to the court: the only way out is to persist in resisting the Jin Dynasty, otherwise the "fragrant grass" in Tokyo City will only wither. From "blaming spring without saying a word" to the end of the first part, although the author issued a strong call and serious warning, it is inevitable that spring will be difficult to stay, so it is inevitable to have a strong "resentment". But what is the use of resentment! In the helpless moment, the author's efforts and calls are just like a "spider web" that leaves a little "flying catkins" symbolizing spring, retaining a trace of comfort in resisting the Jin Dynasty. These four sentences interweave complex emotions such as "cherishing spring", "retaining spring", and "blaming spring", and end with a small "flying catkins". Among the four layers of the first part, there are ups and downs, waves and pauses, which cleverly reflect the author's complex and contradictory mood.
The second half of the poem uses the story of Chen Ajiao to describe the deep patriotic feelings that cannot be vented. This part can be divided into three levels, showing three different contents. From "Changmen Affairs" to "Who can I tell this deep feeling to?" is the first level. This is the key point in the poem. The author compares himself to Queen Chen who lost favor in Changmen, and "There was someone jealous of Emei" shows that he has been repeatedly treated coldly and is not reused. The three sentences "Don't dance" are the second level. The author compares Yang Yuhuan and Zhao Feiyan to those in power who have temporarily succeeded and misled the country, and warns the surrenderists. "Idle worries are the most bitter" to the end of the poem is the third level, which describes the reality of the Southern Song Dynasty court being corrupt, decadent, and in danger with the sad scene of smoke, willows and setting sun.
This poem has distinct artistic characteristics. First, it uses metaphors to create symbolic images to express the author's love for the motherland and his concern for the current situation. The use of personification and allusions is also just right. Second, it inherits the fine tradition of Qu Yuan's "Li Sao" and uses the love between men and women to reflect the real political struggle. Third, it is lingering and tortuous, gloomy and frustrated, presenting a unique style of poetry. On the surface, this poem is written in a "graceful" style, but in fact it is extremely sad and sorrowful, written in a gloomy and tragic style, with twists and turns.
From the perspective of writing techniques, the author creatively used the graceful style to create a bold poem, and from two perspectives, it is an excellent work, setting a precedent for a generation and greatly expanding the scope of ci writing. It also reflects the author's profound literary skills.
From the content point of view, "Mo Yu'er" is Zhao Jiu's first meaningful work. The author changed his previous beautiful and soft style of poetry and began to reflect current affairs. The thoughts of worrying about the country and the people contained in it are profound and heavy, which is obviously the result of long-term thinking. This is also a focus of debate among later generations: Was Zhao Jiu's frivolous and romantic before Jingkang his nature, or was it self-pollution to avoid suspicion? But in any case, the tide during the Jingkang period has prompted Zhao Jiu's transformation, and washed him more tenacious and brave, so that he has the ideological awareness of shouldering the world. Therefore, half a year later, the Jin army went south for the second time, and Zhao Jiu was ordered to go to the Jin army again, but this time he did not comply, but went to Hebei alone to recruit volunteers, starting his magnificent life.
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