Chapter 45 Commentary on Fan Zhongyan's Two Poems[1]

(August 1, 1957) There are two schools of poetry, graceful and unrestrained, and each has its own interest, so it should be read concurrently.I have been reading the Graceful School for a long time, and I am tired of it, so I want to change to the Unconstrained School.After reading the bold school for a long time, I am tired of it, so I should read the graceful school instead.My interest tends to be bold and unrestrained rather than graceful.There are many bleak and beautiful words in the graceful school.Fan Zhongyan's last two poems are between the two schools of graceful and unrestrained, and they can be regarded as the middle school; but basically they are still graceful, desolate and beautiful, which makes people never tired of reading.The obsessive affection for sons and daughters in the graceful school, and the blind love of copper and iron in the unrestrained school, both are tiresome after reading for a long time.People's emotions are complex, biased but still complex.The so-called complexity is the unity of opposites.People's moods often have opposing elements, which are not monotonous and can be analyzed.There are two schools of graceful and unrestrained words, when a person reads it, sometimes he likes the former, sometimes he likes the latter, which is an example.I couldn't sleep, hummed some words, and wrote these.After Jiang Qing looked at it, he showed it to Li Na[2].

August 1, 1957 Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Fan Zhongyan (989-1052), courtesy name Xiwen, was born in Wuxian County, Suzhou (now Wuxian City), a politician and writer in the Northern Song Dynasty.His two poems refer to "Su Mu Zhe" and "Fisherman's Pride". The original words of "Su Mu Zhe" are: "Green sky, yellow leaves, autumn colors and waves, cold smoke and emerald green on the waves. The mountains reflect the setting sun, the sky catches the water, the grass is ruthless, and it is outside the setting sun. The soul of the country is gloomy, and the thoughts of traveling , Every night except, good dreams keep people sleeping. Mingyue Tower is tall and leaning alone. Wine enters the heart of sorrow and turns into tears of lovesickness." The original words of "Fisherman's Pride" are: "The scenery is different when the autumn comes in Saixia, and the geese go to Hengyang without paying attention. There are sounds from all sides. Thousands of miles away, the long smoke sets, and the lonely city is closed. A glass of turbid wine is home for thousands of miles, and Yan Ran is not reined in. The ground is full of frost. People can’t sleep, and the general’s white hair is crying for his husband’s tears.”

[2] Li Na, born in 1940, daughter of Mao Zedong.