Synopsis
Climbing High is one of the greatest seven-character regulated verse poems by Du Fu, the Sage of Poetry of Tang Dynasty China.
Overview
Climbing High is a masterpiece by Du Fu (712-770), one of China's greatest poets. Written in autumn 767 CE when Du Fu was 56 years old, living in exile in Kuizhou (modern Fengjie, Chongqing), impoverished and in failing health.
Original Poem
The wind is fierce, the sky high, apes wail in grief;
The islet clear, the sand white, birds circle back.
Endless, falling trees rustle down;
Unceasing, the great river rolls on and on.
Ten thousand miles away, sad in autumn, forever a sojourner;
A hundred years of illness, alone I climb the terrace.
Hardship and bitter regret have frosted my temples;
Down and out, I have just set aside my cup of muddy wine.
Analysis
The opening couplet paints the scene of climbing high: fierce autumn wind, vast sky, ape cries, clear water, white sand, circling birds. The second couplet uses falling leaves and the rolling river to capture autumn's power while lamenting the passage of time. The third couplet turns inward: wandering far from home, ill in old age, climbing alone. The final couplet concludes with hardship and aging.
About the Poet
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Du Fu (712-770) |
| Title | The Sage of Poetry |
| Dynasty | Tang |
| Famous Works | Spring View, Climbing High |
Cultural Impact
Climbing High is recognized as Du Fu's greatest achievement in regulated verse. Ming dynasty critic Hu Yinglin ranked it as the best seven-character regulated poem. It is required reading in Chinese poetry education.
References
- Complete Tang Poems, Volume 230
- Xiao Difei, Selected Poems of Du Fu
- Mo Lifeng, Artistic Features of Du Fu's Poetry
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