“The Melancholy of Frontier Life: ‘recruit people to complain’ by Liu Zhongyong”
Original Text and Translation
“recruit people to complain” (Grievance of the Frontier Troops)
Tang Dynasty
By Liu Zhongyong
Translation:
Year after year, the soldiers guard the Golden River and protect the Jade Gate. Day after day, they live with their horsewhips and the rings of their swords. In the late spring, white snow covers the tomb of Wang Zhaojun, while the mighty Yellow River flows around Black Mountain and continues onward.
Expanded Explanation for American Readers
“Grievance of the Frontier Troops” is a poignant and evocative poem by Liu Zhongyong from the Tang Dynasty. This work captures the hardships and melancholy experienced by soldiers stationed at the remote borders of the Tang Empire. Through vivid imagery and a sense of relentless duty, the poem explores themes of sacrifice, isolation, and the harsh realities of frontier life.
The poem opens with a depiction of the soldiers’ relentless duty: “Year after year, the soldiers guard the Golden River and protect the Jade Gate.” These lines establish the poem’s setting and mood. The “Golden River,” historically referring to the Hei River near present-day Hohhot, and the “Jade Gate,” referring to the ancient Yumen Pass in Gansu Province, represent significant military outposts along the borders of ancient China. The imagery of these outposts underscores the isolation and remoteness of the soldiers’ postings.
The phrase “Day after day, they live with their horsewhips and the rings of their swords” conveys the soldiers’ constant readiness and their immersion in a life of combat and vigilance. The “horsewhips” and “rings of their swords” symbolize the tools of their trade and the unending nature of their duties. This repetition emphasizes the monotony and harshness of their existence.
The second stanza introduces a stark contrast between the soldiers’ harsh realities and the distant, serene landscape. “In the late spring, white snow covers the tomb of Wang Zhaojun” refers to the historical figure Wang Zhaojun, who was a Han Dynasty consort and is buried in a remote area far from the central plains of China. The snow covering her tomb in late spring symbolizes the enduring isolation and the passing of time in this desolate frontier region. Wang Zhaojun’s tomb, surrounded by snow, evokes a sense of historical melancholy and solitude.
The final image in the poem describes the “mighty Yellow River” flowing around “Black Mountain” and continuing its course. Black Mountain, also known as Shaohu Mountain, is located in present-day Inner Mongolia. The imagery of the river flowing endlessly around the mountain highlights the relentless and enduring nature of the natural world, contrasting with the transient and often bleak existence of the soldiers stationed at the frontier.
Overall, “Grievance of the Frontier Troops” reflects Liu Zhongyong’s deep empathy for the soldiers stationed at the empire’s remote borders. The poem vividly illustrates their unending duty and the isolation they experience. Through its imagery and themes, the poem invites readers to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who serve at the edges of civilization and the harsh conditions they endure.