Poem AnGusa (雁丘詞) - Won Ho-mun
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Writer sasasak_AndyKim Hit 720 Hits Date 24-12-27 18:23Content
AnGusa (雁丘詞) - Won Ho-mun
I ask the people of the world,
What is love, that
It can so fiercely decide life and death?
O birds that traverse heaven and earth,
Upon your weary wings,
How many times have you braved cold and heat?
Amidst the joy of meeting
And the sorrow of parting,
There dwelt a foolish woman who wandered.
If only you could speak,
In the boundless distance,
Only thick clouds are in sight…
When the sun sets,
And snow blankets the whole mountain,
Whom will your lonely shadow seek and fly to?
Even as you fly across Fen River's shores,
At that time, the flute and drum sounds are silent,
In Chu, the rough smoke remains enigmatic.
Even if you call upon the spirits of Chu,
I cannot restrain my sighs,
Mountain spirits too,
Secretly weep amidst the storm and rain.
Perhaps heaven envies,
What cannot be trusted together…
Even the nightingales and swallows lie buried in yellow earth.
In the endless ages,
Awaiting some poet to linger,
Drinking to intoxication, singing mad songs,
And coming to visit the geese's grave.
問人間 情是何物 直敎生死相許
天南地北雙飛客 老翅幾回寒暑
歡樂趣 離別苦 是中更有癡兒女
君應有語 渺萬里層雲 千山幕景 隻影爲誰去
橫汾路 寂寞當年蕭鼓 荒煙依舊平楚
招魂楚些何磋及 山鬼自啼風雨
天也妬 未信與 鶯兒燕子俱黃土
千秋萬古 爲留待騷人 狂歌痛飮 來訪雁丘處
Context and Interpretation
Historical Background:
Author: (Won Ho-mun)
Era: 1205, during the reign of Emperor Zhangzong ( 章宗) of the Jin Dynasty .
Origin: The poem is part of the (Yeongungmun), a work where Won Ho-mun recounts an encounter with a person who captured a pair of geese, leading to the creation of this poignant piece.
Story Behind the Poem: While traveling to Bianzhou for the civil examinations, Won Ho-mun meets someone who tells him a sorrowful tale about two geese. One goose was caught and died, while the other escaped but eventually succumbed to despair and died by suicide. Moved by this story, Won Ho-mun buries the geese by the Fen River and marks their grave with stones, naming the site "An Gu" (雁丘, Geese Hill). It is within this setting that he composes " (雁丘詞)".
Themes and Analysis:
Love and Mortality:
The poem begins with a profound question about the nature of love and its power over life and death, highlighting the intense emotions that love can evoke.
Nature as a Metaphor:
Birds flying across the sky symbolize freedom, the passage of time, and the enduring nature of emotions. Their struggles against harsh weather reflect human resilience and suffering.
Longing and Loss:
The "foolish woman" represents unreciprocated or lost love, wandering amidst joy and sorrow, unable to find peace.
Isolation and Despair:
The imagery of lonely shadows, silent instruments, and weeping mountain spirits conveys a deep sense of isolation and mourning.
Transience and Eternity:
The burial of nightingales and swallows in the earth signifies the end of life cycles, while the eternal waiting for a poet suggests the timeless nature of art and memory.
Supernatural Elements:
References to spirits and mountain ghosts introduce a mystical dimension, blending the natural with the supernatural to emphasize enduring sorrow.
Literary Devices:
Imagery: Vivid descriptions of nature, such as "snow blankets the whole mountain" and "rough smoke remains enigmatic," create a strong visual presence.
Symbolism: Birds symbolize freedom and the soul's journey, while the burial site represents remembrance and loss.
Repetition: The recurring theme of enduring hardships ("cold and heat," "storm and rain") reinforces the poem's somber mood.
Rhetorical Questions: Opening with a question engages readers to ponder the essence of love and its impact.
Conclusion
" (雁丘詞)" by (Won Ho-mun) is a timeless reflection on love, loss, and the enduring human spirit. Through rich natural imagery and profound emotional depth, the poem invites readers to contemplate the complexities of love and the inevitable passage of time. It stands as a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture and convey the deepest aspects of the human experience.
I ask the people of the world,
What is love, that
It can so fiercely decide life and death?
O birds that traverse heaven and earth,
Upon your weary wings,
How many times have you braved cold and heat?
Amidst the joy of meeting
And the sorrow of parting,
There dwelt a foolish woman who wandered.
If only you could speak,
In the boundless distance,
Only thick clouds are in sight…
When the sun sets,
And snow blankets the whole mountain,
Whom will your lonely shadow seek and fly to?
Even as you fly across Fen River's shores,
At that time, the flute and drum sounds are silent,
In Chu, the rough smoke remains enigmatic.
Even if you call upon the spirits of Chu,
I cannot restrain my sighs,
Mountain spirits too,
Secretly weep amidst the storm and rain.
Perhaps heaven envies,
What cannot be trusted together…
Even the nightingales and swallows lie buried in yellow earth.
In the endless ages,
Awaiting some poet to linger,
Drinking to intoxication, singing mad songs,
And coming to visit the geese's grave.
問人間 情是何物 直敎生死相許
天南地北雙飛客 老翅幾回寒暑
歡樂趣 離別苦 是中更有癡兒女
君應有語 渺萬里層雲 千山幕景 隻影爲誰去
橫汾路 寂寞當年蕭鼓 荒煙依舊平楚
招魂楚些何磋及 山鬼自啼風雨
天也妬 未信與 鶯兒燕子俱黃土
千秋萬古 爲留待騷人 狂歌痛飮 來訪雁丘處
Context and Interpretation
Historical Background:
Author: (Won Ho-mun)
Era: 1205, during the reign of Emperor Zhangzong ( 章宗) of the Jin Dynasty .
Origin: The poem is part of the (Yeongungmun), a work where Won Ho-mun recounts an encounter with a person who captured a pair of geese, leading to the creation of this poignant piece.
Story Behind the Poem: While traveling to Bianzhou for the civil examinations, Won Ho-mun meets someone who tells him a sorrowful tale about two geese. One goose was caught and died, while the other escaped but eventually succumbed to despair and died by suicide. Moved by this story, Won Ho-mun buries the geese by the Fen River and marks their grave with stones, naming the site "An Gu" (雁丘, Geese Hill). It is within this setting that he composes " (雁丘詞)".
Themes and Analysis:
Love and Mortality:
The poem begins with a profound question about the nature of love and its power over life and death, highlighting the intense emotions that love can evoke.
Nature as a Metaphor:
Birds flying across the sky symbolize freedom, the passage of time, and the enduring nature of emotions. Their struggles against harsh weather reflect human resilience and suffering.
Longing and Loss:
The "foolish woman" represents unreciprocated or lost love, wandering amidst joy and sorrow, unable to find peace.
Isolation and Despair:
The imagery of lonely shadows, silent instruments, and weeping mountain spirits conveys a deep sense of isolation and mourning.
Transience and Eternity:
The burial of nightingales and swallows in the earth signifies the end of life cycles, while the eternal waiting for a poet suggests the timeless nature of art and memory.
Supernatural Elements:
References to spirits and mountain ghosts introduce a mystical dimension, blending the natural with the supernatural to emphasize enduring sorrow.
Literary Devices:
Imagery: Vivid descriptions of nature, such as "snow blankets the whole mountain" and "rough smoke remains enigmatic," create a strong visual presence.
Symbolism: Birds symbolize freedom and the soul's journey, while the burial site represents remembrance and loss.
Repetition: The recurring theme of enduring hardships ("cold and heat," "storm and rain") reinforces the poem's somber mood.
Rhetorical Questions: Opening with a question engages readers to ponder the essence of love and its impact.
Conclusion
" (雁丘詞)" by (Won Ho-mun) is a timeless reflection on love, loss, and the enduring human spirit. Through rich natural imagery and profound emotional depth, the poem invites readers to contemplate the complexities of love and the inevitable passage of time. It stands as a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture and convey the deepest aspects of the human experience.
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