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Chinese Poetry for Social Criticism or Political Protest

Angel Island Poems

Thesis

Famous Statements by Du Fu

Inscription About a Wooden Building

Some of the Angel Islands Poems are straightforward statements, such as "I was here," or a name complemented by a date. Still, different works have yet to be interpreted and understood by literary experts both Chinese and American.

In my essay, I examine Du Fu and Angel Island poems in the light of this context and to what extent these poems reflect the poets’ concern about social protest and political injustice.

Behind the vermilion gates meat and wine go to waste while out on the road lie the bones of those frozen to death.

Where can I get a big broad shelter a thousand, ten thousand spans wide, huge roof that all the world's poor people can share with smiling faces?

The Angel Island Poems express a scope of considerations, emotions, distress and individual admissions about managing the hardship of moving so distant from home and the troublesome conditions that decided the creators' detainment, introduction, or expelling.

A building does not have to be tall; if it has windows, it will be right.

Island is not far, Angel Island.

Alas, this wooden building disrupts my traveling schedule.

Paint on the four walls are green,

And green is grass which surrounds.

It is only because of the many country folk,

And there are watchmen guarding during the night.

To exert influence, one can use a square-holed elder brother.

There are children who disturb the ears,

But there are no incoherent sounds that cause fatigue.

I gaze to the south at the hospital,

And look to the west at the army camp.

This author says,"what happiness is there in this?"

The Officer at Tong Pass

Angel Island Poems

Such bustling hubbub, as our troops pound earthen walls on Tong Pass Road.

No iron can match the main wall, with lesser walls rising thousands of yards.

I ask the Tong Pass officer, "When repaired, can it then repel the Turk?"

He invites me to get off my horse and walk as he points out the mountain's folds to me.

"Ramparts stretch all the way to the clouds, a bird in flight could not pass through.

If the Turks come, just hold this fast, the Western Capital need worry no more.

Just look, sir, at those strategies points! so narrow they let just one cart through.

In danger just snatch a long pike, one man could hold it forever."

How sad, though, the Peach Grove battle, when a million men were fed to the fish.

"Do instruct the general guarding the pass not to follow the model of Ge-shu Han.

Many carvings and poems in a few Chinese dialects were spotted on the encampment dividers of the Angel Island Immigration Station.

Tu Fu

The insects chirp outside the four walls.

The inmate often sigh.

Thinking of affairs back home,

Unconscious tears wet my lapel.

The Du Fu collection of poems is taken to be one of the masterpieces of traditional Chinese poetry as it has a lot of historical significance and employs a very noteworthy style as well. The Du Fu poems generally date from the 8th century A.D. and thus represent a very old and historical period in Chinese literature and poetry. Du Fu was a scholarly official who inhabited a period of immense turbulence in China.

My belly is so full of discontent it is really difficult to relax.

I can only worry silently to myself.

At times I gaze at the cloud and fog-enshrouded mountain-front.

It only deepens my sadness.

My Comprehensions about Du Fu

Spring Outlook

  • Confucian
  • Du Fu responded to some social phenomenons with a lot of energy and feelings.
  • Zhang Jie composed that for Du Fu, "everything in this world is verse", Du composed widely on subjects, for example, household life, calligraphy, artistic creations, creatures, and different sonnets (Fu 418).

My country is broken,independent no more, though mountains and rivers remain the same as before.

In the spring the city is overgrown with grass, and appears desolate,therefore.

Thinking of the political situation, I can’t help weeping all the more, even when I see flowers in full bloom.

Hating separation, I shake with fright, Even when I hear birds sing with all their might.

Flames of battle have raged for three months and more;

A letter from home is a priceless treasure.

The more I scratch my gray hair, scarce it becomes the more, and the harder it can bear the clasp on my hair.

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