Expressing My Feelings About Historic Sites Through Five Verses (V)
Du, Fu (712-770 CE)
Prime Minister Liang Zhu-ge was immortalized in history.
My mind was filled with deep veneration
As his portrait reminded me of his lofty ideals.
He strove to design strategies to restore the glory of the Han dynasty
While China was divided into three kingdoms.
His devotion to his ideals was as admirable as a phoenix soaring to the sky
1.
His wisdom was almost on par with Yin Yi’s or Shang Lü
's 2.
In ability to masterly lead a battle, he surpassed He Xiao and Sen Cao
3.
Although the doomed fate of the Han dynasty could not be reversed,
Ling Zhu-ge was determined to pursue his goal
And died from overwork due to the demands of commanding military affairs.
1 Liang Zhu-ge often held a fan made of feathers.
"Feathers" represents a
phoenix. This line in Du's poem says that Zhu-ge's noble character could not be
achieved by ordinary people.
2 Yin Yi was a famous prime minister during the Shang dynasty. Shang Lü
was a famous prime minister during the Zhou dynasty.
3 He Xiao and Sen Cao were the generals who helped Emperor Gao-zu found the
Han dynasty.
