The Governor of Yanmen Pass - Li He
/雁门太守行 - 李贺/
Flames of Valor against Dark Clouds
黑云压城城欲摧,
Like black clouds pressing down, threatening to topple the city,
甲光向日金鳞开。
Armored scales gleaming in the morning sun.
角声满天秋色里,
Bugles echo across the autumn sky,
塞上燕脂凝夜紫。
Frontier rouge congealing into purple in the night.
半卷红旗临易水,
A half-unfurled red banner stands above the Yi River,
霜重鼓寒声不起。
Heavy frost chills the war drums into silence.
报君黄金台上意,
I bear tidings of the lord’s grand design upon the Golden Terrace,
提携玉龙为君死。
With jade sword in hand, I pledge my life in his service.
Like black clouds pressing down, threatening to topple the city,
甲光向日金鳞开。
Armored scales gleaming in the morning sun.
角声满天秋色里,
Bugles echo across the autumn sky,
塞上燕脂凝夜紫。
Frontier rouge congealing into purple in the night.
半卷红旗临易水,
A half-unfurled red banner stands above the Yi River,
霜重鼓寒声不起。
Heavy frost chills the war drums into silence.
报君黄金台上意,
I bear tidings of the lord’s grand design upon the Golden Terrace,
提携玉龙为君死。
With jade sword in hand, I pledge my life in his service.
Li He’s “Yanmen Taishou Xing,” often translated as “Song of the Yanmen Prefect,” is an iconic piece of Tang Dynasty poetry. With its vivid images of looming black clouds, glinting armor, and bugle calls reverberating across a bleak autumn landscape, it foregrounds an atmosphere of impending battle. In only eight lines, the poem paints the unwavering courage of soldiers stationed on the far frontiers, prepared to defend their lord’s ambitions even in the face of overwhelming odds.
The visual and sonic effects of the poem are crucial to its impact. The metaphor of black clouds about to crush a city conveys both natural hostility and the threat of invasion. Meanwhile, the reference to war drums growing silent hints at the smothering cold, a force that intensifies the starkness of the situation. By juxtaposing the fiery imagery of the red banner with the chilling frost, Li He underscores the emotional and physical extremes of warfare on the remote borders.
From a cultural standpoint, the Golden Terrace (黄金台) alludes to a historic site where kings once invited and rewarded those who could serve them valiantly. Mentioning this evokes the deep sense of duty and aspiration felt by those seeking glory and honor in wartime. The concluding line, “提携玉龙为君死” (With jade sword in hand, I pledge my life in his service), crystallizes the poem’s essence: that martial valor and loyalty to one’s sovereign go hand in hand, even unto death.
In capturing these themes with succinct yet potent imagery, Li He stands out for his ability to convey dynamic action and emotional intensity in a tightly condensed form. The result is a poem that resonates with ideas of loyalty, heroism, and the ephemeral nature of life—heightened by the threat of war. Modern readers can still find relevance in its portrayal of individuals persevering against vast and dark forces, driven by devotion and a sense of greater purpose.
Key points
• Embodies a fierce vision of warfare, loyalty, and impending doom.
• Juxtaposes bold, fiery images (red banners, glinting armor) with the chill of autumn and night.
• Highlights Confucian values of devotion and martial duty, referencing the Golden Terrace as a site of noble reward.
• Showcases Li He’s hallmark style of highly imaginative, compressed language, evoking emotion through rich sensory detail.
