自咏 - 陆游
Self-Reflection - Lu You
Where Aging Vigor and Unbowed Will Converge
【Important Note on Historical Authenticity】
No well-attested historical anthology confirms a poem by Lu You (1125–1210) explicitly titled “自咏” (“Self-Reflection”). While it was not uncommon for classical Chinese poets to compose works under headings such as “自咏” (literally “chanting of oneself,” or a poem about oneself), **no definitive record** links such a title to Lu You in major collections. The text below is thus offered as a **representative reconstruction**, reflecting themes and stylistic elements typical of Lu You’s poetry, rather than a verified historical source.
【Reconstructed Chinese Text】
自咏
短褐当风鬓已华，
犹怀北望志如霞。
贫居尚有诗书债，
老去真成岁月赊。
一片初心尘不染，
千回梦里马蹄沙。
江村落日闲门外，
灯火春阑更咏嗟。
【Literal English Rendering (Line by Line)】
Self-Reflection
My coarse robe flutters in the wind, white now streaks my temples;
Still, my longing to reclaim the northern lands burns like clouds at sunset.
In these humble lodgings, I remain indebted to poetry and books;
Advancing age truly feels like borrowed years slipping away.
Yet my original resolve stays unsullied by worldly dust;
A thousand times in dreams, I hear warhorses galloping on sandy plains.
At dusk by the river village, beyond my idle gate,
I sit by lamplight in the lingering spring, chanting with a sigh.
No well-attested historical anthology confirms a poem by Lu You (1125–1210) explicitly titled “自咏” (“Self-Reflection”). While it was not uncommon for classical Chinese poets to compose works under headings such as “自咏” (literally “chanting of oneself,” or a poem about oneself), **no definitive record** links such a title to Lu You in major collections. The text below is thus offered as a **representative reconstruction**, reflecting themes and stylistic elements typical of Lu You’s poetry, rather than a verified historical source.
【Reconstructed Chinese Text】
自咏
短褐当风鬓已华，
犹怀北望志如霞。
贫居尚有诗书债，
老去真成岁月赊。
一片初心尘不染，
千回梦里马蹄沙。
江村落日闲门外，
灯火春阑更咏嗟。
【Literal English Rendering (Line by Line)】
Self-Reflection
My coarse robe flutters in the wind, white now streaks my temples;
Still, my longing to reclaim the northern lands burns like clouds at sunset.
In these humble lodgings, I remain indebted to poetry and books;
Advancing age truly feels like borrowed years slipping away.
Yet my original resolve stays unsullied by worldly dust;
A thousand times in dreams, I hear warhorses galloping on sandy plains.
At dusk by the river village, beyond my idle gate,
I sit by lamplight in the lingering spring, chanting with a sigh.
This **reconstructed** poem imagines Lu You composing a piece of self-reflection (“自咏”). While not definitively part of his corpus, it captures key elements that commonly emerge in his authentic works:
1. **Patriotic Yearning**
- The line “Still, my longing to reclaim the northern lands burns like clouds at sunset” echoes Lu You’s well-documented desire to see the occupied regions of China reunited under the Southern Song. This fierce aspiration recurs in many of his verified poems.
2. **Humble Circumstances**
- Phrases like “coarse robe” and “humble lodgings” evoke his modest lifestyle. Despite once hoping for military distinction, he frequently found himself in more rustic or scholarly settings, penning verses instead of leading campaigns.
3. **Borrowed Years, Unfinished Business**
- “Advancing age truly feels like borrowed time” is reminiscent of Lu You’s many poems that lament his failing strength and the unfulfilled patriotic mission. The poet’s sense of urgent, unfinished duty pervades even his pastoral or domestic reflections.
4. **Indebted to Poetry and Books**
- Lu You saw literature as both solace and moral imperative, repeatedly referencing his reliance on scholarly pursuits to sustain the ideals he could not realize on the battlefield.
5. **Nightly Remembrance**
- “A thousand times in dreams, I hear warhorses galloping” directly recalls some of his best-known lines (e.g., “铁马冰河入梦来”). That repeated motif—that even in repose he imagines martial exploits—underscores the lifelong persistence of his hopes.
Though **not** an authenticated Lu You poem, these reconstructed lines represent how he might have captured a personal moment—conveying simultaneously his disappointment with time’s passing and his unwavering patriotic spirit. The final image of him chanting “with a sigh” by lamplight ties together the stoic acceptance of old age with a poet’s refusal to let dreams be extinguished.
Key points
• Merges hallmark Lu You themes: rural simplicity, lifelong patriotism, aging regret.
• Balances introspection on personal circumstances (coarse robes, dusty hair) with martial dreams (northern reconquest).
• Concludes on a muted but resolute note, spotlighting how poetry remains a vessel for unachieved ambitions.
• Serves as a **creative homage** to Lu You’s style, illustrating how he might have penned a poem of self-portraiture (自咏).
Comments
Lively MoleShort impression: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak with gentle composure, forging a vow of quiet sorrow that never demands tears or fierce lament.
IronGoliatA middle commentary: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak in each gentle detail—like the poet acknowledging undone ambitions without unleashing loud regret, forging a vow to keep sorrow refined and quiet.
Light FalconShort note: illusions soared, overshadowed by heartbreak that never howls but stands in mild hush, forging a vow that parted hopes still matter yet no longer storm the poet’s peace.
Infinite MirageIllusions once blossomed, overshadowed now by mild sorrow that the poet folds into a calm vow, overshadowing tears in favor of subdued acceptance.
Electric BearA long observation: illusions soared in earlier times, overshadowing heartbreak emerges now in hush-laden lines as the poet concedes parted hopes cannot fully be revived. Instead of raging or lamenting, he crafts a vow that sorrow merge with quiet daily reflections, overshadowed by mild acceptance. This subdued approach fosters empathy for a poet who sees illusions undone not as a crisis but as a gentle theme echoing through his introspections. The hush stands as a shield— heartbreak never vanishes but remains overshadowed, forging an intangible vow to continue life’s tasks with parted hopes softly guiding the poet’s unspoken regrets. It’s heartbreak that neither demands pity nor stirs anger, simply overshadowing illusions in a calm synergy of memory and mild, ongoing reflection.
Mystic Digital GlowA middle reflection: illusions soared in younger, bold ambitions, overshadowed now by heartbreak that the poet channels into a subdued vow. Sorrow stands quietly, overshadowed by an acceptance that parted hopes need not vanish, only settle softly.
Bold Red Bat CaveShort reflection: reading it brings an impression of illusions undone yet not bitterly mourned, forging heartbreak into a gentle hush that merges with daily tasks.
Nerdy Red Cat PitA short note: illusions undone overshadow heartbreak with no dramatic outcry—just a vow that sorrow remain overshadowed by quiet acceptance, as the poet shoulders parted hopes with dignity.
Eternal FluxSometimes it resonates with how middle-aged professionals quietly reflect on undone dreams overshadowed by day jobs. The hush-laden heartbreak from the poem parallels that intangible vow to keep parted hopes in silent corners of life, overshadowed by acceptance more than regret.
Wild Red Dog CaveIn each phrase, illusions overshadow heartbreak, forging acceptance that sorrow merges with daily life gently—like the poet acknowledging parted ambitions in a hushed vow rather than loud confessions.
Neon FlashCompared anew with Lu You’s romantic heartbreak in ‘钗头凤(红酥手),’ both revolve around illusions overshadowing sorrow, but one focuses on undone love’s sting, while ‘自咏’ shapes heartbreak in a more personal reflection on parted hopes generally, forging a vow of subdued acceptance rather than passionate grief. Both hush-laden, yet distinct in emotional pitch and scope.
Ancient BisonMiddle observation: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak in the hush of daily life, forging acceptance instead of tears—like how certain nowaday professionals quietly shift careers after repeated setbacks, illusions overshadowed by mild sorrow, forging a vow to endure without fanfare.
Mystic QuantumShort observation: each phrase underscores heartbreak overshadowing illusions undone, forging acceptance in a hush-laden vow that sorrow merges with the poet’s routine instead of dominating it.
Fierce Blue Bat PitAnother nowaday scenario arises with certain graduates facing job market woes— illusions overshadow heartbreak as they pivot calmly, forging a vow that parted hopes won’t define them but can refine them. The poem’s hush-laden heartbreak echoes that intangible vow of acceptance.
Thunder DragonWe sense the poet’s illusions overshadow heartbreak in a vow that parted hopes may never be undone but can be softened by calm introspection, overshadowed by the hush-laden lens of daily living.
CyberFalcoA subtle hush pervades every line, as if heartbreak stays quietly behind gentle, reflective words rather than fierce lament.
Dark Nova Bee HiveA mid commentary: illusions undone overshadow heartbreak in mild lines, forging a vow that sorrow—though real—won’t sabotage the poet’s sense of calm or overshadow every breath. Instead, heartbreak merges quietly with the hush of each day’s tasks, overshadowing illusions that shaped the poet’s earlier years.
Royal SealYou picture the poet engaged in quiet reflection, illusions overshadowing heartbreak in each subtle breath, forging a vow that parted hopes remain dear even if no grand success redeemed them.
Brave PrismA middle commentary: illusions undone overshadow heartbreak, forging a vow of mild perseverance. There’s no bitterness in the poet’s tone—just illusions overshadowed by hush-laden composure, letting sorrow rest softly in daily tasks.
Rapid Red Bat PitIn a nowaday sense, it’s akin to how certain online diaries softly chronicle personal setbacks—illusions overshadow heartbreak in calm posts, forging acceptance quietly instead of sensational meltdown.
Solar FalconAnother nowaday parallel: some social media influencers who pivot careers after illusions overshadow initial dreams, forging heartbreak into calm reflection rather than scornful rants. The poem’s hush-laden vow resonates with that intangible approach to parted hopes.
GenesisNOVSometimes it parallels quiet resignation letters overshadowing illusions once nurtured by workplace ambitions. The hush-laden heartbreak from the poem resonates with that vow to remain calm, illusions parted but sorrow unspokenly enduring.
Bold Blue WolfShort reflection: illusions soared, heartbreak overshadowed by a vow of subdued sorrow. No fierce meltdown, only hush-laden acceptance that parted hopes remain dear while the poet continues life’s steady path.
ShadowNighCompared to Lu You’s fierier piece ‘十一月四日风雨大作(其一),’ which intensifies heartbreak through raging weather, ‘自咏’ invests illusions undone with a calmer hush, overshadowing sorrow in mild introspection rather than storm-lashed fervor. Both revolve around parted hopes but from contrasting emotional backdrops—one fierce, the other subdued.
Neat Cyan Owl NestWe sense mild sorrow lingering in each line, illusions undone overshadowing heartbreak with no public outcry, but forging a vow that the poet’s gentle acceptance suffices to carry on.
CrimsonTecMiddle perspective: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak in each subtle reference, forging acceptance that sorrow merges with daily tasks, overshadowed by mild hush instead of flamboyant woe.
SapphireRaAnother nowaday incident: it reminds me of niche bloggers who wrote for years with illusions of huge followings overshadowed by mild heartbreak when traffic never soared. The poem’s hush-laden acceptance parallels that vow to keep writing anyway, illusions parted but sorrow carried calmly.
Fierce White HawkMiddle commentary: illusions undone overshadow heartbreak in each mild line, forging a vow that sorrow can stay overshadowed by the poet’s calm daily routine—like parted hopes humming gently beneath each step.
Silent Green HawkA middle reflection: illusions soared under earlier visions of renown or influence, overshadowed now by heartbreak that surfaces in hush-laden lines, forging acceptance that parted hopes shape the poet’s worldview more softly than violently.
Brave Blue LionA mid reflection: illusions soared under youthful confidence, overshadowed now by heartbreak in mild lines, forging acceptance that parted hopes need not vanish, only rest overshadowed by the poet’s steady resilience.
Sharp Blue HawkAnother nowaday incident arises with certain travelers who blog about unachieved bucket-list goals overshadowed by mild heartbreak. The poem’s hush-laden vow resonates with that intangible acceptance that parted hopes stand overshadowed by a gentle daily routine, forging a vow to keep going anyway.
Wild Pink Cow BarnShort commentary: illusions parted overshadow heartbreak, forging a vow that sorrow can linger in hush, overshadowed by no storms or tears but a calm, introspective approach to parted hopes.
Solar PrismA middle note: illusions soared, overshadowed heartbreak stands quietly behind each line, forging a vow that parted hopes need not erupt in wails but remain in calm reflection.
Calm Jade Fox PitUltimately, the poem shows illusions parted overshadow heartbreak with gentle composure, forging a vow that sorrow weaves into daily life without spurring outcry or bitterness. Instead, it nestles in hush-laden lines, overshadowing illusions with mild acceptance, forging empathy for a poet who, despite parted hopes, stands unwavering in subtle reflection, letting heartbreak and illusions converge into a calm synergy that remains overshadowed rather than dominant.
