晓行
[明]宋濂
荒鸡一再号，
驱车事晨征[1]。
寥寥[2]秋风肃，
况此华月明。
万顷琉璃中，
著吾一身行。
肝胆尽冰雪，
毛发亦含清。
超然鸿蒙初[3]，
顿觉百虑冥[4]。
安得王子乔[5]，
为言此时情。
注释：
[1]事晨征：清晨驱车远行。
[2]寥寥：指空旷的原野。
[3]超然鸿蒙初：指“我”像回到了宇宙的混沌状态，飘飘然，像是世外仙人。
[4]百虑冥：指各种各样的忧虑都消失散去。
[5]王子乔：传说中的仙人名字。
A Morning Trip
Song Lian
At dawn cocks crow once and again;
I drive my car along the plain.
The autumn wind’s severe and drear;
The morning moon is bright and clear.
In this glassy world crystalline
Goes the lonely body of mine.
My heart and soul like snow and ice.
My hair and beard clean up and nice.
I seem to breathe primitive air;
I feel free from worry and care.
Where’s the immortal to impart
What now I feel deep in my heart?
This poem “Xiao Xing” was written by Song Lian, a litterateur in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. It depicts the scene of traveling in the early morning and the poet’s inner feelings.
The first sentence, “The roosters are crowing again and again, driving for the morning expedition” describes the scene when the roosters crow in the early morning and the poet sets off in his car, revealing the hardship and determination of getting up early to work. Then, the two sentences “The autumn wind blows silently, and the moon shines brightly here” create a cool and quiet atmosphere through the bleak autumn wind and the bright moonlight, and also hint at the poet’s inner loneliness and thinking.
“Among the vast expanse of glass, I am walking along my path” uses metaphorical techniques to compare the vast water surface to glass, vividly expressing the poet’s feeling of walking in the vast world, and also expressing his praise for the natural beauty. Next, in the two sentences “The liver and gallbladder are as pure as ice and snow, and the hair also contains feelings”, the poet integrates his emotions into nature. The liver and gallbladder are as pure as ice and snow, and even the hair seems to contain deep feelings, further deepening the theme of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
Finally, “Transcendence at the beginning of the Hongmeng, suddenly feeling overwhelmed” expresses the poet’s transcendence of the secular world, returning to the true nature of nature, and suddenly feeling the tranquility and emptiness of the soul. And “Ande Prince Qiao, to express the feelings at this time” is the poet’s desire to find an immortal (Prince Qiao) to share this otherworldly emotion, expressing his yearning for spiritual freedom and otherworldly life.
Overall, this poem demonstrates the poet’s love for nature, deep exploration of the inner world, and pursuit of an ideal life state through a detailed description of an early morning trip. The language is beautiful and the artistic conception is profound, reflecting Song Lian’s uniqueness as a literary man. Aesthetic taste and philosophical thinking.
