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赤壁怀古
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Brief Lesson Summaries
A brief introduction of the lesson will always tell you what this lesson is about and what language level is the intended target. If you're interested in the subject, but might not be able to understand it in full, fear not; we have transcripts of lesson dialogues vocabulary so you can follow along.
Our lessons contain natural communication in Chinese in video and audio format. We have have lessons focused on video or a podcast format and our lessons have transcripts of Lesson Dialogues, Important Vocabulary, Expanded Materials for a deep dive into the lesson topic and Exercises focused on testing your retention.
Detailed Vocabulary
Each lesson has it's unique vocabulary and will provide you with definitions and recordings so you can practice the pronunciation. You will also be able to grasp the core material of a lesson at a glance. Here we're showing you the Simplified Chinese version.
Song Dynasty literati Su Shi's ci poem 'The Charm of the Courtesan Niannu' is representative of the bold and unconstrained ci faction, and is also called 'Recalling the Past on the Red Cliffs'. The first section uses the landscape to set the tone, from the gurgling flow of the river we think of the historical figures who have disappeared in the river of time. It is said that the red cliffs were the site of an ancient battle during the Three Kingdoms Period. At that time Zhou Yu triumphed from a position of weakness here, forcing the Cao Wei to retreat and ensuring the continuance of the triumvirate states.
The last half of the poem uses the ancient world to express emotion, fusing rationality and emotion, thinking back on how heroic Zhou Yu must have been, how unperturbed and dashing, however the mountains and the rivers remain, but where are the heroes? Then the poet's thoughts turn to his own unrecognized talent, thinking back on heroes from fallen heroes in solitude, and can't help but laugh resignedly at being overcome by thoughts and emotions.
The poem ends with exasperation at how life is like a dream, and ends with a toast to the moon's reflection on the river. Both the dreams and the moon on the river's surface are illusory, the lonely solitude is quite real. Rather than wallowing in the pain of one's life circumstance, it's perhaps better to open one's mind, and drink while admiring the moon, letting go of all constraints.
The cup of alcohol sprinkled on the river water, links the illusory with the real, as if passing through time and space, infusing the poet's lonely yet intense mood into the overcast skies of the battleground of the Three Kingdoms, giving some consolation to his lonely heart.
Natural Dialogues
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