View/Open - University of Victoria

100
偏 能 照 列 卿
241
Shines just so on the array of ministers. 242
This paradigm of difference in framing the local language of the frontier people is surpassed in
a later poem also written at Beiting 243 titled “Heptasyllabic Old Style Poem For Dugu Jian on Our
Parting (Also to be Presented to Attendant Censor Yan Wu)” (“Yu Dugujian daobie changju
jianchengyanbashiyu” 与 独 孤 渐 道 别 长 句 兼 呈 严 八 侍 御 ). After first addressing his loneliness,
feelings of separation (sentiments which incidentally also close the poem), the poet-narrator continues
by praising his friend's moral rectitude and perseverance before entering an extended flight of idealized
recollection of their time together while employed on the frontier. Of interest to this portion of the
thesis is how the poet-narrator describes a particularly jubilant intercultural feast replete with drink,
drums and singing:
军 中 置 酒 夜 挝 鼓
锦 筵 红 烛 月 未 午
花 门 将 军 善 胡 歌
244
叶 河 藩 王 能 汉 语
In the army camp wine is set out, drums pound in the
night,
Embroidered mats, red candles, the time has yet
to reach midnight.
The general of Huamen excels at singing Hu songs,
The Fan 245 king of Yehe 246 can speak the Han language.
(lines 25-28)
Rather than through comparison, the language of the frontier is here presented directly. But
what makes this depiction of non-Chinese language especially brilliant is its conveyance in the first line
241
CSJJZ, p. 161.
242
A synecdochical reference to General Feng. The “array of ministers” were the Nine Chief Ministers, “a collective
reference to high central government officials...with varying applications”, among which was included General Feng's
new position, 鸿 胪 卿 . See Charles O. Hucker, A Dictionary of Official Titles In Imperial China, p. 176.
243
The CSJJZ dates “Heptasyllabic Old Style Poem For Dugu Jian On Our Parting (Also to be Presented to Attendant
Censor Yan Wu)” at 756 and the previously cited poem within the preceding year. See CSJJZ, pp. 177, 161.
244
CSJJZ, pp. 176-177)
245
Non-Chinese tribe of northwest
246
The Ye river, in today's Wusu county 乌 苏 县 , Xinjiang province, once fell under the administrative command of the
Military Commissioner of Beiting. See CSJJZ, p. 179. The CSJJZ further notes this the “Fan king of Yehu” may not in
fact have actually existed.