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68<br />
On a macro-level, “Song <strong>of</strong> Yan” can be approached as a complex <strong>of</strong> responses to frontier<br />
warfare, one which embodies, to differing degrees, major themes found in Gao Shi's frontier poetry: 93<br />
praise for the martial enterprise as it pertains to the nation's defence, 94 criticism <strong>of</strong> wastrel behaviour by<br />
those with military authority, 95 and sympathy for the common, and all to <strong>of</strong>ten suffering, soldier. 96<br />
Following Hu Yong's exegetic division <strong>of</strong> the poem into four parts, 97 this thematic arrangement<br />
becomes quite apparent and assists in understanding the intricacies <strong>of</strong> the poem while also questioning<br />
李 将 军 赵 将 李 牧 也 守 边 二 十 年 匈 奴 不 敢 犯 边 . See Tangyin 唐 音 3.31 in SKQS. Hundreds <strong>of</strong> years later in the Qing 清<br />
dynasty, the choice between Guang Li/Li Mu remained unresolved: “Li Guang loved his troops, so it could be said to be<br />
him. Or it could be Li Mu; that's also possible” 李 广 爱 惜 士 卒 , 故 云 . 或 云 李 牧 , 亦 可 . See Shen Deqian 沈 德 潜<br />
Tangshi biecaiji 唐 诗 别 裁 集 ([ 上 ] Shanghai: Gujichubanshe 古 籍 出 版 社 ), p. 161. Yet when considering that there are<br />
a great number <strong>of</strong> cases in which frontier poems conclude with an allusion, for different effects, to Li Guang, such as<br />
Cen Shen's “Commissioner <strong>of</strong> Jiao He Commandery” (“Shijiaohequn” 使 交 河 群 ): “General Li <strong>of</strong> the Han dynasty/[His]<br />
small successes can today be laughed at” 汉 代 李 将 军 , 微 功 今 可 咍 (See CSJJZ, p. 152) and the first <strong>of</strong> Wang<br />
Changling's “Beyond the Frontier” (“Chusai ershou” 出 塞 二 首 ): “Were only the Flying General at Longcheng/ The Hu<br />
horses would not be allowed to cross Yin mountain” 但 使 龙 城 飞 将 在 , 不 教 胡 马 度 阴 山 (QTS.143.1444), interpreting<br />
the General Li <strong>of</strong> “Song <strong>of</strong> Yan” as Li Guang at least statistically seems safe. In selecting the Han dynasty “Li”, Owen<br />
also comments on the imprecision <strong>of</strong> meaning in the last line, though not in the Li Guang/Li Mu context: “Gao's closing<br />
may suggest that it is the futile desire to emulate Li Guang which has led to endless campaigns and which results in so<br />
much human suffering. And in the context <strong>of</strong> the heroic self-sacrifice <strong>of</strong> the troops, the memory <strong>of</strong> Li Guang may...serve<br />
yet a third function, a reminder <strong>of</strong> how poorly the state rewards those who serve it well: the Han general cut his throat in<br />
response to the ingratitude <strong>of</strong> his superiors. Gao's song was written in response to someone else's 'Song <strong>of</strong> Yan'...and it is<br />
possible that a reference to Li Guang in the original version, now lost, would have clarified its function here”. See<br />
Stephen Owen, The Great Age <strong>of</strong> Chinese Poetry, p. 153. Suffice to say, the final line remains wide open.<br />
93<br />
Hong Zan, Tangdai zhanzhengshi yanjiu, p. 85.<br />
94<br />
“Below the Frontier” (“Saixia qu” 塞 下 曲 ) being a strong example.<br />
95<br />
Besides the previously cited second “Jimen” (“Jimen ershou” 蓟 门 二 首 ), this frequent theme <strong>of</strong> Gao Shi's can be<br />
found in the last six lines <strong>of</strong> “Written in Ji” ( 蓟 中 作 ):“Each time I come to some site <strong>of</strong> battle/I grieve that the nomads<br />
may return/True, we have plans to still the frontiers/But our generals have rested too long in favour/I am depressed at<br />
this, Sun Wu's vocation/I will go home and alone I will lock my gate” See Stephen Owen, tr., The Great Age <strong>of</strong> Chinese<br />
Poetry, p. 151. 一 到 征 战 处 , 每 愁 胡 虏 翻 . 岂 无 安 边 书 ? 诸 将 已 承 恩 . 惆 怅 孙 吴 事 , 归 来 独 闭 门 . See GSJJZ, p. 188.<br />
Owen notes that “Sun Wu was an ancient military theoretician, and his 'vocation' is metonymy for warfare. Presumably<br />
the generals <strong>of</strong> the northwestern frontiers are unwilling to take vigorous action for fear <strong>of</strong> failing and thereby losing the<br />
favour they enjoy”. See Stephen Owen, tr., The Great Age <strong>of</strong> Chinese Poetry, p. 151. However, a footnote accompanying<br />
the poem in the GSJJZ reads “ 孙 吴 ”as the <strong>of</strong>ten paired military strategists Sun Wu ( 孙 武 ), famed writer <strong>of</strong> The Art <strong>of</strong><br />
War (Sunzi bingfa 孙 子 兵 法 ), and Wu Qi 吴 起 , a general <strong>of</strong> the from Wei 卫 who served Wei 魏 in defeating the Qin<br />
秦 army. The biographies <strong>of</strong> Sun Wu and Wu Qi can be found in chapter sixty-five <strong>of</strong> the Shiji.<br />
96<br />
A wrenching example <strong>of</strong> this particular response to frontier war is the first “Dispatching the Qingyi Troops to Juyong”<br />
(“Shi qingyijun rujuyong sanshou” 使 青 夷 军 入 居 庸 三 首 ): “Our horses have journeyed so long/The road twists so<br />
toilsome/We do not know the frontier is different/We only gasp out that our clothing is thin/The streams are cold, sound<br />
<strong>of</strong> the springs so bitter/The mountains are empty/leaves <strong>of</strong> the forest all dried/Do not tell us that at the frontier pass's<br />
end/Rain and snow still stretch on and on”. See Marie Chan, tr., Kao Shih, p. 100. 匹 马 行 将 入 , 征 途 去 转 难 . 不 知 边 地<br />
别 , 只 讶 客 一 但 . 溪 冷 泉 声 苦 , 山 空 木 叶 干 . 莫 言 关 塞 极 , 云 雪 尚 漫 漫 . See GSJJZ, pp. 185-186. An earlier poem by<br />
Cui Hao 催 颢 (d.754), “Written at Liaoxi” (“Liaoxi zuo” 辽 西 作 ), and here excerpted, also makes use <strong>of</strong> ragged<br />
garments to accentuate the hardship <strong>of</strong> soldiering: “Hu herd their horses [ie attack south]/ The Han general dispatches<br />
troops/In layers <strong>of</strong> dew precious swords are glistening/Among desert hills metal bells ring/Winter clothes already worn<br />
thin/Spring clothes – who will make them for us?” 胡 人 正 牧 马 , 汉 将 日 征 兵 . 露 重 宝 刀 淫 , 沙 虚 金 鼓 鸣 . 寒 衣 著 已 尽 ,<br />
春 服 与 谁 成 ? See QTS 130.1328.<br />
97<br />
Hu Yong, “Fengci haishi gesong” , passim.