Analysis of "折桂令·中秋" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

The poem "折桂令·中秋" (Zhe Gui Ling: Mid-Autumn) was written by the Yuan dynasty poet Zhang Yanghao (张养浩, 1270–1329). A prominent statesman and literary figure, Zhang served as a high-ranking official before retiring to focus on poetry. This particular work is a sanqu (散曲), a type of lyrical song popular during the Yuan dynasty, known for its musicality and emotional depth.

"折桂令·中秋" celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday dedicated to moon-gazing, family reunions, and poetic reflection. The poem captures the ethereal beauty of the moonlit night while subtly expressing the poet’s philosophical musings on life and transience.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

一轮秋影转金波
Yī lún qiū yǐng zhuǎn jīn bō
A wheel of autumn light turns to golden ripples,

飞镜又重磨
Fēi jìng yòu chóng mó
The flying mirror is polished anew.

把酒问姮娥
Bǎ jiǔ wèn Héng'é
Wine in hand, I ask Chang’e:

被白发欺人奈何
Bèi bái fà qī rén nài hé
What can be done when white hair deceives us?

乘风好去
Chéng fēng hǎo qù
Riding the wind, I’d gladly go,

长空万里
Cháng kōng wàn lǐ
Across the endless sky,

直下看山河
Zhí xià kàn shān hé
To gaze down upon the mountains and rivers.

Line-by-Line Analysis

1. "A wheel of autumn light turns to golden ripples"
   The opening line personifies the moon as a "wheel of autumn light," evoking its luminous glow. The "golden ripples" suggest the moon’s reflection on water, a common motif in Chinese poetry symbolizing fleeting beauty.

2. "The flying mirror is polished anew"
   The "flying mirror" refers to the moon, likened to a freshly polished bronze mirror—a metaphor for its clarity and brightness. This line subtly hints at renewal and the cyclical nature of time.

3. "Wine in hand, I ask Chang’e"
   Chang’e is the moon goddess of Chinese mythology, often associated with loneliness and immortality. The poet’s question reflects a human longing for answers about aging and existence.

4. "What can be done when white hair deceives us?"
   Here, Zhang Yanghao laments the inevitability of aging ("white hair"). The rhetorical question conveys helplessness against time’s passage, a recurring theme in Chinese literature.

5. "Riding the wind, I’d gladly go / Across the endless sky"
   These lines express a desire for transcendence—escaping earthly constraints to roam freely. The imagery of wind and sky reflects Daoist ideals of harmony with nature.

6. "To gaze down upon the mountains and rivers"
   The final line shifts to a grand, almost divine perspective. The "mountains and rivers" (shan he) symbolize the homeland, suggesting both patriotism and a cosmic contemplation of life.

Themes and Symbolism

1. The Moon as a Symbol
   The moon represents beauty, eternity, and introspection. Its polished brightness contrasts with human impermanence, reinforcing the theme of transience.

2. Aging and Time
   The "white hair" symbolizes mortality, while the poet’s question to Chang’e underscores existential reflection—a hallmark of Mid-Autumn poetry.

3. Longing for Freedom
   The imagery of riding the wind echoes Daoist and Buddhist notions of liberation from worldly attachments.

Cultural Context

The Mid-Autumn Festival has been celebrated in China since the Tang dynasty (618–907). It’s a time for family reunions, mooncakes, and poetry. Zhang Yanghao’s poem blends personal emotion with cosmic wonder, embodying the festival’s spirit.

As a retired official, Zhang often wrote about the tension between duty and solitude. "折桂令·中秋" reflects his later years—melancholic yet serene, embracing nature’s beauty while pondering life’s brevity.

Conclusion

"折桂令·中秋" is a masterpiece of Yuan dynasty sanqu, blending vivid imagery with philosophical depth. Its exploration of time, nature, and human longing resonates across centuries, offering readers—both ancient and modern—a moment of reflection under the same autumn moon.

Today, as we celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhang Yanghao’s words remind us to cherish fleeting beauty and seek harmony within the universe’s vastness.