Du Fu: Met an Old Farmer, Drinking Wine Out of a Clay Pot, Then Talk of General Yan

Met An Old Farmer Drinking Wine Out of a Clay Pot, Then Talk of General Yan

遭 田 父 泥 饮 美 严 中 丞

步 屧 随 春 风
村 村 自 花 柳 。
田 翁 逼 社 日
邀 我 尝 春 酒 。

酒 酣 夸 新 尹
畜 眼 未 见 有。
回 头 指 大 男
渠 是 弓 箭 手。

名 在 飞 骑 籍
长 番 岁 时 久。
前 日 放 营 衣
辛 苦 救 衰 朽。

差 科 死 则 已
誓 不 举 家 走。
今 年 大 作 社
拾 遗 能 住 杏？

叫 妇 开 大 瓶
盆 中 为 吾 取。
感 此 气 杨 扬
须 知 风 化 首。

语 多 虽 杂 乱
说 尹 终 在 口。
朝 来 偶 然 出
自 卯 将 及 酉。

久 客 惜 人 情
如 何 拒 邻 叟？
高 声 索 果 栗
欲 起 时 被 肘。

指 挥 过 无 礼
未 觉 村 野 丑。
月 出 遮 我 留
仍 嗔 问 升 斗。

Zao Tian Fu Ni Huan Mei Yan Zhong Cheng

Bu xie sui chun feng
Cun cun zi hua liu
Tian weng bi she ri
Yao wo chang chun jiu.

Jiu han kua xin yin
Chu yan wei jian you.
Hui tou zhi da nan
Qu shi gong jian shou.

Ming zai fei qi ji
Chang fan sui shi jiu
Qian ri fang ying yi
Xin ku jiu shuai xiu.

Cha ke si ze yi
Shi bu feng jia zou
Jin nian da zuo she
Shi yi neng zhu xing?

Jiao fu kai da ping
Pen zhong wei wu qu.
Gan ci qi yang yang
Xu zhi feng hua shou.

Shi duo sui za luan
Shuo yin zhong zai kou
Zhao lai ou ran chu
Zi mao jiang ji you.

Jiu ke xu ren qing
Ru he ju lin sou?
Gao sheng suo guo li
Yu qi shi bei zhou.

Zhi hui guo wu liu
Wei jue cun ye chou.
Yue chu zhe wo li
Reng chen wen sheng dou.

Met and Old Farmer, Drinking Wine Out of a Clay Pot, Then Talk of General Yan

Walking shoes follow the spring winds
Every village with natural flowers and willow trees.
Old farmers compelled to honor the land gods daily
One of them invited me to try his new spring wine.

Wine merriment, he brags about the new mayor
His eyes shone with the happiness of an animal without predators.
Turning his head around, he points to his eldest son
Whose hands are strong from bending and pulling a bow.

Famous as one of the General Feiqi’s archers
For a long time he was not rotated out of deployment.
Day before yesterday he took off his uniform to help me with the spring
planting
His hard work, with others like him, saved those too old to do the planting.

With this arrangement, we are not concerned so much about our son’s
military service
Before this, whole families would run away and abandon their farms.
This year we have a large harvest with rites and festivals
Can you come join us?

He calls his wife to open the largest wine barrel
She poured it into a large basin.
I can feel their spirits have been uplifted
Our leaders need to see and realize how the farmers can be so thankful.

Many simultaneous conversations
They all circle around to join talking about the new local official.
Dawn arrives, spontaneously go outside
From early morning to early evening.

For a long time I value these people’s sentiments
How can I refuse any offers from these old farmers?
They loudly call out, requesting fruits and chestnuts
Don’t let me go back to my duties.

Orders for food given without the usual etiquette
I do not feel the country villagers are disgraceful.
Moon rises, I really cannot remain any longer
Old man annoyed that I asked him how many bottles of wine we had consumed.

Notes:

General Yan: Former army general, now mayor of a local city.

General Feiqi: Lived during the Han Dynasty.  His uncle was a prominent army general.  As a young man, Feiqi won fame by conducting many successful reconnaissance missions into enemy territory.  He and his troops traveled very light and fast, carrying little food and weaponry, which allowed them to do their work in secret.

Commentary:

Got to love the line that speaks volumes:  “His eyes shone with the happiness of an animal with no predators.”  We all should be so happy! Good example of the young and strong helping the older and weaker, as well as how a close-knit rural community operates.