从军行
On a Military Campaign
Original
青海长云暗雪山，
孤城遥望玉门关。
黄沙百战穿金甲，
不破楼兰终不还。
Translation
Over Qinghai Lake, long clouds veil the snow-capped peaks;
From our lone fortress, we gaze toward Yumen Pass.
Battling in yellow sands, our golden armors are worn thin;
We will never return until we conquer Loulan.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
This is the fourth poem in Wang Changling's "On a Military Campaign" series, crafted against the backdrop of the High Tang Dynasty's ongoing frontier conflicts in northwest China. The opening lines paint a grand yet desolate frontier landscape: dark, swirling clouds over Qinghai Lake obscure the snow-capped mountains, while a solitary military fortress stands isolated, its soldiers gazing toward the distant Yumen Pass, a symbol of the border between civilization and the wilderness. The latter two lines capture the unyielding resolve of the troops: after countless battles in the sandy wastelands, their golden battle armors are tattered, yet they swear an oath never to return home until they defeat the enemy forces represented by Loulan. The poem blends vivid natural imagery with profound patriotic sentiment, reflecting the soldiers' loyalty, perseverance, and the poignant tension between their longing for family and their duty to defend the empire.
About the Poet
王昌龄
Wáng Chānglíng
Wang Changling (c. 698–757) was a prominent poet of the High Tang Dynasty, a golden era of Chinese literature. Regarded as one of the greatest frontier poets of his time, he specialized in depicting the lives and sentiments of soldiers stationed at the northern borders, as well as lyrical works about women. His poems are celebrated for their concise language, vivid imagery, and profound emotional depth, earning him widespread acclaim and lasting influence in Chinese literary history.
Cultural & Historical Context
1. Historical Background: During the High Tang Dynasty (713–741), the Tang Empire expanded aggressively into the northwest, clashing frequently with nomadic tribes like the Tibetans and Xiongnu. Frontier garrisons were established to secure borders, and soldiers endured years of harsh conditions and separation from their families. 2. Cultural Background: Frontier poetry became a dominant genre in this period, mirroring the era's martial spirit and collective admiration for military heroism. Poets used these themes to explore patriotism, longing, and the human cost of war. 3. Social Background: Tang society valued military achievements, with many young men enlisting for frontier service, but the brutal realities of war were often romanticized in mainstream culture. Wang's poems offered an authentic, unflinching portrayal of soldiers' lives. 4. Personal Experience: Wang Changling served as a low-ranking official in northwest frontier regions, granting him firsthand insight into soldiers' hardships and emotions, which infuse his poems with authenticity. 5. Artistic Features & Purpose: The poem aims to honor soldiers' sacrifice and resolve. It uses symbolic imagery (Yumen Pass, golden armor, Loulan) to convey meaning, contrasts grand, desolate landscapes with intimate, unyielding oaths, and employs concise, powerful language that distills profound emotions into a few lines, making it a timeless masterpiece of Tang frontier poetry.