示儿
To My Sons
Original
死去元知万事空，
但悲不见九州同。
王师北定中原日，
家祭无忘告乃翁。
Translation
I know full well that all turns to dust when I pass away,
Yet my only grief is not seeing our unified land today.
When the imperial troops reclaim the Central Plains in the north,
Do not forget to tell your old man at the family shrine!
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
Written on his deathbed in 1210, *To My Sons* is Lu You’s swan song, encapsulating his lifelong patriotic devotion amid the Southern Song Dynasty’s political turmoil. The dynasty was forced to retreat south, with northern territories occupied by the Jin Dynasty, leaving Lu You, a fervent advocate for reunification, unfulfilled. The poem’s core lies in the stark contrast between his acceptance of death’s finality and his unyielding grief over China’s division. Simple yet powerful, it conveys a selfless hope: he urges his sons to inform him posthumously once the imperial troops reclaim the north, making it a timeless testament to love for one’s motherland that tugs at readers’ heartstrings across ages.
About the Poet
陆游
Lù Yóu
Lu You (1125–1210), a towering figure of the Southern Song Dynasty’s literary circle, is celebrated as one of China’s most distinguished patriotic poets. He left an unparalleled legacy of over 9,300 poems, spanning themes of national salvation, rural tranquility, and personal melancholy. His works shift seamlessly between solemn, rousing tones for his unfulfilled ambition to reunify China and warm, vivid depictions of pastoral life, embodying his lifelong conflict between court service and rural seclusion.
Cultural & Historical Context
Historical Background: The Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) endured prolonged national division, with northern China occupied by the Jin Dynasty following the catastrophic Jingkang Disaster of 1127, which shattered the Northern Song’s rule. Cultural Background: Rooted in Confucian ideals of loyalty to the state and filial piety, the family shrine was a sacred space where descendants honored ancestors, making the poet’s final request to be informed of reunification a deeply meaningful act tied to traditional rituals. Social Background: At the time, the Southern Song court was dominated by peace-seeking officials who opposed military campaigns to reclaim lost territories, leaving patriotic intellectuals like Lu You marginalized and their ambitions unfulfilled. Personal Experience: Lu You spent his life advocating for national reunification, facing repeated exiles and setbacks due to his outspoken stance; even on his deathbed, his thoughts remained fixed on the undivided motherland he never lived to see. Creative Purpose & Artistic Features: The poem aims to pass his unwavering patriotic will to his sons. Using plain, conversational language akin to a dying man’s whispered wish, it creates a powerful contrast between acceptance of death’s finality and enduring grief over national division, turning a private farewell into a universal, timeless expression of patriotic devotion that resonates across generations.