The Combination of Reality and Illusion in Poetry Appreciation
1. Learning Objectives1. Understand what is real writing and what is illusory writing. 2. Learn to judge the methods of combining reality and illusion. 3. Clarify the role of combining reality and illusion. 4. Master the answering pattern to form complete answers.2. Knowledge Review1. What is real writing? What is illusory writing? “Real writing”: the real images, facts, and situations that exist in the objective world.It can be perceived through visual, auditory, tactile, and other specific senses, depicting reality concretely.Descriptions of all things we can feel in our real life are real writing.“Illusion”: the invisible and intangible illusions,which exist in the subjective consciousness of the poet, obtained through the poet’s subjective imagination.Analyze the poetry and identify which lines are “real writing” and which are “illusory writing”?1. The rainbow (five-colored auspicious clouds) as clothing, the wind as a horse, the lord of the clouds comes down in a flurry. The tiger plays the zither, the phoenix returns in a chariot, the immortal beings are lined up like hemp. 2. Where will I wake from my drunkenness tonight? On the willow bank, the morning breeze and the waning moon. 3. I recall the heroic figure of Gong Jin in those years, when Xiao Qiao was newly married, full of vigor. 4. I know my brothers are climbing high, but one person is missing among the many who have inserted dogwood. 5. Holding hands and looking at each other with tearful eyes, we are speechless and choked with emotion. 6. The waterfall cascades down three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way is falling from the Ninth Heaven. 2. Summarize the types of illusory scenes based on the above verses (1) Fantasy: the world of immortals and ghosts and dreams (2) Anticipation: imagined future realms (3) Memory: realms of the past (4) Association: from this to that, things that are difficult to perceive in front of us (written from the perspective of the other).3. Methods to Judge Illusory Writing1. Look for indicators in the poetry (1) Past: think, remember, in those years, at that time, back then, initially, in the past (2) Future: tomorrow, should, ought to, will be, another day (3) Others: dream, immortal, it is said. 2. Obvious contradictions in time and space in the poetry. A person cannot be in different times and spaces. (1) Contradictions between the content of the poetry and the annotations or prefaces, for example, if the annotation says you are in the classroom, but you write about the playground. (2) Contradictions within the poetry itself, for example, the first part describes watching flowers in Jiangjin, while the second part describes eating fish in Chongqing. 3. Specialized training to explore the use of reality and illusion in poetry, identifying which are real writing and which are illusory writing, and what the indicators are.
(1) Thinking of Home on the Winter Solstice Night by Bai Juyi
At the inn in Handan, I meet the winter solstice, hugging my knees, my shadow accompanies me by the lamp.
Thinking of home, sitting deep into the night, they must be talking about the traveler far away.
The mention indicates that family members are missing oneself, indicator: inn → home, thinking indicates spatial contradiction. (2) Looking Back at Ancient Times in Yuezhong, when King Goujian defeated Wu and returned home, the soldiers returned home in splendid clothes. The palace maids were like flowers filling the spring hall, only now the partridges fly by. Indicator: only now indicates a temporal contradiction. (3) Sending Wei Er by Wang Changling, drunk farewell at the riverside tower, the fragrance of oranges and pomelos, the river wind brings rain into the cool boat. I miss you far away in the moonlight of Xiaoxiang, sorrowfully listening to the clear apes in my dreams. On a clear autumn day, filled with the fragrance of oranges and pomelos, the poet holds a banquet for a friend at the riverside tower, then sends the friend off on the boat in the autumn wind and rain. Soon, the friend will anchor at Xiaoxiang, when the wind calms and the rain stops, a solitary moon shines high, the environment is so desolate, the traveler fears he cannot sleep. Even if he temporarily dreams, the cries of the apes on both banks will intrude into his dreams, making it difficult for him to find peace, thus he cannot escape his sorrow in dreams. Indicator: miss, far away indicates spatial contradiction.4. The Role of Combining Reality and Illusion in Appreciation1. The combination of reality and illusion enriches the imagery in poetry, expands the poetic realm, and provides a broad aesthetic space. In “Sending Wei Er”, the imagery: real: riverside tower, fragrant oranges and pomelos, the cold rain of the river, a solitary boat; illusory: missing you far away in the moonlight of Xiaoxiang, sorrowfully listening to the clear apes in my dreams.2. Illusory scenes and real scenes are sometimes oppositional and complementary, forming a strong contrast that highlights the poet’s emotions (sentiments). In movies, the memories of loved ones after their passing highlight the longing for them. In idol dramas, the memories of beautiful moments appear in the minds of separated couples, contrasting the current pain. In the ending of “Ex-Ex” the memories of their past are so beautiful, yet now they part in silence, one person plays the role of Zizunbao on the bustling street saying he loves her, while the other eats mangoes in a frenzy wanting to die from an allergy. In “Looking Back at Ancient Times in Yuezhong”, the proud warrior in splendid attire and the beautiful women like blooming flowers, the bustling past and the current desolation with only partridges flying by form a strong contrast.3. Illusory scenes and real scenes sometimes complement each other, creating an atmosphere that highlights the poet’s emotions.Imagined scenes (1) Eason Chan’s song “Long Time No See”: Starting from “Will you suddenly appear”, in the corner coffee shop, I will greet you with a smile, chatting with you. Not to mention the past, just a greeting, saying to you, just saying, long time no see… Imagining the scene of meeting again expresses the current feeling of walking in the city of the other, the longing for the other, and the pain and helplessness in the heart. Only able to greet, only able to say one sentence, long time no see. In “Rain Ling Bell”, after years, it should be a good time and good scenery, but even if there are a thousand charms, with whom can I share? Through the depiction of life after separation, it deliberately portrays the poet’s lonely and desolate state of mind. Things not in front of the eyes seem to be in front of them, evoking the reader’s imagination, making the beloved or the reader seem to see an author who is dejected and sorrowful because his lover is not by his side, highlighting the reluctance and sadness of parting. The imagined future scene can extend emotions into another scene, highlighting them. In real life, loving you for ten thousand years extends emotions into the future, and the illusory realm expresses feelings that will continue into the future without end. Therefore, writing sorrow will double the sorrow; writing joy will double the joy. When you are old, by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, when you are old, your hair is white, and you are drowsy. How many people have loved you in your youthful and joyful times, admiring your beauty, whether in pretense or sincerity, only one person still loves your devout soul, loving the wrinkles on your old face. We seem to see a devoted person quietly expressing love. Throughout history, love seems to always be associated with youth and beauty. The poet points out that others love your youthful joy and beautiful appearance, while I love your pure soul. Even when the green shade of youth has fallen, “I” will still love “you” deeply. Compared to those people, the poet’s love is undoubtedly deeper, more sincere, and more loyal.5. Steps to Solve the Problem of Combining Reality and Illusion① Clarify the technique: point out what technique it is. ② Explain the application: summarize the real scene and illusory scene in conjunction with the verses. (Where is the real writing, what is it about; where is the illusory writing, what is it about) ③ Analyze the effect: clarify the relationship and explain the effect. Reference answer: ① Mainly used the technique of combining reality and illusion; ② The first two lines are real writing, expressing the loneliness and desolation of being away from family, living in a guesthouse; the last two lines are illusory writing, imagining that family members are missing me from thousands of miles away. ③ The combination of reality and illusion, using illusion to express reality, makes the deep feelings of homesickness more subtly and implicitly expressed. Reference answer: Clarify the technique: combining reality and illusion. Explain the application: illusory writing depicts the triumphant and glorious past, while real writing describes the current scene of the partridges flying chaotically. Analyze the effect: (the illusory scene and the real scene are oppositional and complementary) the contrast of reality and illusion expresses the impermanence of prosperity and decline. a. Combining reality and illusion. b. The first two lines are real writing, the riverside tower, drunken farewell, fragrant oranges and pomelos, the sudden rain. The last two lines are illusory writing, shifting from the current scene to imagining the other person arriving at the distant Xiaoxiang, sorrowfully listening to the clear cries of the apes, the loneliness and sorrowful scene. c. It highlights the melancholy and desolate atmosphere at the time of parting with friends, expressing the reluctance and concern for friends.6. Practice on the Problem of Combining Reality and Illusion Du Fu’s “Hearing of the Army’s Recovery of Henan and Hebei” Suddenly, news comes from outside the sword, at first hearing, tears fill my clothes. But looking at my wife and children, where is their sorrow? I roll up my poetry and books, joyfully mad. Singing in the daylight, I must drink, youth accompanies me back home. I will pass through the Ba Gorge and the Wu Gorge, then head down to Xiangyang towards Luoyang. In the first year of the Tang Dynasty’s Baoying (762) winter, in October, the Tang Dynasty’s official army defeated the rebels in Luoyang. The following spring, Du Fu was living in Zizhou (now San Tai, Sichuan), suddenly hearing the news of the army’s victory, the poet was overjoyed and wrote this poem, the only cheerful poem in his life. The first two couplets write reality. The poet, upon hearing the news from Shu, “recovers Jibei”, means the stronghold of the “An-Shi Rebellion” that had occupied for eight years has been destroyed, Du Fu could not help but have “tears fill his clothes”! This is a mix of extreme sadness and extreme joy! He looks back at his wife and children who have also suffered from the war, and they no longer have sorrow! So he rolls up his poetry and books, sharing joy with his family! “Recovering Jibei, tears fill my clothes, looking back, rolling up poetry and books” are all suddenly “joyfully mad” realities of life! The last two couplets write illusion. We “sing” and “drink” to celebrate victory, celebrating the recovery of lost land; we rejuvenate and return to youth, accompanied by our young children back home, bidding farewell to the life of wandering. Although the poet is at this moment in a foreign land, his thoughts have already taken flight, following the Fu River into the Jialing River, passing through the Ba Gorge into the Yangtze River, then out of the Wu Gorge to Xiangyang, turning towards Luoyang to return home. The rhythm of the poet’s homecoming song is light and harmonious, with the change of places dazzling! At this moment, Du Fu’s emotions surge like a flood, rushing forward, a thousand miles in a rush! If there were no two lines of illusory writing, and it was all real writing, it would be difficult to express the poet’s extreme joy upon hearing the news of victory and the urgent desire to return home! This poem is praised as “Du Fu’s only cheerful poem”, one of the key reasons is the wonderful combination of reality and illusion! Illusory writing is also indispensable, just as Wang Shizhen said in “Art Garden Tea Words”: “What is sparse must be dense later, what is half wide must be half fine, one real must have one illusory.”Real Writing: The poet, upon hearing the news, cannot help but have “tears fill his clothes”, he looks back at his wife and children who have also suffered from the war, and they no longer have sorrow.Illusory Writing: After the victory, accompanied by family back home, ending the life of wandering, following the Fu River into the Jialing River, passing through the Ba Gorge into the Yangtze River, then out of the Wu Gorge to Xiangyang, turning towards Luoyang to return home.The combination of reality and illusion enriches the imagery of the poem, expands the poetic realm, and highlights the poet’s uncontrollable joy upon hearing the news.
