Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass[1]

(February 1935)

The west wind is fierce,
Wild geese cry in the vast sky under the frosty morning moon.
Under the frosty morning moon,
The clatter of horse hooves is broken,
The bugle call falters.[2]

[1] Loushan Pass is situated on the highest peak of the Loushan Mountains north of Zunyi, the second largest city in Guizhou Province. It is a strategic point guarding the important northern Guizhou town of Zunyi. During the Long March, the Central Red Army captured Zunyi in January 1935 and held the Zunyi Conference of great significance in revolutionary history. After the conference, the Red Army moved north through Loushan Pass, originally planning to cross the Yangtze River between Luzhou and Yibin. Failing to do so, they turned back and marched toward Zunyi again. On the way, after a fierce half-day battle, they defeated a division of the Guizhou warlord Wang Jialie’s troops holding Loushan Pass and pressed on to recapture Zunyi. This poem describes this battle to take Loushan Pass. The first stanza depicts the Red Army advancing toward Loushan Pass at dawn; the second stanza describes how the sun had not yet set when the Red Army captured and crossed the pass, which was reputed to be a natural barrier. The “west wind,” “crying wild geese,” and “frosty morning” are all real scenes of the local February weather. Mao Zedong’s own note: “The Long March, with its countless twists and turns, had I do not know how many times more difficulties than successes. The mood was somber. After crossing the Min Mountains, a sudden clarity opened before us, transforming into the opposite, a case of ‘dark willows and bright flowers, another village.’ The following poems (Note: In the 1958 publication Nineteen Poems by Chairman Mao, “Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass” is placed before “Three Songs of the Sixteen-Character Form.” ‘The following poems’ refers to ‘Three Songs of the Sixteen-Character Form,’ ‘The Long March,’ ‘Mount Liupan,’ and ‘Kunlun’) reflect this mood.”

[2] 咽 (faltering), read here in the entering tone. Its original meaning is a sound low and choked, used here to describe the intermittent bugle call heard in the early morning cold wind.

Do not boast the strong pass is truly iron-clad,
Today we stride across it from the start.
Stride across it from the start,[1]
The green hills are like the sea,
The setting sun is like blood.[2]

[1] 从头越 (stride across it from the start), cross it anew.
[2] The green hills are like the sea, The setting sun is like blood. According to Mao Zedong, these were observations of scenery accumulated over many years in war. The sudden convergence of this victorious battle at Loushan Pass and the natural scenery produced these two lines, which he himself considered quite successful.

## Appendix: Original 1934 Version

The west wind is fierce,
Under the parasol tree leaves, yellow flowers bloom,
Yellow flowers bloom,
The clatter of horse hooves is broken,
The bugle call falters.

Do not boast the strong pass is truly iron-clad,
Today we stride across it from the start.
Stride across it from the start,
The green hills are like the sea,
The setting sun is like blood.

“Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass” written by Mao Zedong in 1934.

Mao Zedong’s handwritten “Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass.”

Around February 20, 1935, the Central Red Army crossed the Red River (Chishui River) for the second time and recaptured Zunyi. Mao Zedong wrote “Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass.” The picture shows Loushan Pass.

“Dream of a Maiden of Qin · Loushan Pass” (poetic painting)

“The West Wind Is Fierce” (poetic painting)