{2, Available English Translations: Poems, p. 46; Poems of Mao Tse-tung, p.

81.
Appended to the publication of this poem is an explanatory note that indicates that this
was written in response to two poems written by Liu Yazi on the occasion of viewing
theatrical performances in National Day celebrations on October 3, 1950. Both Liu’s
ms and Mao’s own were written in the ci pattern of “Wanxisha” (Sands of the Wan
Stream), which was originally a Tang dynasty song whose literary grammar had been
adopted by poets as a formula or pattern ever since. For Liu’s poems in translation,
see Poems of Mao Tse-tung, p. 87. For more information on Liu, see text Dec. 2,
1949, source Hote.

The night is long and no dawn comes to China's sky;'

For a hundred years the demons have trampled it with their twisting
dances,

And there is no unity among its five myriads of people.

The chanticler’s clarion pierces the gloom’ and all the world is bright;

Music resounds from all quarters, as far as Yutian.”

Never have so many bards and minstrels gathered in such a joyous congregation,

Notes

_ 4} The term efisien which Mao uses here translates literally as “Land of crimson earth,” and it
HAD archaic term for China’s self-identification, derived from the writings of Zou Yan, the Chi-
> Lenaapinel of the Warring States period, in which Zou describes the geographical features
“tour major continents of the wortd,” one of which, identified as China and its neighboring
acenthen called Chisian shenzhu
» This line is derived from the poem "'Zhi jiu heng"’ by the Tang dynasty poet Li He. For the
\9ss) “gniticance uf this saying in this poem see Guo Moruo’s article in Wensi bao (June 11.

fang, the name given in Han dynasty times to a location in what is now southern Xin-

The ies Was. and to some extent ts, populated primarily by the Uighurs, a minority nationality.

th terary here is appropriate particularly becwuse the theatrical performunces that prompted

| Mctuding exclamation were done by the cultural work groups of various minority nationalities,
thse From Xinjiang.

KARL TE


144 | MAO ZEDONG