Seven-Character Regulated Verse: Arriving at Shaoshan [1]
(June 1959)

On June 25, 1959, I arrived at Shaoshan. It had been 32 years since I left this place.

The parting dream dimly recalls cursing the passing river, [2]
The native garden of thirty-two years ago.
The red banner roused the serf, the halberd, [3]
The black hand held high the despot's whip. [4]
Because of sacrifice, many lofty aspirations,
Dare to command the sun and moon to exchange for a new sky.
Joyfully I see the rice and beans, a thousand layered waves,
Everywhere heroes descend in the evening mist.

[1] Shaoshan is in Xiangtan County, Hunan Province, and is Mao Zedong's hometown. In January 1927, Mao Zedong returned to Shaoshan while investigating the peasant movement in Hunan. Three months later, Chiang Kai-shek launched the April 12 counter-revolutionary coup. Subsequently, on May 21, the Hunan warlord Xu Kexiang attacked the provincial trade union, provincial peasant association, and other revolutionary organizations in Changsha, massacring the revolutionary masses. This was the Ma Day Incident (in the old days, the rhyme headings were used to denote dates, Ma Day being the 21st). At that time, a peasant self-defense army was established in Shaoshan, armed with guns and spears, preparing to coordinate with other peasant armed forces to attack Changsha. Later, the reactionary army launched a massive offensive against Shaoshan, and the peasant self-defense army was defeated after heroic resistance. Mao Zedong returned to Shaoshan from June 25 to 27, 1959, more than 32 years after January 1927. This poem is a summation of the 32 years of struggle and victory.

[2] "The parting dream dimly recalls cursing the passing river": Returning after a long separation, it again evokes the dim, dream-like memories of struggle and defeat.

[3] "Halberd": An ancient thrusting weapon.

[4] "The black hand held high the despot's whip": "Black hand" refers to the bloody, demonic palm of the counter-revolution. "Despot" refers to Chiang Kai-shek. This line and the corresponding line in the couplet describe the class struggle of that period.

Volume 42
Complete Works of Mao Zedong
Dare to command the sun and moon to exchange for a new sky.
Joyfully I see the rice and beans, a thousand layered waves,
Everywhere heroes descend in the evening mist.

[Illustration captions:]
"Homeland of a Great Man" (poetic painting)
General term for beans.
"Parting Dream Dimly Recalls" (poetic painting)
Archive photo
Archive photo
"Joyfully Seeing Rice and Beans a Thousand Layered Waves, Everywhere Heroes Descend in the Evening Mist" (propaganda poster)