A mountain soars beside the great river;
Clouds stretch across the Nine Rivers, as if floating above the Yellow Crane.
I mount and swiftly ascend through verdant heights four hundred times around.
Beneath the waves, white mist rises over the Three Wu regions.
With cold eyes I gaze upon the world beyond the seas;
Tao Yuanming—where has he gone?
Hot winds drive rain to sprinkle the riverbank.
Can one still till the fields in the Peach Blossom Spring?

[Commentary]
On this occasion, Mao Zedong ascended Mount Lu to preside over the Eighth Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC Central Committee. Standing atop the mountain and surveying the vast landscape, moved by the “loveliness of our land,” he composed this regulated verse.

[Notes]
(1) Fei zhi: To soar up and stand tall.
(2) Yue shang: To speed upward by vehicle.
(3) Conglong: Lush and verdant, here referring to the green mountains.
(4) Jiu pai: The nine rivers mentioned in ancient texts.
(5) Fu huanghe: An allusion evoking the Yellow Crane Pavilion.
(6) San Wu: The lower Yangtze region encompassing Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
(7) Tao ling: Refers to Tao Qian, the great poet of the Eastern Jin dynasty.

[Appreciation]
The poem’s opening and closing couplets are abrupt yet majestic, while the middle two are tightly structured and richly evocative. The lines span north, south, east, and west, drawing connections between distant and nearby scenes, between high and low perspectives. From beginning to end, each section builds upon the last, seamlessly blending realism with idealism, thereby expressing both praise for and unwavering confidence in the new era and society.