Elder Guo retired from Liu, [2]
Not as good as Liu Zongyuan. [3]
Identified with the Communist Party, [4]
Worships Confucius [5].

[1] Present, to send respectfully. Guo Lao, a respectful title for Guo Moruo.
[2] From, by. Han, refers to Han Yu. Han Yu (768-824), a Tang Dynasty writer and philosopher.
His courtesy name was Tuizhi, and he was from Heyang, Henan (now south of Mengxian
County, Henan). He claimed that his ancestral home was Changli, and was known as Han
Changli. In ancient times, he was listed as the first of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and
Song Dynasties". His "Collected Works of Mr. Changli" has been handed down.
[3] Not as good as, not comparable to. Liu Zongyuan (773-819), a Tang Dynasty writer and
philosopher. His courtesy name was Zihou, and he was from Jie, Hedong (now Jiezhou Town,
Yuncheng County, Shanxi Province), and was known as "Liu Hedong".
[4] "Yue" means to be called. "Ming" means name. "CCP" here refers to members of the
Communist Party.
[5] "Worship" means to respect and admire. "Kong Erxian" means Mr. Kong Er, a nickname
for Confucius. The word "sheng" is omitted here due to the number of characters and
rhythm. Confucius (551-479 BC) was a thinker, politician, educator and founder of
Confucianism in the late Spring and Autumn Period. His given name was Qiu and his
courtesy name was Zhongni. He was the second child in the family. He was from Genyi, Lu
(southeast of Qufu, Shandong today). He gathered disciples to teach and engaged in political
activities. At the age of fifty, he was promoted from Zhongdu Zai of Lu to Sikou, acting as
prime minister. Later, he traveled around the countries but was not used outside. It is said
that he had 3,000 disciples, of whom more than 70 were famous. Confucius vigorously
promoted the doctrine of "benevolence". He pioneered the trend of private lectures. In
politics, he proposed the idea of "rectifying names". Confucius advocated "rule by virtue"
and "enlightenment through education," opposing harsh rule and arbitrary executions. Since
the Han Dynasty, Confucius' teachings have been the orthodoxy of feudal culture for over
2,000 years, exerting a profound influence. Feudal rulers consistently revered him as a

5 The poem is for Guo Moruo, whom Mao had always respected.  The Chinese place the word “Lao” (“Old”)
before a person’s surname to show respect; if the person is highly revered, the “Lao” can be placed after the
surname, as it was here. Mao’s reverence for Guo Moruo, poet, dramatist and historian was tempered by his
criticism of Guo’s support for Confucianism.



"sage." The extant "Analects" records Confucius' conversations and the dialogues he had
with his disciples.