Member Poem

For Mother

Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283)
 
 
This noble wife and mother’s time has come
To rise for heaven in the gods’ embrace;
Her grave forever near the hare and fox,
With tears that feel like hail upon my face.
 
 

Chinese   母第一百四十一 文天祥   何時太夫人 上天回哀眷 墓久狐兔鄰 嗚呼淚如霰

Pronunciation   Mǔ Dì Yī Bǎi Sì Shí Yī Wén Tiānxiáng   Hé shí tài fū rén Shàng tiān huí āi juàn Mù jiǔ hú tù lín Wū hū lèi rú xiàn

 
 
Transliteration and Notes
 
Mother Number One Hundred Four Ten One
 
What time wife husband person
Go-up heaven return console care-for
Grave long-time fox rabbit neighbor
Crying wailing tears like soft-hail
 
     This is the 141^st poem written about his mother, probably during the period of mourning.  “Wife husband person” means “old dowager” or the mother of a noble or official. “Go-up heaven” means to pass away. The character for “console” could also be Ai, sixth of the legendary Flame Emperors from 2000 B.C. Some Vietnamese stories consider Emperor Ai to be the father of Au Co, a beautiful and immortal mountain fairy who gave birth to one hundred children who became the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. If the character here refers to Emperor Ai, then the line means his mother’s going up to heaven to be under his care.
     The rabbit symbolizes the moon and longevity. In Chinese mythology, the Jade Rabbit lives on the moon, accompanying the Moon Goddess, constantly pounding medicine for the elixir of life. The fox symbolizes the afterlife and a fox sighting is seen as a sign from the spirit of the deceased.