出塞
chū sài
Out on the Frontier
王昌龄 (Wang Changling) · Tang Dynasty · 698–756
Original Text
秦时明月汉时关，
qín shí míng yuè hàn shí guān,
万里长征人未还。
wàn lǐ cháng zhēng rén wèi huán.
但使龙城飞将在，
dàn shǐ lóng chéng fēi jiàng zài,
不教胡马度阴山。
bù jiào hú mǎ dù yīn shān.
English Translation
The same moon that shone in Qin, the same passes from the Han — soldiers marched ten thousand miles and have not returned. If only the Flying General of Dragon City were here, he would never let the enemy horses cross Yin Mountain.
Historical Background
This frontier poem (边塞诗) reflects on the endless cycle of border warfare throughout Chinese history. The "Flying General" (飞将) refers to Li Guang, a legendary Han Dynasty general famous for defeating the Xiongnu nomads. Wang Changling wrote during a period of ongoing Tang military campaigns against northern and western peoples.
Literary Analysis
The opening line is breathtaking in its compression of time: the same moon and the same frontier passes have witnessed warfare from the Qin Dynasty through the Han and into the present Tang. Centuries pass but the situation never changes — soldiers still march away and don't return. The wish for a great general like Li Guang is both patriotic and heartbreaking, implying that current leadership is inadequate and soldiers are dying needlessly.
Details
Form
Seven-character Quatrain (七言绝句)
Theme
War & Frontier
About Wang Changling (王昌龄)
Wang Changling was known as the "Master of Seven-character Quatrains" (七绝圣手) during the Tang Dynasty. He excelled at frontier poetry that combined martial spirit with deep compassion for soldiers. Despite his literary fame, he suffered political setbacks and was ultimately killed during the An Lushan Rebellion.
2 poems by Wang Changling in our collection
Traditional Chinese
秦時明月漢時關，萬里長征人未還。但使龍城飛將在，不教胡馬度陰山。