In July 1937, the Anti-Japanese War led by the Chinese Communist party broke out. Under such circumstance, literature, with its revolutionary tradition, became a vehicle to educate and mobilize the broad masses of the people. During this process, poetry was the first to prosper, and many poems were written and well received by the people. Most poems expressed majestic, ardent and stimulated sentiment, as the patriotism of poets was inspired by the war. In order to fully express such sentiment, the forms of poetry became much freer. During the stalemate period of the war, poets obtained deeper observations and understanding of the reality. As a result, some fine and long narrative poems appeared. The optimistic and exciting voice of these poems did encourage and inspire the people in their resistance against Japanese aggression.
During the Anti-Japanese War period, Ai Qing and Tian Jian were outstanding in both achievement and influence.
A photo of Ai Qing
Ai Qing (艾青，1910-?) is one of the most important poets like Guo Moruo and Wen Yiduo in contemporary China. He became known when his “大堰河--我的保姆， Dayan River—My Nursing Mama” was published. In the poem, he created the image of a village woman who was much humiliated; by depicting such an image he imprecated the unjustified society. The prosaic lyric tone and the simple language gave the poem a unique artistic style. He eulogized the warmth of the war of national liberation by writing “我们要战争呵—直到我们自由了，Carry on the War—Until We Are Free” when the Anti-Japanese War broke out. His long poems “向太阳，Facing the Sun”, “火把，Torches” and so on reflected the spiritual demands of progressive intellectuals. These poems were like a torch kindled the revolutionary warmth of young people, and encouraged them to go for brightness and truth. His “他死在第二次，He Died at the Second Time” and “吹号手，The Trumpet Player” sang praises of the heroic militant spirit of soldiers. His anthology “北方，The North” described the miserable life of farmers. In “雪落在中国的土地上，Snow Fell on the Soil of China”, he wrote such vivid lines:
雪落在中国的土地上， Xue luo zai zhong guo de tu di shang,
寒冷封锁着中国呀。。。。。。 Han leng feng suo zhe zhong guo ya…
中国， Zhong guo,
我的在没有灯光的晚上 Wo de zai mei you deng guang de wan shang
所写的无力的诗句 suo xie de wu li de shi ju
能给你些许的温暖么？ Neng gei ni xie xu de wen nuan me?
Snow fell on the soil of China,
China, which was blockaded by coldness…
China,
Could the strengthless lines
I wrote at night when there was no light
Give you a bit warmth?
Many of his poems expressed feelings of his flesh and blood ties with the motherland. Following are the last two lines of “我爱这土地，I Love This Land”:
为什么我的眼里常含着泪水？ Wei shen me wo de yan li chang han zhe lei shui?
因为我对这土地爱得深沉。。。。。。 Yin wei wo dui zhe tu di ai de shen chen…
Why are there always tears in my eyes?
Because I love this land so profoundly…
The poems of Ai Qing were spread far and wide at this period and encouraged many young intellectuals to embark on the road of revolution. The main reason for such an effect was the patriotic feeling he projected in his simple and beautiful lines. His anthologies “潰灭，Crumble and Fall” and “反法西斯，Anti-Fascists” showed his concern on the anti-Fascist war by the people of the world. His anthology “黎明的通知， Notice Given by the Dawn” told the people in a delightful voice “what they have been waiting for is coming”. All together, there are 22 anthologies of Ai Qing. His poems have been translated into more than ten languages. In March 1983, he was given the highest French art and literature honor.
A photo of Tian Jian
Tian Jian (田间，1916-1985) published his “未明集，The Collection Before Things Getting Clear” and “中国农村的故事，Countryside Stories of China” before the Anti-Japanese War. The latter, composed of three parts: “Hunger”, “On the Yangtse River” and “Going”, reflected the sufferings of farmers, and their desire for life. His “给战斗者，To Fighters”, “她也要杀人，She Also Wants to Kill” and other anthologies published after the war broke out had extensive influence among readers. He used to write the shortest lines, each line contained two or three characters. Such way of writing produced intense, militant notes; the feelings of the poet were condensed in a powerful way. Wen Yiduo praised him as “the drummer of the era.” For instance, he wrote in “I Am One of the Seas”:
我， Wo,
是结实， Shi jie shi,
是健康， Shi jian kang,
是战斗的小伙伴。 Shi zhan dou de xiao huo ban.
I,
Am sturdy,
Healthy,
A little fighting lad.
He went to the Liberated Areas quite early, experienced much actual struggles. You therefore find no grief feelings in his poems, in stead, you can find encouraging and exciting militant sentiment. His unique form of poetry suited his intense feelings; both factors formed his healthy and simple style. His poems were well received by readers during the war period. His “赶车传，The Experience of Driving a Cart” written after the war described a farmer’s emancipation. From 1959-1961, he wrote six more parts of “The Experience of Driving a Cart”. Which unfolded a broad scene of country life. It is a rare work among Chinese long narrative poems.
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