Zhang Jiuling (張九齡 Zong1 Giu3 Lin2 678AD to 740AD)

Zhang Jiuling was born in 678AD in Qu Jiang county (曲江縣 Kiuk5 Gong1 Yen4)
in present day Guangdong Province (廣東省 Gong3 Dung1 Sen3). In 733AD he
was appointed as Prime Minister by Emperor Xuan Zong Li Longji (玄宗皇帝李
隆基 Hien2 Zung4 Fong2 Di4 Li3 Lung2 Gi1 713AD to 755AD), the famous Tang
Ming Huang (唐明皇 Tong2 Min2 Fong2) , grandson of Empress Wu or Wu Ze
Tian (武則天 Vu1 Zet5 Tien1 690AD to 704AD), the only Empresss in China.
However, some high-ranking officials wheedled Emperor Xuan Zong into having
Zhang Jiuling dismissed as PM in 736AD. The Emperor had Zhang Jiuling
banished back to his hometown. Zhang Jiuling died in 740AD.

About Zhang Jiuling

Zhang Jiuling, was a virtuous minister who was born in 678 A.D. in The city of
Qu-Jiang, Shao Zhou (Shaoguan), is the pride of the Hakka people. His
forefather four generations ago was a native of Fanyang in Hebei province, and
after he was appointed as official assistant of Shaozhou government by the royal
court, his family moved from the north to Shaozhou city. Hence, Zhang Jiuling
is one of the Hakka people. Nowadays, besides the descendants in Shixin,
Shaoguan, another lineage is dated back to Zhang's grandson after fourteen
generations, Zhang Huasun (Zhang Fa-Sun "-Suen") in ShangHang"xian",
Fujian. There are more descendants in the seven counties of Meizhou (Wuhua,
XingNing, Dapu, Jiaoling, Pingyuan, Meixian and Meizhou City) and even Jiexi
and Fengshun.

Zhang Jiuling had made great contributions in history, not only assisting the
Tang Dynasty emperor Xuanzong for 24 years, but also initiating the "Kaiyuan's
Spirit" during the Tang dynasty. His spirit has certain influences on his
descendants.

In the Ming Dynasty (明朝 Min2 Cau2 1368AD to 1644AD), during the reign of
Zhu Houzhao (朱厚照 Zu1 Heu1 Zau4) or Emperor Wu Zong (武宗皇帝 Vu1
Zung1 Fong2 Di4) the people of Qu Jiang erected a memorial hall called "Qu
Jiang Feng Du Lou 曲江風度樓 Kiuk5 Gong1 Tu4 Leu2" in honour of Zhang
Jiuling. The couplet on the front door was written by Hai Ru (海瑞 Hoi3 Sui4
1514AD to 1587AD), the contemporary statesman and scholar at that time. Here
is the the couplet:

當今皇室雙士,---Dang jin huang2 shi4 wu2 shuang shi4

Dong4 gim1 fong2 sit5 sung1 su4
自古天南第一人.---Zi4 gu3 tian nan2 di4 yi ren2.
Ci2 gu3 tien1 nam2 ti4 yit5 ngin2

On 10th November 1965 an article, published by the People's Daily in Shanghai,

criticized a play written by Wu Han (吳含 Ng2 Ham2), the deputy Mayor of
Beijing city, called "Hai Jui (Rui) Dismissed From Office 海瑞罷官 Hoi3 Sui4 Pa4
Gon1."Nobody took notice about this article, but Peng Zhen (彭真 Pang2 Zin1)
the mayor of Beijing was annoyed. Peng Zhen asked the Shanghai branch of the
People's Daily who authorized that article to be published. Zhang Chunqiao (張
春橋 Zong1 Cun1 Kiau2) replied that the authority was given by Chairman Mao
(毛主席 Mau1 Zu3 Cit6) who wrote that article. That was the first shot of the
"Red Guard Movement."

A poem by Zhang Jiuling

感遇 Gan3 Yu4 (The feeling of encountering) - (1)

Gam3 Ngi4

孤鴻海上來,---Gu hong2 hai3 shang4 lai2,

Gu4 fung2 hoi3 song4 loi2
池潢不敢顧;---Chi2 huang2 bu4 gan3 gu4;
Ci2 vong2 but5 gam3 gu4
側見雙翠鳥,---Ce4 jian4 shuang cui4 niao3,
Zet gien4 sung1 cui4 ngiau1
巢在三珠樹.---Chao2 zai4 san zhu shu4
Cau2 coi1 sam1 zu1 su4

矯矯珍木嶺,---Jiao3 jiao3 zhen mu4 ling3,

Giau3 giau3 zin1 muk5 liang1
得無金丸懼?--De2 wu2 jin wan2 ju4?
Det5 vu2 gim1 yen2 ki4
美服患人指,---Mei3 fu2 huan4 ren2 zhi3,
Mui1 fuk5 fam4 ngin2 zi3
高朋逼神惡.---Gao peng2 bi shen2 e4.
gau1 pen2 bit5 sin2 ok5
今我遊冥冥,---Jin wo3 you2 ming2 ming2,
gim1 ngo1 yiu2 men2 men2
戈者何所慕?--Ge zhe2 he2 suo3 mu4?.
Go1 za3 ho2 so3 mu4

The explanation in Chinese and English

(1) 一隻孤單的鴻雁, 從海面上飛來,

yit5 sung1 dan1 det5 fung2 ngan2
cung2 hoi3 mien4 song4 fui1 loi2
A lonely swan goose comes from the sea.

(2) 牠飛過積水池的時候, 也不敢向下張望;

ta1 fui1 guo4 zit5 sui3 ci2 det5 si2 heu4
ya1 but5 gam1 hiong4 ha4 zong1 mong4
When it flies over the reservoir it does not dare to look down.

(3) 側眼看見有一對羽毛生得美麗的翠鳥,
zet5 ngan3 kon4 gien4 yiu1 yit5 dui4 yit6 mau1 sang1 det5 mui1 li1 det5 cui4
ngiau1
Looking sideways it sees a pair of birds with beautiful feathers

(4) 把窠做在很珍貴三珠樹上.
ba3 vo1 zo4 coi1 hen3 zin1 gui4 sam1 zu1 su4 song4
Perching on their nest on top of a precious tree.

(5) 牠高高高地棲在這珍貴的樹頂上,
ta1 gau1 gau1 gau1 ti4 ci1 coi1 ze3 zin1 gui4 det5 su4 dang3 song4
Perching high on top of the precious tree,

(6) 難道不怕彈丸的射擊嗎?
nan2 tau4 but5 pa4 tan2 yen2 det5 sa4 git5 ma1?
Are they afraid of being shot at by pellet?

(7) 我想人穿了華麗的衣服, 尚且要防旁人的指摘;

ngo1 siong3 ngin2 con4 liau3 fa2 li1 det5 yi1 fuk5
song4 cia3 yau4 fong2 pong2 ngin2 det6 zi3 zak5
My thought is that men wearing beautiful clothes are being picked with µ
faults and criticized

(8) 凡居在高明地位的人, 更因逼進神明, 行為上如

有不合理的地方, 就難免犯了罪惡.
fam2 gi1 coi1 gau1 min2 di4 vui4 det5 ngin2
gang1 yin1 bit5 zin1 sin2 min2
hang2 vui2 song4 yi2 yiu1 but5 hap6 li1 det5 ti4 fong1
ciu4 nan2 men1 fam4 liau3 cui4 ok5.
And people who stand high above the masses must beware that they will be
guilty if they don't conform to the rules of law.

(9) 現在我已是像孤鴻一般在廣漠無窮的天空中自由飛翔,
hien4 coi1 ngo1 yi3 si4 ciong4 gu1 fung2 yit5 ban1 but5 gong3 mok5 vu2 kiung2
det5 tien1 kong1 zung1 cu4 yiu2 fui1 siong2
Now I am like a lonely swan goose flying about freely in the vast and boundless
sky.

(10) 那射鳥的人, 對我還有什麼企圖呢?

na4 sa4 diau1 det5 ngin2, dui4 ngo1 han2 yiu1 sim3 mo1 ki1 tu2
What can the bird shooter do to me?

Notes:

(A) 池潢 chi2 huang2

ci2 fong2
積水池.
zit5 sui3 ci2

(B) 翠鳥 cui4 niao3

cui4 ngiau1
就是翡翠, 羽毛青翠可愛.
ciu4 si4 fui1 cui4, yi1 mau1 ciang1 cui4 ko3 oi4
(C) 珠樹 zhu shu4
zu1 su4
木名, 樹形如柏, 葉有珠; 是一種珍貴的樹木.
muk5 miang2, su4 hin2 yi2 pak5, yap6 yiu1 zu1, si4 yit5 zung3 zin1 gui4 det5 su4
muk5.

(D) 矯矯 jiao3 jiao3

Giau3 giau3
強直貌.
kiong2 cit6 mau4

(E) 金丸 jin wan2

gim1 yen2
金屬製成的彈丸.
gin1 suk6 ze4 sin2 det6 tan4 yen2

(F) 冥冥 ming2 ming2

men2 men2
稱廣漠無窮的天空.
cin4 guong3 mok5 vu2 kiung2 det5 tien1 kung1

(G) 戈者 ge zhe2
go1 za3
射鳥的人.
sa4 diau1 det5 ngin2