【登樓 DSE】中文範文全面攻略：語譯、主旨、考題分析

As one of the twelve sample essays in DSE Chinese Language, Denglou is an important chapter that candidates must master. In this article, we will analyse this masterpiece of Du Fu from various perspectives, such as poetic background, translation, main idea, writing techniques, and the use of allusions, etc., and provide you with practical strategies for test-taking in conjunction with past DSE exam questions. Whether you are looking for basic understanding or in-depth analysis, this guide will help you stand out in DSE Chinese Paper 1.

Background and Introduction of the Author of "The Ascent of the Staircase

Portrait of Du Fu and Tang Dynasty Backgrounds

Du Fu (712-770), courtesy name Zimei, was honoured as the "Sage of Poetry" by later generations.

Du Fu was born during the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. As a young man, he failed in the imperial examinations and was stranded in Chang'an for ten years. After the outbreak of the An Shi Rebellion, he was displaced along with the people, and was even captured by An Lushan's army and taken to Changan. Later he escaped from the captors' camp and served as the left scavenger in the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang Dynasty, and was soon relegated to Huazhou. He then resigned from his post and went to Sichuan, where he built the Cao Tang Hall in Chengdu and was recommended to be an official of the Ministry of Public Works. In his later years, he stayed in Kui Zhou for two years, and at the age of 57, he left Sichuan and drifted around Yueyang, where he finally died of illness in the Xiangshui River.

The Denglou was written during the Guangde period (763-764) of Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty, a time of social unrest, eunuch dictatorship, foreign invasions, and clan rule, which led to internal and external difficulties for the imperial court. In the west, when the Uighur Dengli Khan returned to China, his men killed and robbed; in the south, Yuan Chao led nearly 200,000 peasants to revolt; and the Turfans plundered the western part of the country, Longyou. Du Fu wrote the poem "Ascending Staircase" under such a national predicament, expressing his deep concern for the fate of the country and his own sadness that he had no way to serve the country.

Climbing the Staircase

Calligraphic Works of Poetry on the Ascent to the Tower

original

The flowers are close to a high building, which hurts the heart of the guest, and it is difficult to visit this place in all directions.

The spring colours of the Jinjiang River come from heaven and earth, and the floating clouds of the Jade Terrace have changed from the past to the present.

The court at the North Pole does not change, and there are no invaders in the Western Mountains.

I feel sorry for the latter's return to the temple, and at sunset, I am reciting a poem for Liang Fu.

language translation

The first joint:I was saddened by the blossoms near the high-rise building, and I climbed up to the high-rise building to see the frequent disasters when I was far away from my hometown and a guest in Shu.

Lip Syndicate:On both sides of the Jinjiang River, the vibrant spring scenery emerges from the sky, and the floating clouds on Mount Yulei are ever-changing from ancient to modern times.

Cervical Union:After all, the Tang regime, which was as stable as the North Star, would not be replaced, and the roving bandits (Tubo) in the western mountains would not come to intrude.

Endnote:It is sad that Liu Chan, the dim ruler of Shu Han, is still being worshipped at the temple, and I may as well recite the poem "Liang Fu Yin" in the dusk of the evening.

Stylistic and Structural Analysis of The Ascent of the Staircase

project	Features
Styles	Verse in seven lines
sentence structure	The poem consists of eight lines, each with seven words
rhyme	Even rhymes: Lin, Jin, Yin, Yin
antithesis (two lines of poetry matching in sense and sound)	Jaw and Neck Couples
level and oblique tones (technical term for classical Chinese rhythmic poetry)	According to the rules, the characters of the first and second sentences must be level and oblique

Paragraph to the effect

Verse	paragraph of a text
The flowers are close to a high building, which hurts the heart of the guest, and it is difficult to visit this place in all directions.	When I climbed up the stairs in the midst of a "difficult situation", I felt sad even though flowers were blooming in front of me.
The spring colours of the Jinjiang River come from heaven and earth, and the floating clouds of the Jade Terrace have changed from the past to the present.	He writes about what he sees and thinks when he climbs a building and looks into the distance: he praises the beautiful mountains and rivers, and expresses his feelings about the changes in the clouds and the rise and fall of history.
The court at the North Pole does not change, and there are no invaders in the Western Mountains.	In terms of the world situation, the Tang regime was as permanent as the North Star, warning the Tubo not to intrude any more.
I feel sorry for the latter's return to the temple, and at sunset, I am reciting a poem for Liang Fu.	Recalling the ancients and expressing his personal aspirations: he feels helpless about his lack of dedication to his country despite his empty desire to help the world.

Theme and Emotional Analysis of "The Ascent

The Spring Colour of the Jinjiang River and the Floating Clouds of the Jade Terrace from a High Altitude

The scenery of beautiful flowers on the stairs triggers the author's endless sadness because of the destruction of the country even though he is looking at such a beautiful view. On the one hand, he sighs that the monarch favours the villain, and on the other hand, he sighs that he has the heart to serve the country but cannot use it for the time, and then expresses his patriotic feelings of worrying about the country and the people.

Emotional level

Homesickness - The author refers to himself as "guest" to express his loneliness in a foreign land.

worried about the country and the people - In the face of the "difficult times for all parties", he showed his deep concern for the fate of the country.

have no way to serve one's country - "I will chant for Liang Fu at sunset" expresses the sadness of not being able to meet one's talent and not being able to fulfil one's ambition.

Criticism of Current Affairs - Ironise the incompetence of the ruler by saying "The Lord of the Queen returns to the temple".

Future Expectations - "The court at the North Pole will never change" expresses the hope for a long-lasting peace in the country.

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Notes on Key Words and Phrases of "Ascending a Staircase

words	Annotation
Kam Kong	It is a tributary of the Minjiang River and flows through Chengdu.
jade base	The name of the mountain, Yulei Mountain, is located in the north-west of Guanxian County, Sichuan Province (present-day Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province).
Arctic	Polaris, a metaphor for the northern court.
bandits in the Western Hills (idiom); fig. robbing the rich and powerful to take advantage of the situation	Refers to Tubo.
queen	During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Zen, the later lord of Shu Han, was the first person to be killed in the Three Kingdoms period.
Liang Fuyin (1525-1564), Ming dynasty poet	One of them is "Liang Fu Yin" ("梁父吟"). According to "The Records of the Three Kingdoms", when Zhuge Liang was ploughing in Longzhong, he used to compose "Liang Fu Yin".
pathetic	The ancient meaning is "regrettable, lamentable", not the modern meaning "worthy of pity".
depend upon (literary)	The term "casual talk" is not used in the present sense of the word, but in the present sense of the word.

Analysis of the Writing Technique of "Ascending a Staircase

borrow scenery to express emotion

By depicting the scene of spring flowers in full bloom, Du Fu contrasts his own sadness due to the difficulties of his country. The line "The flowers are close to a high building and hurt the heart of a guest" is a joyful setting for the sadness, which is all the more sad. The lines "Spring colours of the Jinjiang River come to heaven and earth" and "The floating clouds of the Jade Terrace have changed from the past to the present" link the natural scenery with the rise and fall of history, expressing the poet's feelings about the current situation.

make use of the past to satirize the present

I feel sorry for the latter's return to the temple, and at sunset, I am reciting a poem for Liang Fu.

The poet's poem "I will chant for Liang Fu at sunset" borrows an allusion to Zhuge Liang, and expresses his sadness over his lack of talent and his failure to achieve success. At the same time, the poem also borrows an allusion to Zhuge Liang, expressing his own sadness at not being able to recognise his own talents.

dualistic device

Pairing Poems	analysed
The spring colours of the Jinjiang River come from heaven and earth, and the floating clouds of the Jade Terrace have changed from the past to the present.	"Jin Jiang" versus "Jade Base", "Spring Colours" versus "Floating Clouds", and "Coming to Heaven and Earth" versus "Changes of the Past and the Present" form a neat pairing structure, which not only depicts the magnificent natural scenery, but also expresses the emotion of historical changes.
The court at the North Pole does not change, and there are no invaders in the Western Mountains.	The words "the court in the north" and "the bandits in the western mountains", and "no change" and "no encroachment", express confidence in the stability of the Tang dynasty, and warn against foreign invasion, a strong and firm sentiment.

Appreciation of the Rhetorical Devices in The Ascent of the Staircase

simile

The Arctic court never changes.

The "North Pole" was used as a metaphor for the Tang dynasty's political power. The constant position of the North Star symbolised the stability and longevity of the court.

metonymy

Don't let the bandits in the Western Mountains invade us.

The name "Xishan" is a reference to the Tubo, a border tribe that started the war.

Pun

Jade and clouds have changed the past and present

The word "change" refers to the unpredictability of the clouds on Jade Mountain, as well as to the unpredictability of world events, a double entendre.

Backlining

Flowers near a tall building hurt the heart of a traveller

The spring flowers are in full bloom and everywhere is full of vitality, contrasting with the difficulties of the country and one's own worry about the country and the people, so that the sadness is even more evident in the happy scene.

Explanation of the use of allusions in "Ascending Staircase

Allusion in the Poem of Ascending Stairs: The Later Lord Liu Chan and Zhu Ge Liang

Later Emperor Liu Chan

"The latter refers to Liu Chan, the last emperor of Shu Han. Liu Chan was a mediocre and incompetent ruler, and after his succession to the throne, the government was deteriorating, and eventually the country fell to the ground. By mentioning the temple of the Empress Dowager, Du Fu sighs that such a mediocre emperor still has a temple to worship, and on the other hand, he satirises the Tang Dynasty Emperor, who was also as mediocre as Liu Chan, and favoured eunuchs, thus plunging the country into a state of peril.

Zhuge Liang and Liang Fu Yin

The "Liang Fu Yin" in the phrase "I will recite it for Liang Fu at sunset" is related to Zhu Ge Liang. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志‧蜀志), Zhuge Liang used to recite Liang Fu Yin (梁甫吟) when he was ploughing in Longzhong. Du Fu used this to express his helplessness that he, like Zhuge Liang, had the talent to help the world, but could not serve the country. At the same time, he also implied that there was a lack of wise counsellors like Zhuge Liang at the imperial court.

DSE Exam Tip:The use of allusions in "Ascending Stairs" is a common test point. Understanding the historical background of the allusions and their symbolic meaning in the poem is crucial to answering the questions. Pay particular attention to how the allusions are related to the poet's emotions and views on the current situation.

Analysis of the DSE Exam Questions for "Ascending the Staircase

DSE Chinese Exam Papers and Answer Techniques

Past Questions

years	topic	Fraction
2020	Du Fu's "Ascending a Staircase" is a magnificent poem about the scenery you see when you ascend a staircase. Try to extract some lines from the poem.	2 points
2020	Du Fu's poem "Ascending Stairs" borrows allusions to express his feelings. Complete the table below with your own words.	4 points
2024	Which of the following is a rhyme? (i) Heart (ii) Today	2 points

Sample Answer

2020 Question 3: Du Fu's "Ascending a Staircase" is a magnificent poem about the scenery you see when you ascend a staircase. Try to extract some lines from the poem.

Refer to the answer:The spring colours of the Jinjiang River come from heaven and earth, and the floating clouds of the Jade Terrace have changed from the past to the present.

Score points:These two sentences must be extracted in their entirety, not just one sentence or part of a sentence. These two lines depict the magnificent scenery seen when climbing up the stairs, and the words "to come to heaven and earth" and "to change from the past to the present" characterise the grandeur of the scene.

2020 Question 4: Du Fu's poem "Ascending Stairs" borrows allusions to express his feelings. Try to complete the table below with your own words and phrases.

Title Requirements:

allusion (classic story or saying)	Allusions	Sentiments expressed
queen	(i)	They lamented that the monarchs at that time were so mediocre that they were not assisted by any wise ministers.
Zhuge Liang	Legend has it that before he met Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang liked to recite "Liang Fuyin" (梁甫吟).	(ii)

Refer to the answer:

(i) If the Later Lord is as mediocre as he is, there are shrines and temples.

(ii) The poet expresses the melancholy of not being able to fulfil his ambition.

Score points:Answers need to be organised in their own language and not copied directly from the original. It is important to point out the specific content of the allusion and its connection with the poet's feelings.

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Tips for taking the DSE examination of Ascendant House

DSE Chinese Test Tips and Preparation Strategies

Key Points

Understand the main theme of the poem and grasp the two main emotional lines of "worrying about the country and the people" and "missing out on talent".
Memorise the verses and their translations, especially the common chi-saurus and coda.
Master the use of allusions and their symbolic meanings, especially "後主" and "梁甫吟".
When analysing writing techniques, pay attention to the specific expressions of "expressing emotion through scenery" and "making use of the past to satirise the present".
Understand the use of contrasts in poems and how to express emotions through contrasts in scenery.

Common Missing Points

Confusing the metaphorical meaning of "North Pole" and misinterpreting it as the actual North Pole instead of the North Star
Failure to accurately explain the ancient and modern anagrams of "可憐" and "聊"("可憐").
Insufficient understanding of the allusions to explain their connection to the poet's emotions
Only literal understanding, failing to analyse the poet's emotional level in depth
Only transcribed the original text when answering the question and failed to explain the meaning of the poem in his/her own words.

Answer template

An answer template for analysing the writing techniques in The Ascent:

Du Fu uses (writing techniques) in "Ascending Stairs", for example, "(stanza)". This line expresses the poet's (emotional analysis) through (the use of specific analytical techniques). This technique effectively (analyse effect) and enhances the artistic impact of the poem.

For example:In "Ascending Stairs", DU Fu made use of the ancient to satirise the modern, for example, "I pity the later lord who still has an ancestral temple". By mentioning that the mediocre Liu Chan, the later lord of Shu Han, still had a temple to worship, the poem satirises the then Tang Emperor Daizong, who was also mediocre and incompetent, and favoured eunuchs, thus plunging the country into a state of peril. This technique effectively expresses the poet's criticism of the current political situation, and at the same time avoids the risk of directly criticising the monarch of the Tang Dynasty, thus enhancing the artistic impact and satirical effect of the poem.

Practice Questions for "Ascending a Staircase" Mock Exercise

Question 1:What rhetorical device is used in Du Fu's poem "Ascending Stairs" in the lines "The court in the north has never changed, and the bandits in the west have never invaded"? What kind of feelings do these two lines express?

Question 2:In Du Fu's poem "Ascending Staircase", how do the lines "I pity the later lord for returning to the temple, and I chant for Liang Fu at sunset" express my own feelings through the ancients? Analyse them.

Question 3:In Du Fu's poem "Ascending Staircase", why do you feel sad at the sight of flowers in the line "Flowers near a high building"? How is this related to the main theme of the poem?

Question 4:In Du Fu's poem "Ascending the stairs", what kind of scenery is depicted in the lines "Spring colours of the brocade river come to heaven and earth, and the floating clouds of the jade fortress have changed to the past and present"? What feelings does the poet express through these scenes?

Question 5:Compare and contrast the similarities and differences in emotional expression between Du Fu's "Ascending a Staircase" and "Dining Alone Under the Moon" (Li Bai).

Summarize

Denglou Poetry Context and DSE Exam Preparation

As one of Du Fu's masterpieces, "The Ascent of a Building" expresses the poet's deep concern for the fate of his country and his sadness at not being able to serve his country by describing the scene he sees when he ascends a building. The poem employs a variety of techniques, including the use of scenery to express emotion, the use of the past to satirise the present and the use of contrasts, and the use of allusions to "The Lord of the Queen" and "Liang Fu Yin" to express the poet's deep concern for the nation and the people and the helplessness of not being able to fulfil his talents.

In the DSE Chinese Language Examination, common test points of "Ascending Stairs" include the main idea of the poem, writing techniques, the use of allusions and emotional analysis. Candidates need to fully understand the content of the poem, grasp the meaning of key words and phrases, and familiarise themselves with the allusions and their symbolic meanings in the poem in order to get good results in the examination. We hope that the detailed analyses in this article can help candidates better understand and master this classic poem, and fully prepare for the DSE Chinese Language Examination.

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【登樓 DSE】中文範文全面攻略：語譯、主旨、考題分析

Background and Introduction of the Author of "The Ascent of the Staircase