Yue Fei is well-known for his patriotism and loyalty towards his country. According to historical records and legend, Yue had the four Chinese characters 精忠报国 – “serve the country with utmost loyalty” – tattooed across his back.
“Man Jiang Hong” 满江红 is his most acclaimed poem. This poem reflects the raw hatred he felt towards the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty, as well as the sorrow he felt when his efforts to recoup northern lands lost to Jin were halted by Southern Song officials of the “Peace Faction”.
怒发冲冠 .凭栏处，潇潇雨歇。
nù fà chōng guān, píng lán chù, xiāo xiāo yǔ xiē.
抬望眼，仰天长啸，壮怀激烈。
tái wàng yǎn, yǎng tiān cháng xiào, zhuàng huái jī liè.
三十功名尘与土，
sān shí gōng míng chén yǔ tǔ,
八千里路云和月。
bā qiān lǐ lù yún hé yuè.
莫等闲，白了少年头，空悲切 !
mò děng xián bái liǎo shào nián tóu, kōng bēi qiè.
靖康耻，犹未雪；
jìng kāng chǐ, yóu wèi xuě;
臣子恨，何时灭？
chén zǐ hèn, hé shí miè?
驾长车，踏破贺兰山缺。
jià cháng jū tà pò Hè lán shān què!
壮志饥餐胡虏肉，
zhuàng zhì jī cān hú lǔ ròu,
笑谈渴饮匈奴血。
xiào tán kě yǐn xiōng nú xuè.
待从头，收拾旧山河，朝天阙！
daì cóng tóu shōu shí jiù shān hé, cháo tiān què.
满江红 – 岳飞
Man Jiang Hong – Yue Fei
Translated copy:
My wrath bristles through my helmet, the rain stops as I stand by the rail;
I look up towards the sky and let loose a passionate roar.
At the age of thirty, my deeds are nothing but dust, my journey has taken me over eight thousand li
So do not sit by idly, for young men will grow old in regret.
The Humiliation of Jingkang still lingers,
When will the pain of the Emperor’s subjects ever end?
Let us ride our chariots through the Helan Pass,
There we shall feast on barbarian flesh and drink the blood of the Xiongnu.
Let us begin anew to recover our old empire, before paying tribute to the Emperor.