The poem of Cao cao

I think that you have heard of this man really, a highly controversial person, some Chinese historians believed that he was a great statesman, who wanted to reunite China, some people believed that he was a dictator and warlord, who killed his political opponents with cold blood, but anyway, he wrote poems , this was the fact, and his poems were good
Before a very important campaign, he wrote a poem, talking about his political ideology and dream, but there were such sentences, very strange
'' As the sky is dark, the moon is bright, and the stars are so few,
the black birds are flying south, they are encircling the tree, but   they cannot find a place to stay"

many scolds believed these sentences were very negative, as comparing to the other parts of the poem, my professor stated that he just wrote down what he saw, since at that time, he was on the deck of a war junk ,preparing for the decisive battle against his enemies,(eventually he would lose the battle, and could not reunite China)

But I have another idea, would the "black birds" be his enemies, he just made a metaphor, he wanted to curse his enemies , they would soon be crushed, and they would find no place to hide.
But my professor does not accept. what is your opinion

In chinese, or english?

if you want to read the poem in english , i need to translate it.

Originally posted by tommy        My short song   Cao cao Drinking! Singing! what a happy life! Enjoying ! As our lives are short! Singing in a high mood! But something is troubling me, wine can drive away it! What is troubling my heart? Good people? How to persuade them to join the court? My deer is eating the grass, my guests are playing the musical instrument. The moon is bright, can I get it? This is troubling my heart. Good people are passing through the wildness, they are interviewing my court, I am persuading them to join my court You see, the moon is bright, but the stars are so few, the black birds are flying south, they are surrounding the tree, but they can find no place to hide If the mountain is big enough, it can collect a great deal of soil If the sea is big enough, it can contain a large amount of water If the leader is hardworking and open minded, he can persuade good people to join his court.

The first few verses appear to be of his later renowned style. Imo, it shows an attempt to understand position in life and the futility of ignoring that those who rise, also will fall...if nothing else into the grave.

And in effect to enjoy the moments or moment of happiness. In that respect it is not unlike Ecclesiastes 8:15.

'' 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.''

The last verse is a bit more murkier...as any number of interpretations might be equated. otoh... given his military and political skill, even given his occasional setback...it seems, afaic, that he is attempting to rationalize or justify in a poetic explanation... his actions as a great Chinese soldier and statesman.

Keep up the research and always remember.... just because a professor might disagree with your understanding or appreciation of the material...it does not make his understanding; superior necessarily, to your own.


best
CV

Edited by Centrix Vigilis - 01-Mar-2016 at 04:13