为了向英语世界人民介绍中国优秀的古典文化,艾黎充分发挥自己具有深厚中国文化修养的优势,将大量的中国古典诗歌翻译成英文,在英语世界传播。在学习中国文化,研究中国历史的过程中,艾黎了解了杜甫,他对中国历史上这位伟大的诗人推崇备至。杜甫的诗歌与精神也对艾黎产生了非常大的影响。
新安吏客行新安道，喧呼闻点兵。
借问新安吏，县小更无丁?
府帖昨夜下，次选中男行。
中男绝短小，何以守王城?
肥男有母送，瘦男独伶俜。
白水暮东流，青山犹哭声！
莫自使眼枯，收汝泪纵横。
眼枯即见骨，天地终无情。
我军取相州，日夕望其平。
岂意贼难料，归军星散营。
就粮近故垒，练卒依旧京。
掘壕不到水，牧马役亦轻。
况乃王师顺，抚养甚分明。
送行勿泣血，仆射如父兄。
THE CONSCRIPTING OFFICER AT XIN'AN
Travelling through Xin'an
I heard a bellowing voice
Taking roll call, and a local official
Told me how all grown lads
Had already gone, and now the call
Was for boys in their teens, many
Short and many thin, he wondering
How such could help to defend cities;
As I stood I saw how the fat boys
Had mothers to farewell them, but how
Lone and pitiful the thin ones were;
Evening came, and I looked at the stream
Flowing east, heard the sound
Of sobbing from among green hills
Around; and thought it were best
For those mothers not to wither
Their eyes with weeping, for even
If eyes went to skin and bone, it would
Be to no avail; now our armies were
Besieging Yecheng, and soon it should fall;
How could we have thought the rebellion
Would drive the way it did, and our army
Scatter in retreat? Now our forces
Protect granaries, train new men, dig
Fortifications that do not go down
To water, while work on tending
Cavalry mounts is not hard, and all men
Are well fed; so no need for you to weep
more!
Guo Ziyi treats his men as his
Own children.
