杜甫：月兔捣药 Du Fu: The Moon Rabbit Pounds the Bitter Herbs

根据华人的生肖，2011年是兔年。听说把兔子和月亮联系起来带到中国，那时受到了印度佛教的影响。中国把月里的兔子与其它源于佛教的有关观念引进，叫它做‘玉兔’。据说它在神奇的桂树下制作长生不老之药。

实际上，月亮，酒与美女一向是中国诗人的热门题材。由于唐宋时代拜月之风很盛，千年之前的唐宋诗词不少就与这些题材有关。八世纪时的传奇诗人李白据说就是为了捞水里月亮的影子而死的。
另一个唐代诗人杜甫则以写传记式、历史性与记录战乱任何影响他的生活的诗而著名。就算是他不常见的提到玉兔的诗里，他也不忘记在西部沙漠里保卫国家的战士。

月(杜甫)

天上秋期近，人间月影清。
入河蟾不没，捣药兔长生。
只益丹心苦，能添白发明。
干戈知满地，休照国西营。
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According to the Chinese Zodiac, the year of 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit's association with the moon is said to have been introduced to China with Indian Buddhist influence. Chinese adopted the rabbit in the moon along with many other concepts that originated in Buddhism: they called it the Jade Rabbit. It is said to stand under a magical cassia tree on the moon making pills of immortality.

As a matter of fact, the moon, along with fine wine and beautiful women, is a favourite topic for the Chinese poets. Since the worship of the moon was very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty, you‘ll find quite a few of the poems are from the Tang and Song Dynasties, which date back more than one thousand years. In fact, a legendary Chinese poet from the 8th century, Li Bai is said to have died while trying to catch the image of the moon reflected in the waters of a lake.

Du Fu, another poet who lived during the Tang Dynasty, was famous for poems that are autobiographical and historical, recording the effects of war on his own life. Even in the rare occasion that jade rabbit was mentioned in his poem, he just could not forget the soldiers who fought for the countries in the western deserts.

Du Fu: The Autumn Moon

The Autumn constellations begin to rise.

The brilliant Moonlight shines on the crowds.

The moon toad swims in the river and does not drown.

The moon rabbit pounds the bitter herbs and has an eternal life.

His drug only makes my heart more bitter.

The silver brilliance only makes my hair more white.

I know that the country is overrun with war.

The moonlight means nothing to the soldiers camped in the western deserts.

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