Chapter 37: The Knowledge Contest (2)

  The legend of Manzushage, I had heard it when I was young and still remember it vividly. I felt sad for Manzushage and was moved by their faithful love. The legend touched me deeply, it's a story that made me think for a long time.

  It's been such a long time, but I still remember. A very, very long time ago, on the outskirts of the city, there were vast fields of peony flowers, and two spirits guarded them: a flower spirit named Manzhu and a leaf spirit named Shahuahua. They had been guarding the peonies for thousands of years, but because the flowers and leaves never met, they had never seen each other. Yet, they yearned for each other so crazily and were deeply tormented by this pain. I think this is what it means to be heartbroken and sorrowful - a kind of heartbreaking sadness that makes me feel infinite pity for them. Later on, I found out that they defied the gods' rules and secretly met once. That year's Manzhu Shahuahua was especially beautiful and stunning.

  But, they were eventually discovered, and their love was condemned, sending them to reincarnation, shattering this beauty, and my heart shattered along with it. At that time, in my youthful heart, I was filled with deep sorrow and melancholy. I deeply worried about their fate, but it was an unchangeable fact; they were flowers and leaves that could never meet again, what a sad thing this is in the world!

  When I was young, due to my ignorance of emotions, that touching story left a deep impression on me. At that time, I memorized it word by word and wrote it down in my diary, remembering it in my heart. Now when I hear this legend again, I just want to cry, feeling it's so moving, feeling it has awakened some sleeping emotions in my heart, turning into boundless sorrow.

  The knowledge contest is still going on fiercely. The computer department team also answered many questions, seemingly on par with our first and second teams.

  The last question: "Once the sea is difficult to be water, except for Wu Mountain is not cloud." Which poet's poem is this from? Please explain the meaning of this sentence.

  "This is from the fourth of 'Five Departures' by Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen. It means: Someone who has experienced the vastness of the ocean, will not be attracted to other waters; except for the clouds that rise from the misty mountains of Wu Shan, all other clouds pale in comparison." I recalled the explanation of this poem that I had learned before and said so.

  The host continued to ask: "So, what technique did this poem use, and what kind of emotion did the poet express?" Please answer.

  This is a love poem, obviously this question tests memory and understanding of the contestant's poetry.

  Xia Wenyu began to answer: "The poet uses the method of metaphor to express the poet's nostalgia for his beloved wife, which is extremely deep and profound. This feeling is also unparalleled in the world. This poem, through allusion, speaks of the beauty of the loved one like the beauty of the vast ocean and Mount Wu, with a thousand charms; while this deep love is like the water of the vast ocean and the clouds of Mount Wu, deep and changeable."

  He is indeed the leader of the Chinese department, and after meeting him several times, I feel that he is a person with a quick mind and excellent memory. His profound analysis makes one admire his talent.

  Many classmates under the stage have already expressed their heartfelt applause, followed by a burst of thunderous applause.

  This is the last question, today's competition has come to an end, and the host is sorting out the results of the competition.