1966年，我在老家安国上高小期间，学过《卜算子 · 咏梅》。这是毛主席“读陆游咏梅词，反其意而用之”。毛主席的咏梅词我很快就学会了，也会背诵了。陆游的原作我也很喜欢，也很快就会背了。时至今日，这两首词我还能背诵，可见童子功还是挺有用的。后来随着阅历的增长，知道了毛主席和陆游的写作背景，更加理解了作者创作该词的心境。更记起了五十八年前老师在课堂上讲解此首词的一些细节。

两首风格不同的咏梅词，逐一欣赏之。

毛主席作的《卜算子·咏梅 》

风雨送春归，飞雪迎春到，已是悬崖百丈冰，犹有花枝俏。

俏也不争春，只把春来报。待到山花烂漫时，她在丛中笑。

译文：

风风雨雨把去春送走，满天飞雪又把来春迎到，在那悬崖峭壁冻结了百丈冰柱的严寒下仍然有梅的花枝绽放着俊俏、艳丽的梅花，傲迎风雪。

梅花虽然俏丽艳放，却不同谁争奇春日的光辉，只是把春的信息向群芳预报。等到满山遍野都开满了色彩绚丽的鲜花，梅花在群芳花丛中微笑。

【宋】陆游作的《卜算子·咏梅 》

驿外断桥边，寂寞开无主。已是黄昏独自愁，更著风和雨。

无意苦争春，一任群芳妒。零落成泥碾作尘，只有香如故。

译文：

驿站外的断桥边，梅花寂寞地开着，无人过问。黄昏时分，梅花无依无靠，已经够愁苦的了，却又遭到了风雨的摧残。

无心去苦苦争夺春光，任凭百花嫉妒。凋谢后飘落在地成了泥，又被碾作微尘，那股清香却依然如旧。

赏析：中国文人墨客写梅之诗词不计其数，大意境和与大调子都差不多。毛主席以一代大诗人的风范，出手不凡，一首咏梅词力扫过去文人那种哀怨、颓唐、隐逸之气，创出一种新的景观与新的气象，令人心服口服，叹为观止。陆游眼里的梅花遗世独立、消极退缩、凄凉愁苦、孤芳自赏。毛主席“读陆游咏梅词，反其意而用之”，盛赞梅花“俏也不争春，只把春来报。待到山花烂漫时，她在丛中笑”。一“俏”一“笑”令人耳目一新，反出了骨力遒劲、伟岸飘逸的艺术神韵。两首咏梅，我都喜欢，以至于记住了、背诵了将近六十年。涿州的马洪文、王保英是当地的戏曲爱好者和歌手，她们演唱的咏梅我听过多次，百听不厌。涿州搞“12.26”纪念毛主席诞辰活动已连续十年了。今年是第十一次，届时，还想再听到演唱毛主席的《咏梅》词。

    In 1966, during my time at the primary school in my hometown of Anguo, I studied "Ode to the Plum Blossom" by Chairman Mao. This was Mao's "reading of Lu You's Ode to the Plum Blossom, using it in an opposite way." I quickly learned Mao's Ode to the Plum Blossom and could recite it. I also quickly learned Lu You's original work and could recite it as well. To this day, I can still recite these two poems, showing that the effort I put into learning them as a child was indeed worthwhile. As I grew older and gained more experience, I learned about the writing backgrounds of Chairman Mao and Lu You, which deepened the emotions behind the creation of these poems. It also brought back memories of my teacher explaining the details of this poem in the classroom fifty-eight years ago.

The two different styles of Ode to the Plum Blossom, each to be appreciated in turn.

Chairman Mao's "Ode to the Plum Blossom":

Wind and rain send spring away, flying snow welcomes spring back. Even with cliffs covered in hundred-foot ice, there are still beautiful flower branches. Beautiful, not competing for spring, just delivering the message of spring. When the mountain flowers bloom, she smiles among the flowers.

Translation:

The wind and rain send off the departing spring, and the flying snow welcomes the return of spring. Even with cliffs covered in hundred-foot ice, there are still beautiful flower branches. The plum blossom, though beautiful, does not compete for the glory of spring, but simply delivers the message of spring to the other flowers. When the mountain is covered in colorful flowers, she smiles among the flowers.

Lu You's "Ode to the Plum Blossom":

By the broken bridge outside the post station, the lonely plum blossoms bloom without an owner. It's already dusk, and they are alone and in sorrow, enduring the wind and rain. Unintentionally not competing for spring, letting the other flowers envy. Fallen and turned to dust, only the fragrance remains unchanged.

Translation:

By the broken bridge outside the post station, the lonely plum blossoms bloom without an owner. It's already dusk, and they are alone and in sorrow, enduring the wind and rain. Unintentionally not competing for spring, letting the other flowers envy. Fallen and turned to dust, only the fragrance remains unchanged.

Appreciation: There are countless poems and lyrics written by Chinese literati about plum blossoms, with similar themes and tones. Chairman Mao, with the demeanor of a great poet, created a new landscape and atmosphere with his Ode to the Plum Blossom, sweeping away the melancholy, decadence, and reclusiveness of the literati of the past. Lu You's view of the plum blossoms as solitary, passive, desolate, and self-indulgent. Chairman Mao's "reading of Lu You's Ode to the Plum Blossom, using it in an opposite way," praises the plum blossoms for being "beautiful, not competing for spring, just delivering the message of spring. When the mountain flowers bloom, she smiles among the flowers." The "beauty" and "smile" bring a refreshing change, revealing a robust, majestic, and elegant artistic charm. I love both Odes to the Plum Blossom, so much so that I have remembered and recited them for almost sixty years. Ma Hongwen and Wang Baoying from Zhuozhou are local opera enthusiasts and singers, and I have heard their performance of Ode to the Plum Blossom many times, never tiring of it. Zhuozhou has been holding commemorative events for Chairman Mao's birthday on December 26 for ten consecutive years. This year will be the eleventh time, and I hope to hear the performance of Chairman Mao's "Ode to the Plum Blossom" once again.