《秦妇吟》
《秦妇吟》全诗七言238句、1666字，被誉为“唐朝第一长诗”。作者韦庄在广明元年（880）因黄巢起义被困长安，他在中和三年（883）将自己目睹的战乱情形，借诗中主人公“秦妇”之口讲述出来，写成了极具现实主义色彩的长篇叙事诗。这首纪实长诗的时间跨度达三年之久，空间范围涉及长安、洛阳两京，所描绘的是历史的沧桑巨变和百姓的苦难遭遇。作为纪实性的史诗巨作，该诗比正史更加形象细致地描绘了唐末的社会景象。
《秦妇吟》自诞生之时就在民间广为流传，当时的人甚至称韦庄为“《秦妇吟》秀才”。历史上这首诗曾一度失传，世人只知其名不得其文。敦煌文献发现的《秦妇吟》写卷共计10件，其中6件带有题记，分别记载它们曾经属于寺学学子、私学学子以及普通百姓的情况。正是因为敦煌藏经洞的意外开启，世人在今天才能一睹韦庄名作《秦妇吟》的真容。
Lament of the Lady of Qin
Lament of the Lady of Qin by Wei Zhuang, an outstanding poet and lyricist of the Tang Dynasty, is a lengthy poem consisting of 238 lines and 1,666 Chinese characters, earning it the title of "the longest poem of the Tang". Wei was trapped in Chang'an in 880, during the turmoil of the Huang Chao Rebellion (875-884). Three years later, he narrated the war-torn conditions he witnessed through the voice of the poem's protagonist, the "Lady of Qin", crafting a long narrative poem rich in realism. Spanning three years, the poem covers significant geographical areas including the capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang, and vividly depicts the historical upheaval and the suffering of the common people. A monumental piece of documentary poetry, it offers a detailed, vivid portrayal of the social landscape during the late Tang Dynasty compared to official historical records
Since it was written, Lament of the Lady of Qin had been widely circulated among the populace, with contemporaries even referring to Wei Zhuang as the "lyricist of Lament of the Lady of Qin". Historically, the poem faced a period of obscurity, wherein many knew its title but no verses. The Dunhuang cache included a total of 10 copies of Lament of the Lady of Qin, six of which contained inscriptions indicating previous ownership by students from monasteries, private academies, and ordinary people. Thanks to the discovery of the Library Cave, the modern world can appreciate the original form of Wei Zhuang's masterpiece--Lament of the Lady of Qin.
