“As I traveled over Qin Mountain one morning,
I met two fairies, of brightness and beauty,
Riding on a white deer.
I realized they were immortals,
And kneeled and begged for the Dao.
‘Go west and climb the Jade Terrace,
There are gold pavilions and corridors.’
They gave me an immortal elixir.
‘Your longevity will match that of gold and jade,
And you will never reach senility.’”
—Cao Zhi, Han Dynasty poet,
as quoted in Empires Ascedent: Time Frame 400 B.C.–A.D. 200
“Your longevity will match that of gold and jade” means
a.
the poet will turn to stone.
c.
the poet will never die.
b.
the poet will turn to metal.
d.
the poet will be wealthy.
Please select the best answer from the choices provided
To determine the meaning of the phrase "Your longevity will match that of gold and jade" from the given poem, we need to analyze its context and literary devices. The quote comes from a conversation between the poet and the fairies, where they are discussing the Dao (the way or the path to immortality).
Judging by the description of the fairies and the mention of an immortal elixir, we can infer that the fairies possess immortality. When the fairies say, "Your longevity will match that of gold and jade," they are implying that the poet will attain a lifespan as long and enduring as gold and jade.
Considering this, the best answer is:
c. the poet will never die.
This interpretation aligns with the concept of achieving immortality and matches the context of the poetic dialogue.
‘Your longevity will match that of gold and jade,
And you will never reach senility.’
Which choice do you think is correct?