1. Original
I love this land
If I were a bird.
I should also sing with my hoarse throat:
The land hit by the storm.
This river is always surging with our grief and indignation.
This enraged wind blowing endlessly.
And the tender dawn from the forest
——Then I died.
Even feathers rot in the earth.
Why do my eyes often contain tears?
Because I love this land deeply
English translation editing voice
ILoveThisLand
IfIwereabird,
Iwouldsingwithmyhoarsevoice：
Ofthislandwasbuffetedbystorms,
Ofthisriverturbulentwithourgrief,
Oftheseangrywindsceaselesslyblowing,
Andofthedawn,infinitelygentleoverthewoods.
——ThenIwoulddie,
Andevenmyfeatherswouldrotinthesoil.
Whyaremyeyesalwaysbrimmingwithtears?
BecauseIlovethislandsodeeply.
2. Writing background
I Love This Land was written on November 17, 1938, and published in Ten Days of Literature in Guilin in December of the same year. In October 1938, Wuhan fell, and the Japanese invaders trampled on the land of China. The author and many people in the literary and art circles at that time withdrew from Wuhan and gathered in Guilin. The author wrote this poem full of love for the motherland and hatred for the invaders.
