过零丁洋

In 1279 the Yuan commander 张弘范 carried the captive 文天祥 across the Lingding Sea, in the mouth of the Pearl River, and told him to write to the last Song loyalists urging them to surrender. He wrote this poem instead. It ends 人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青, 'since ancient times, who has not died? Let my loyal heart shine in the pages of history.'

The poem plays on the place name: 惶恐滩头说惶恐，零丁洋里叹零丁, 'at the Rapids of Dread I spoke of dread; on the Lingding Sea I sigh at being alone'. 零丁 also means 'alone and helpless'.