Abstract

This paper explores the application of "problem chain" design in the deep reading of ancient Chinese poetry in high school by taking the teaching of "Ascending High" by Du Fu as an example. Through the construction of a four-step problem system of "perception, analysis, criticism and creation", the paper guides students to go from the surface of the text to the cultural core, and solves the problems of "fragmented interpretation" and "emotional estrangement" in traditional teaching.

The application of the "Problem Chain" four-stage teaching model in the instruction of "Ascending Heights" demonstrates how progressively layered questions effectively link textual perception, in-depth analysis, critical reflection, and innovative practice. This approach successfully addresses the challenges of passive student engagement and emotional detachment in traditional classical poetry teaching. Data indicates that classes implementing this model outperformed conventional teaching methods in both aesthetic appreciation (e.g., imagery analysis, emotional resonance) and cognitive development (e.g., logical reasoning, creative thinking), with average scores exceeding traditional classes by 12-15 points. Consequently, this model provides a practical and scalable pathway for in-depth classical poetry reading instruction in high schools, offering significant practical value and broader applicability.

Keywords: ancient poetry teaching; deep reading; classroom generation; situational teaching, classroom practice

1. Introduction

There are two major challenges in the current teaching of classical Chinese poetry in high schools: First, the teacher-dominated "translation + techniques" model leads to a superficial interpretation of texts. Specifically, teachers often translate poems word by word and sentence by sentence, then list rhetorical devices and expressive techniques such as "metaphor,""personification," and "expressing emotions through scenery." Students passively absorb knowledge, making it difficult to deeply understand the profound meanings of the poems. According to a 2023 survey by China Education News in 10 provinces across the country, 78.3% of high school Chinese teachers still use the traditional "translation + techniques" model in teaching classical poetry, while only 42.5% of students are satisfied with this teaching method. Under this model, the artistic and emotional qualities of poetry as a literary work are severely weakened, leaving students to remember fragmented knowledge points without forming a holistic aesthetic experience.

Secondly, students struggle to connect emotionally with poets due to generational gaps (Wang Ning, 2023). Classical poetry was created within specific historical and cultural contexts. For instance, Du Fu's line "How I wish for thousands of spacious houses to shelter all scholars from the cold, so they may all smile" stems from his personal experience during the An Lushan Rebellion, while Lu You's "Iron horses and frozen rivers enter dreams" reflects the unfulfilled ambitions of the Southern Song Dynasty's pro-war faction. Contemporary high school students, living in peaceful times with superior material conditions, lack firsthand experience with ancient societal hardships and the patriotic sentiments of literati. A 2022 survey by Beijing Normal University High School revealed that only 31% of students could accurately explain the reasons behind Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi's tragic love story in "The Peacock Flies Southeast" and its social implications, while 68% found the emotions in classical poetry "too distant from modern feelings to understand." This generational gap often leads students to study classical poetry superficially, unable to truly enter the poets' inner worlds, let alone achieve emotional resonance or value identification.

The author proposes reconstructing the classroom through a "problem chain" approach, where a logically structured series of questions guides students in autonomous exploration, achieving the integration of "language—image—meaning." This "problem chain" involves designing interconnected, progressively deepening questions centered on teaching objectives, guiding students from perceiving linguistic elements (language) to grasping poetic imagery (image), and ultimately comprehending the poem's thematic emotions (meaning). This pedagogical model aims to break free from traditional constraints, stimulate students' cognitive engagement, and enable them to achieve profound understanding and emotional resonance with classical poetry through active inquiry, thereby effectively addressing two major challenges in contemporary education.

2. Theoretical Framework and Innovations

2.1 Principles of Problem Chain Design

Gradual progression: The inquiry evolves from "Which poetic imagery conveys melancholy?" to "What fundamental differences exist between Du Fu's' sorrow 'and the everyday' grief 'of middle school students?" Specifically, the first phase focuses on textual analysis, guiding students to identify the desolate imagery of "the nation falls but the mountains and rivers remain" and the personified expression of "flowers shedding tears in response to the times," along with the emotional vehicle of "a letter from home is worth ten thousand gold," ensuring foundational comprehension. The second phase employs comparative analysis, requiring students to explore the dimensional differences between "national sorrow" and "personal sorrow" by contrasting Du Fu's life experiences (such as his involvement in the An Lushan Rebellion and his wandering in the southwest) with contemporary middle school students' living conditions (e.g., academic pressure and interpersonal conflicts). For instance, citing records from the New Book of Tang: Biography of Du Fu—such as "Du Fu was unrestrained and unself-restrained, fond of discussing major national affairs, with Gao Shi and Li Bai deeply admiring his writings" —to substantiate the social roots of his melancholy.

Open-ended questions: For instance, "How would the poem's artistic realm change if the phrase' hardship, bitterness, hatred 'were removed?" This could be expanded into quantitative analysis—by quantifying the emotional intensity in the couplet containing "hardship, bitterness, hatred, and frosty temples," then contrasting the emotional progression of the entire poem after deletion. Alternatively, literary criticism theories like Wang Fuzhi's "mutual generation of scene and emotion" could be applied to demonstrate how the fusion of subjective "hardship" and objective "frosty temples" creates the poem's tension. Furthermore, counterexamples could be introduced: "Would' drinking until dawn 'replace' drinking until dawn 'better reflect the poet's character?" This guides students to dialectically consider the unity of artistic and historical authenticity.

Intertextuality: Analyzing the Evolution of Du Fu's Late Poetic Style through the Lens of "Ascending Yueyang Tower". A comparative table can be designed to examine three dimensions: imagery selection (e.g., spatial contrast between "the southeast of Wu and Chu splits" and "ten thousand miles of autumn sorrow as a wanderer"), emotional tone (the tragic intensity of "north of the war-torn passes, tears streaming down the railing" in "Ascending Yueyang Tower" versus "ten thousand miles of autumn sorrow as a wanderer" in "Ascending High"), and artistic techniques (e.g., the precision of antithetical couplets and the density of allusions). Scholarly perspectives, such as Ye Jiaying's analysis in "Commentary on Du Fu's Eight Autumn Poems" regarding the deepening of his late "melancholic and abrupt" style, can be referenced to enhance the depth of intertextual argumentation.

2.2 Manifestation of Innovation

Reverse questioning: Have students craft a "Weibo-style post" in Du Fu's poetic voice, then compare it with the original poem's linguistic intensity. For example, when analyzing the line "Endless falling leaves rustle down, endless Yangtze rolls on," students could rephrase it in modern internet slang (e.g., "Autumn winds sweep, leaves carpet Chang 'an's streets; the Yangtze's ceaseless flow mirrors my tangled emotions #DuFu's emo diary"). Next, guide them to explore how the reduplicated words "rustle" and "roll" create a desolate atmosphere through auditory-visual synesthesia, and how the quantifiers "endless" and "unceasing" expand temporal and spatial dimensions, thereby highlighting the concise and subtle charm of classical poetry.

Cross-boundary Connection: A Comparative Study of Chen Zi 'ang's "Ascending Youzhou Terrace" and "Ascending High" Through Different Expressions of the "Ascending Height" Motif. This analysis can be developed through three dimensions: First, emotional expression—how the loneliness in "Ascending Youzhou Terrace" ("No ancient sages before me, no successors after") contrasts with the melancholy in "Ascending High" ("Ten thousand miles of autumn sorrow, forever a wanderer"). Second, spatiotemporal perspective—the interweaving of "ten thousand miles" and "a century" (the life journey implied in "Hardship, hatred, and frosty temples; newly stopped the cup of turbid wine") in "Ascending High" contrasts with the cosmic awareness in "Ascending Youzhou Terrace" ("Contemplating the vastness of heaven and earth"). Third, artistic form—the emotional expression differences between the five-character classical style of "Ascending Youzhou Terrace" and the seven-character regulated verse of "Ascending High" under metrical constraints. Drawing from Qian Zhongshu's "Guanzhuibian" (The Bamboo Shoots of Poetry), which posits that "poetry divides into Tang and Song," this study demonstrates how Du Fu imbued the "ascending height" motif with deeper historical significance and personal life experiences during the transition from the "prosperous Tang atmosphere" to the "decadent mid-Tang era," addressing the question: "Why do the emotional expressions differ so drastically when ascending the same height?"

3. Implementation of Teaching Cases

3.1 Pre-class Preparation

Students are divided into groups to collect historical materials on the An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang Dynasty. Specifically, each group needs to consult the "Old Book of Tang" and "New Book of Tang" to find records about the causes of the rebellion, major battles (such as the uprising at Fanyang, the fall of Luoyang, and the Battle of Tongguan), and key figures (An Lushan, Shi Siming, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Yang Guozhong, Guo Ziyi, Li Guangbi, etc.). They should also gather information on the impact of the An Lushan Rebellion on the political, economic, and social structure of the Tang Dynasty, such as the formation of regional warlords, the weakening of central authority, and the initial trend of population migration and the southward shift of the economic center. Additionally, they need to collect relevant works and critiques by contemporary literati, such as Du Fu's "Three Officials" and "Three Partings," and Yuan Zhen's "Lianchang Palace Poem," to understand the connection between literary creation and historical events. Teachers should provide guidance on library resources, recommend authoritative databases (such as China CNKI and Wanfang Data), and provide credible online resource links. They must also specify the scope and timeline for collecting historical materials (e.g., 755-763 AD). Each group is required to complete the organization of materials within two weeks and produce a group report containing textual excerpts and chart explanations.

To create a "Geographical Map of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River" and interpret the imagery of "ape cries" and "falling leaves," students should first study geographical textbooks or authoritative maps to accurately mark the geographical locations of the Three Gorges (Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge, Xiling Gorge), the main river courses, the topographical features of the surrounding mountains (such as the Twelve Peaks of Wushan), climatic characteristics (subtropical monsoon climate with frequent fog and rain), and typical vegetation (evergreen broad-leaved forests). On the map, they should annotate the specific observation points mentioned in Du Fu's poem "Ascending High": "The wind is swift, the sky high, the ape cries mournfully; The islets are clear, the sand white, birds fly back. Endless falling leaves rustle down, The Yangtze River rolls on without end." (Presumably near Kuizhou's White Emperor City). Students should analyze the natural environment that produces the "ape cries" (the canyon terrain causing sound wave reflection, creating a lingering, mournful echo), the season when "falling leaves" appear (autumn, when rainfall decreases and temperatures drop in the Three Gorges region, causing leaves to wither), and their relationship with the local climate. By comparing seasonal landscape changes in the Three Gorges, students should understand how the poet transforms geographical features into emotional carriers. For example, the "rustling falling leaves" not only depict autumn scenery but also hint at the poet's desolate mood of being adrift and the lament over the fading glory of the Tang Dynasty. Teachers can provide supplementary materials such as satellite maps of the Three Gorges, real-world photos, and illustrations of ancient poems to guide students in deepening their understanding of literary imagery through geographical knowledge.

3.2 Classroom Question Chain Record

A. Perception layer

Key question: Among the eight imagery in the poem, which one resonates with you the most? Please express it through body language.

Design concept: To overcome language barriers and enhance experiential engagement. For instance, when students select the imagery of "fallen leaves," they can adopt a posture of hands hanging down and a slightly hunched body to convey the sensation of autumn foliage drifting. When choosing the imagery of "the Yangtze River," they may stretch their arms and mimic the surging flow of water to express the vastness of time and space.

B. analytic sheaf

Question group:

What is the visual conflict between "the wind is strong and the sky is high" and "the sand is white and the sand is clear"?

Why choose "the ape's howl" instead of "the bird's song"? Analyze it with the Three Gorges folk saying: "The Wuxia Gorge in Badong is long, the ape's howl three times, tears wet the clothes."

To address the first question, one might further inquire: "How does the dynamic quality of 'swift wind' create tension with the static imagery of 'clear islets and white sands'? Please elaborate on this from the perspectives of color (where azure denotes the sky and white represents the sands) and spatial contrast (the fluidity of the wind versus the immobility of the islets)."

Regarding the second question, it is necessary to supplement background knowledge: "The Three Gorges region, with its rugged terrain and humid climate, created harsh living conditions for apes, whose cries were often seen by ancient people as symbols of sorrow. In contrast, 'bird songs' are typically associated with vitality and joy (as in the verse 'In spring's slumber, dawn escapes; everywhere birds sing '). Considering Du Fu's poem 'Ascending High' was written after the An Lushan Rebellion, reflecting the poet's melancholy during his southwestern wanderings, the choice of' ape howls 'not only reflects regional characteristics but also serves as a projection of subjective emotions. According to the' Kuizhou Records, 'the cries of apes in Tang Dynasty's Kuizhou (modern-day Fengjie, Chongqing) were particularly piercing. Locals had a saying, 'Hearing three ape cries brings tears to the eyes,' which resonates with the poem's depiction of' wandering through autumn's sorrow for miles.' This creates a mutual textural effect, endowing the 'ape howl' with dual cultural significance—the interplay of natural phenomena and human emotions."

C. Critical layer

Debate task:

The affirmative side: "Bitter Autumn" is a portrait of Du Fu's personal fate

The Opposition: "Bitter Autumn" is a Metaphor of the Decline of the Tang Dynasty

The teacher provided an excerpt from "The Old Book of Tang: Biography of Du Fu" as a scaffold. This passage meticulously documents Du Fu's life of wandering, from his unappreciated talents as a "Three Officials' Zhangfu" to his displacement during the An Shi Rebellion. It vividly portrays his destitute life—burning firewood and gathering chestnuts for survival, building a thatched cottage, and ultimately dying in Yueyang after indulging in beef and white wine. The text fully reveals the hardships and tragic hues of his personal fate.

According to this, the author can argue that Du Fu's "sorrow of autumn" is like "ten thousand miles of sorrow of autumn, often a guest, a hundred years of illness alone on the platform" in "Ascending the Heights", which directly expresses his personal situation of "being a guest in a foreign land" and "a hundred years of illness", and integrates his personal suffering such as wandering, aging and illness into the autumn scenery, which is a true portrayal of his personal fate.

The opposing view can draw on the historical context from the Old Book of Tang, where "when the An Lushan Rebellion broke out, the emperor retreated to Shu," to argue that Du Fu's "autumn lament" transcends personal sorrow, reflecting the profound transformation of the Tang Dynasty from prosperity to decline. The An Lushan Rebellion marked the turning point of the Tang's decline. Having personally experienced the turmoil, Du Fu witnessed the tragic scene described in "Though the nation falls, mountains and rivers remain; in spring, grass and trees grow thick in the city." The "autumn lament" imagery in his poetry, such as "The jade dew withers the maple grove, the air of Wushan and Wuxia is bleak" from the Eight Autumn Poems, not only depicts autumn scenery but also conveys deep concern and lament for national instability and people's suffering, carrying strong metaphorical significance of the era. Furthermore, specific verses can be cited as evidence, such as in "Ascending High": "Hardship and hatred have whitened my temples, newly stopped my cup of turbid wine." This line not only describes how personal "hardship and hatred" caused "whitened temples" but also subtly implies the severe disasters brought by the nation's "hardship." The intertwining of personal fate and national destiny elevates the "autumn lament" beyond individual levels, making it a microcosm of the era's tragedy.

D Creation Layer (5 minutes)

Rewriting Exercise: Transform the final couplet of a poem into a modern verse while preserving the imagery of 'turbid wine.' Using Du Fu's' Ascending High 'as an example, the original couplet reads:' Hardship and resentment have whitened my hair; in destitution, I newly cease my turbid wine cup.' Rewriting example:

"Climbing High: A Modern Poem Reimagined"

……

The passage of time has etched frost-like scars on my temples.

Every one of them is a mark of hardship and regret.

I once wished to borrow a cup of turbid wine,

To quench this overwhelming wave of sorrow and anguish,

Now I can only gently set down the wine glass.

Let it remain cold and lonely on the desk...

Like my wretched life...

In the autumn wind,

Sigh silently.

4. Teaching Reflection

4.1 Efficacy Verification

The post-class survey revealed that 82% of students could independently analyze the spatiotemporal layering technique in Du Fu's poem "Ten Thousand Miles of Autumn Sorrow as a Wandering Guest." Notably, 76% accurately identified the interplay between "ten thousand miles" (spatial dimension) and "autumn sorrow" (temporal dimension), while interpreting the emotional depth through Du Fu's own experiences of wandering. Innovative expressions like "his cane couldn't prop up a collapsing Tang Dynasty" appeared in student essays, with such metaphors constituting 42% of the 12 exemplary essays—a 18-percentage-point increase from the previous semester—demonstrating students' ability to creatively apply poetic imagery. Classroom observations showed that after implementing situational simulation, students' active questioning frequency rose from 3.2 to 5.8 per lesson, significantly enhancing classroom engagement.

4.2 Improvement Direction

Enhancing problem adaptability for students with varying academic levels is essential. For those with foundational weaknesses, a tiered question chain can be designed: starting with identifying literal meanings of keywords like "ten thousand miles" and "frequent traveler," then gradually transitioning to stylistic analysis. For advanced learners, comparative reading can be expanded, such as analyzing similarities and differences in the "autumn lament" imagery between "Ascending High" and "The Shu Chancellor." Value discussions like "How contemporary youth confront 'hardship and resentment' " can be incorporated. Through activities like debate competitions and themed essay contests, students can connect classical poetic life experiences with real-world challenges, cultivating historical awareness and social responsibility. Additionally, interdisciplinary resources should be supplemented, such as introducing the impact of the An Lushan Rebellion on Tang Dynasty social structures from historical perspectives. This helps students better understand the historical context of poetic creation and addresses common questions like "Why do ancient poets' melancholy differ from modern perspectives?"

5. Conclusion

The problem-chain teaching makes the ancient poetry class shift from "technical analysis" to "life dialogue", and its core is as follows:

By replacing conclusions with questions, this approach preserves multiple possibilities for textual interpretation. Traditional classical poetry instruction often falls into the trap of "standard answers," where students passively accept predetermined image analyses and emotional judgments. In contrast, the question-chain teaching method guides students through progressively layered questions, helping them move from surface-level word meanings to emotional core meanings, and expand from individual experiences to historical contexts. These questions not only avoid predetermined conclusions but also encourage students to combine their life experiences with historical knowledge for diverse interpretations, thereby achieving openness and personalization in textual analysis.

Eliminate the generational gap through textual-historical cross-referencing. Classical poetry creation is often rooted in specific historical and cultural contexts, making it difficult for students to resonate due to a lack of contextual knowledge. Problem-chain teaching emphasizes the integration of literature and history, building bridges through questions.

The ultimate goal is to achieve both "aesthetic immersion" and "cultural inheritance". Problem-based chain teaching not only focuses on knowledge transmission but also emphasizes the cultivation of aesthetic experience and cultural identity. At the level of "aesthetic immersion", students are guided to appreciate the beauty of language, artistic conception, and emotional resonance through carefully designed questions.

In general, the problem chain teaching has restructured the classroom interaction mode, and has achieved the transformation from "knowledge infusion" to "meaning construction", which has injected new vitality into the teaching of ancient poetry.

References

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[3]. Li Weidong. The Art of Problem Design in Chinese Language Classrooms [J]. Chinese Language Teaching in Secondary Schools, 2020(3):34-37.

[4]. Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. Chinese Language Curriculum Standards for Senior High Schools (2020 Revised Edition) [S]. People's Education Press, 2020.