THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY
THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY
196 THE BOOK OF POETRY. [PART II. I beat the drums, and in the dance Lead joyously the train. Oh ! good it is, when falls the chance, The sparkling cup to drain. VI. The T'een paou; narrative. AN ODE RESPONSIVE TO ANT or THE FIVE PEECEDING. HIS OFFICERS AND GUESTS, FEASTED BY THE KING, CELEBRATE HIS PBAISES, AND DESIRE FOR HIM THE BLESSING OF HEAVEN AND OF HIS ANCESTORS. 1 Heaven shields and sets thee fast. It round thee fair has cast Thy virtue pure. Thus richest joy is thine ;— Increase of corn and wine, And every gift divine, Abundant, sure. 2 Heaven shields and sets thee fast. From it thou goodness hast ; Bight are thy ways. Its choicest gifts 'twill pour, That last for evermore, ISIor time exhaust the store Through endless days. 3 Heaven shields and sets thee fast, Makes thine endeavour last, And prosper well. Like hills and mountains high, Whose masses touch the sky; Like stream aye surging by; Thine increase swell! 4 With rite and auspice fair, Thino offerings thou dost bear, And son-like give, The seasons round from spring, To olden duke and king, "Whose words to thee we bring:— " For ever live." BE I. VII.] THE BOOK OF POETRY. 5 The Spirits of thy dead Pour blessings on thy head, Unnumbered, sweet. Thy subjects, simple, good, Enjoy their drink and food. Our tribes of every blood Follow thy feet. 6 Like moons that wax in light ; Or suns that scale the height ; Or ageless hill; Nor change, nor autumn know ; As pine and cypress grow ; The sons that from thee flow Be lasting still ! VIL 197 The Ts'ae me; allusive and narrative. AN ODE ON THE DESPATCH OF TROOPS TO GUARD THE FRONTIERS ON THE NORTH AGAINST THE WILD TRIBES OF THE HEEN-YUN. This and the next two pieces form a triad, having reference to the same expedition ; this being appropriate to its commencement, those to its conclusion. Haou says the expedition was undertaken in the time of king Wan, when he was still only duke of Chow, in charge of all the regions of the west, and discharging his duty to the king of Shang. Choo denies that the pieces are of so early an origin, and says that " the son of Heaven" in the 8th ode must be one of the kings of Chow. I agree with him in this, but the date of the composition cannot be determined more particularly. Though intended to encourage the departing troops, this piece is writ ten as if it were their own composition, giving their feelings on setting out, and in the progress of the expedition, down to its close. So far, the structure may be compared with that of the second ode of this Book. It is difficult to say who the Heen-yun, against whom the expedition was directed, really were. Choo simply says that they were " wild tribes Of the north." Ch'ing K'ang-shing (about the end of our second cen tury) says that they were the same tribe that in his days went by the name of Heung-noo. I suppose that both the names are imperfect phonetic expressions Of the same sound, which we also have adopted in Huns. Wang Taou, who assisted me in the preparation of my larger Work, holds that the Heen-yun of Yin and Chow, the Heung-noo of Ts'in and Han, and the Tnh-keueh of Suy and T'ung, all refer to the same tribes. Sze- ma Ts'een, in his Record of the House of Chow, and of the Heung-noo, says that in the time of king E (B.C. 933— 909), those northern tribes became very troublesome, and refers to this ode as a composition of that time.
198 THE BOOK OF POETEY. [PART II. 1 Come pluck the ferns, the ferns sharp-pointed take; The curling fronds now their appearance make. And now we march. O when shall we return ? Till late next year we must in exile mourn. So long the husband, parted from his wife, Shall •'gainst the Heen-yun wage the deadly strife. 'Mid service hard all rest will be denied ;— Northwards we go, to quell the Heen-yun's pride. 2 Come pluck the ferns, the ferns sharp-pointed pull:; Their fronds uncurled, they tender look and cool. Onwards \ve march. O when shall we return ? Disconsolate, our hearts in sadness mourn. Yes, sad our hearts ! In sorrow forth we go, To thirst and hunger and each pinching woe. While serving thus the frontiers to defend, To those at home no message can we send. 3 Come pluck the ferns, their sharp points disregard; Some time has passed, and now their leaves are hard. What is the date for our return assigned ? Next year's tenth month.—We keep it well in mind. But the king's work no grudging heart requires; Denied our rest, we fan our valour's fires. Home thoughts may often cause us weary hours, But home we go not, till success is ours. 4 What gorgeous sight was that which fixed our gaze ? The mass of flowers the cherry tree displavs. But here a sight we see, as fair and grand ;— Our leader's car, given by his sovereign's hand. It stands equipt, imposing in our sight, With steeds all strong, and eager for the fight. And shall not we the inspiration own ? One month our arms with victories three shall crown. 5 Grand are those four steeds, harnessed to the car ! Conducted thus, we boldly dare the war. With confidence the general takes his seat; The men behind rejoice the foe to meet. On move the steeds in step. The quiver made Of seal-skin tough is to the view displayed, And bow with ivory ends^—the Heen-yun's dread. BE I. VIII.] THE BOOK OF POETRY. 199 Daily each other's courage we provoke, And hope to end our service by a stroke. 6 Ah ! vain our efforts to assuage our grief! None know our sadness ; nought can give relief. Last year, when from our homes the field we took, 'Twas sweet on willows fresh and green to look. When we return, 'twill be the winter stern, And hard our path through snow-clouds to discern. Alas ! how great the toilsome journey's length, With thirst and hunger to exhaust our strength ! VIII. The Ck'uh Tien; narrative. As ODE OF CONGRATULATION, ON THE KETUBN OF THE TEOOPS FROM THE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE HEEN- TUN. The commander of the eKpedition appears here,—Nan Chung, a cadet of the Nan family ; but we know nothing of him from any other source. The Jung mentioned in stanza five would be another barbarous tribe, Jying more west than the Heen-yun. 1 Forth from the city in our cars we drove, Until we halted at the pasture ground. The general came, and there with ardour strove A note of zeal throughout the host to sound. " Direct from court I come, by orders bound The march to hasten;"—it was thus he spake. Then with the carriage-officers around, He strictly charged them quick dispatch to make:— " Urgent the king's affairs, forthwith the field we take." 2 While there we stopt, the second corps appeared, And 'twixt us and the city took its place. The guiding standard was on high upreared, Where twining snakes the tortoises embrace, While oxtails, crest-like, did the staff's top grace. We watched the sheet unfolding grandly wave; Each flag around showed falcons on its face. With anxious care looked on our leader brave; Watchful the carriage-officers appeared and grave. Ill
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198 <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>OF</strong> POETEY. [PART II.<br />
1 Come pluck the ferns, the ferns sharp-pointed take;<br />
The curling fronds now their appearance make.<br />
And now we march. O when shall we return ?<br />
Till late next year we must in exile mourn.<br />
So long the husband, parted from his wife,<br />
Shall •'gainst the Heen-yun wage the deadly strife.<br />
'Mid service hard all rest will be denied ;—<br />
Northwards we go, to quell the Heen-yun's pride.<br />
2 Come pluck the ferns, the ferns sharp-pointed pull:;<br />
Their fronds uncurled, they tender look and cool.<br />
Onwards \ve march. O when shall we return ?<br />
Disconsolate, our hearts in sadness mourn.<br />
Yes, sad our hearts ! In sorrow forth we go,<br />
To thirst and hunger and each pinching woe.<br />
While serving thus the frontiers to defend,<br />
To those at home no message can we send.<br />
3 Come pluck the ferns, their sharp points disregard;<br />
Some time has passed, and now their leaves are hard.<br />
What is the date for our return assigned ?<br />
Next year's tenth month.—We keep it well in mind.<br />
But the king's work no grudging heart requires;<br />
Denied our rest, we fan our valour's fires.<br />
Home thoughts may often cause us weary hours,<br />
But home we go not, till success is ours.<br />
4 What gorgeous sight was that which fixed our gaze ?<br />
The mass of flowers the cherry tree displavs.<br />
But here a sight we see, as fair and grand ;—<br />
Our leader's car, given by his sovereign's hand.<br />
It stands equipt, imposing in our sight,<br />
With steeds all strong, and eager for the fight.<br />
And shall not we the inspiration own ?<br />
One month our arms with victories three shall crown.<br />
5 Grand are those four steeds, harnessed to the car !<br />
Conducted thus, we boldly dare the war.<br />
With confidence the general takes his seat;<br />
The men behind rejoice the foe to meet.<br />
On move the steeds in step. The quiver made<br />
Of seal-skin tough is to the view displayed,<br />
And bow with ivory ends^—the Heen-yun's dread.<br />
BE I. VIII.] <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>POETRY</strong>. 199<br />
Daily each other's courage we provoke,<br />
And hope to end our service by a stroke.<br />
6 Ah ! vain our efforts to assuage our grief!<br />
None know our sadness ; nought can give relief.<br />
Last year, when from our homes the field we took,<br />
'Twas sweet on willows fresh and green to look.<br />
When we return, 'twill be the winter stern,<br />
And hard our path through snow-clouds to discern.<br />
Alas ! how great the toilsome journey's length,<br />
With thirst and hunger to exhaust our strength !<br />
VIII.<br />
The Ck'uh Tien; narrative. As ODE <strong>OF</strong> CONGRATULATION, ON <strong>THE</strong><br />
KETUBN <strong>OF</strong> <strong>THE</strong> TEOOPS FROM <strong>THE</strong> EXPEDITION AGAINST <strong>THE</strong> HEEN-<br />
TUN.<br />
The commander of the eKpedition appears here,—Nan Chung, a cadet<br />
of the Nan family ; but we know nothing of him from any other source.<br />
The Jung mentioned in stanza five would be another barbarous tribe,<br />
Jying more west than the Heen-yun.<br />
1 Forth from the city in our cars we drove,<br />
Until we halted at the pasture ground.<br />
The general came, and there with ardour strove<br />
A note of zeal throughout the host to sound.<br />
" Direct from court I come, by orders bound<br />
The march to hasten;"—it was thus he spake.<br />
Then with the carriage-officers around,<br />
He strictly charged them quick dispatch to make:—<br />
" Urgent the king's affairs, forthwith the field we take."<br />
2 While there we stopt, the second corps appeared,<br />
And 'twixt us and the city took its place.<br />
The guiding standard was on high upreared,<br />
Where twining snakes the tortoises embrace,<br />
While oxtails, crest-like, did the staff's top grace.<br />
We watched the sheet unfolding grandly wave;<br />
Each flag around showed falcons on its face.<br />
With anxious care looked on our leader brave;<br />
Watchful the carriage-officers appeared and grave.<br />
Ill