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
276 THE BOOK OF POETET. [PART II. 4 What in his angling did he catch ? Well worth the time it was to watch How bream and tench he took. Men thronged upon the banks and gazed; At bream and tench they looked amazed, The triumphs of his hook. III. The Shoo meant; allusive and narrative. CELEBRATING THE SEE- VICE OF THE EABL OP ISHAOC IN BUILDING THE CITY OF SEAY, AND THE CHEERFUL ALACRITY OF HIS SOLDIERS UNDER HIS MANAGEMENT. This piece and the fifth of Part III., Book iii., should be read together. King Seuen (B.C. 820—781) established the marquisate of Shin, in the present department of Nan-yang, Ho-nan, as a bulwark against the en croachments Of the tribes on the west and south, appointing its capital at Seay, in the present Tang Chow of the same department. This piece celebrates the expedition to whicli was entrusted the building of the city, and the inauguration of tho State. The name of the earl of Shaou, who was entrusted with its command, was Hoo, known as duke Muh of Shaou. 1 As the young millet, by the genial rain Enriched, shoots up luxuriant and tall, So, when we southward marched with toil and pain, The earl of Shaou cheered and inspired us all. 2 We pushed our barrows, and our burdens bore ; We drove our waggons, and our oxen led. " The work once done, our labour there is o'er, And home we travel," to ourselves we said. 3 Close kept our footmen round the chariot track; Our eager host in close battalions sped. " When once our work is done, then we go back, Our labour over," to themselves they said. 4 Hard was the work we had at Seay to do, But Shaou's great earl the city soon upreared. The host its service gave with ardour true;— Such power in all the earl's commands appeared ! BK VIII. IV.] THE BOOK OF POETET. 277 5 We did on plains and low lands what was meet; We cleared the springs and streams, the land to drain. The earl of Shaou announced his work complete, And the king's heart reposed, at rest again. IV. The Sili sang ; allusive and narrative. THE WRITER TELLS His AD MIRATION AND LOVE FOR SOME MEN OF NOBLE CHARACTER. There seems to be nothing in this piece to justify our regarding it as satirical; but the Preface and its supporters manage to find in it Yew's keeping good men in obscurity, and the desire of the writer to see them in office. Choo is of opinion that both this piece and the preceding are out of their proper place, through some mistake, at an early time, in the arrangement of the pieces in this Part. 1 Where lies the ground both wet and low, The mulberry trees in beauty grow ;— 'Tis sweet to see their clust'ring leaves. Such pleasure in my bosom heaves, When I the princely men descry ;— To tell the joy 'twere vain to try. 2 Where lies the ground both wet and low, The mulberry trees in beauty grow;— 'Tis sweet to see their glossy leaves. Such pleasure in my bosom heaves, When I the princely men behold ;— Then does my heart its joy unfold. 3 Where lies the ground both wet and low, The mulberry trees in beauty grow ;— 'Tis sweet to see their dark green leaves. Such pleasure in my bosom heaves, When lights upon those men my eye;— At their grand fame my heart throbs high. 4 I cherish those men in my heart.— Might not my words my love impart ? No;—if the words were once but spoken, The charm of love might then be broken. The men shall dwell within my heart, Nor thence with lapse of time depart.
278 THE BOOK OF POETEY. V. [PAET II. The Plh Java ; metaphorical. THE WIFE or KING YEW COMPLAINS OF BEING DEGRADED AND FORSAKEN. There is nothing in the piece itself to suggest this special reference of it to the queen of king Yew ; but from the Han dynasty downwards all the critics Lave concurred in this view of it. 1 The fibres of the white-flowered rush Are with the white grass bound. So do the two together go, In closest union found. And thus should man and wife abide, The twain combined in one ; But this bad man sends me away, And bids me dwell alone. 2 Both rush and grass from the bright clouds The genial dew partake. Kind and impartial, nature's laws No odious difference make. But providence appears unkind; Events are often hard. This man, to principle untrue, Denies me his regard. 3 Northward the pools their waters send, To flood each paddy field; So get the fields the sap they need, Their store of rice to yield. But that great man no deed of grace Deigns to bestow on me. My songs are sighs. At thought of him My heart aches wearily. 4 The mulberry branches they collect, And use their food to cook. But I must use a furnace small, That pot nor pan will brook. So me that great man badly treats, Nor uses as his wife, Degrades me from my proper place, And fills with grief my life. BE VIII. VI.] THE BOOK OF POETET. 279 5 The bells and drums inside the court Men stand without and hear; So should the feelings in my breast, To him distinct appear. All-sorrowful, I think of him, Longing to move his love; But he vouchsafes no kind response; His thoughts far from me rove. 6 The marabow stands on the dam, And to repletion feeds ; The crane deep in the forest cries, Nor finds the food it needs. So in my room the concubine By the great man is placed; While I with cruel banishment Am cast out and disgraced. 7 The Yellow ducks sit on the dam, With left wing gathered low ; So on each other do they lean, And their attachment show. And love should thus the man and wife In closest concord bind; But that man turns away from me, And shows a fickle mind. 8 When one stands on a slab of stone, No higher than the ground, Nothing is added to his height;— Low with the stone he's found. So does the favourite's mean estate Render that great man mean, While I by him, to distance sent, Am pierced with sorrow keen. VI. The Meen man; allusive. SOME INFERIOR COMPLAINS OF HIS TOIL IN AN EXPEDITION, AND OF THE NEGLECT WITH WHICH HE WAS TREATED BY HIS SUPERIORS. Choo regards the piece as all metaphorical. " The whole case," says a critic, " is put into the mouth of an oriole, and the lines flow naturally I M
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278 <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>OF</strong> POETEY.<br />
V.<br />
[PAET II.<br />
The Plh Java ; metaphorical. <strong>THE</strong> WIFE or <strong>KING</strong> YEW COMPLAINS<br />
<strong>OF</strong> BEING DEGRADED AND F<strong>OR</strong>SAKEN.<br />
There is nothing in the piece itself to suggest this special reference of<br />
it to the queen of king Yew ; but from the Han dynasty downwards all<br />
the critics Lave concurred in this view of it.<br />
1 The fibres of the white-flowered rush<br />
Are with the white grass bound.<br />
So do the two together go,<br />
In closest union found.<br />
And thus should man and wife abide,<br />
The twain combined in one ;<br />
But this bad man sends me away,<br />
And bids me dwell alone.<br />
2 Both rush and grass from the bright clouds<br />
The genial dew partake.<br />
Kind and impartial, nature's laws<br />
No odious difference make.<br />
But providence appears unkind;<br />
Events are often hard.<br />
This man, to principle untrue,<br />
Denies me his regard.<br />
3 Northward the pools their waters send,<br />
To flood each paddy field;<br />
So get the fields the sap they need,<br />
Their store of rice to yield.<br />
But that great man no deed of grace<br />
Deigns to bestow on me.<br />
My songs are sighs. At thought of him<br />
My heart aches wearily.<br />
4 The mulberry branches they collect,<br />
And use their food to cook.<br />
But I must use a furnace small,<br />
That pot nor pan will brook.<br />
So me that great man badly treats,<br />
Nor uses as his wife,<br />
Degrades me from my proper place,<br />
And fills with grief my life.<br />
BE VIII. VI.] <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>OF</strong> POETET. 279<br />
5 The bells and drums inside the court<br />
Men stand without and hear;<br />
So should the feelings in my breast,<br />
To him distinct appear.<br />
All-sorrowful, I think of him,<br />
Longing to move his love;<br />
But he vouchsafes no kind response;<br />
His thoughts far from me rove.<br />
6 The marabow stands on the dam,<br />
And to repletion feeds ;<br />
The crane deep in the forest cries,<br />
Nor finds the food it needs.<br />
So in my room the concubine<br />
By the great man is placed;<br />
While I with cruel banishment<br />
Am cast out and disgraced.<br />
7 The Yellow ducks sit on the dam,<br />
With left wing gathered low ;<br />
So on each other do they lean,<br />
And their attachment show.<br />
And love should thus the man and wife<br />
In closest concord bind;<br />
But that man turns away from me,<br />
And shows a fickle mind.<br />
8 When one stands on a slab of stone,<br />
No higher than the ground,<br />
Nothing is added to his height;—<br />
Low with the stone he's found.<br />
So does the favourite's mean estate<br />
Render that great man mean,<br />
While I by him, to distance sent,<br />
Am pierced with sorrow keen.<br />
VI.<br />
The Meen man; allusive. SOME INFERI<strong>OR</strong> COMPLAINS <strong>OF</strong> HIS TOIL<br />
IN AN EXPEDITION, AND <strong>OF</strong> <strong>THE</strong> NEGLECT WITH WHICH HE WAS<br />
TREATED BY HIS SUPERI<strong>OR</strong>S.<br />
Choo regards the piece as all metaphorical. " The whole case," says a<br />
critic, " is put into the mouth of an oriole, and the lines flow naturally<br />
I<br />
M