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
I 108 THE BOOK OP POETET. [PAET I. The Hman-lan; allusive. OP BANK. VI. PICTURE OF A CONCEITED YOUNG MAN It is of no use trying, as many Chinese critics do, to find a historical application for the subject of this piece. The spike at the girdle was of ivory, worn for the purpose of loosening knots. It belonged to the equipment of grown-up men, and was supposed to indicate their com petency for the management of business, however intricate. The archer's thimble was also made of ivory ; it was placed on the thumb of the right hand, to assist in drawing the bow. A ring of jade is now often employed for the same purpose. 1 Feeble as branch, of sparrow-gourd, this youth, Wears spike at girdle, as if he, forsooth, Were quite a man; but though the spike he wears, He knows not us at whom he proudly stares. How easy and conceited is his mien ! How drop his girdle-ends, full jaunty seen ! 2 Like leaf of sparrow-gourd, that coxcomb young, With archer's thimble at his girdle hung ! He wears the thimble, but he's not the Swell To lord it over us who know him well. How easy and conceited is his mien ! How drop his girdle-ends, full jaunty seen ! VII. The Ho liming: narrative. OTHEE THINGS MORE DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME THAN DISTANCE MAY KEEP ONE FEOM A PLACE. This little piece is referred to a daughter of Seuen Keang (iii. IX.) who was married to duke Hwan of Sung. After bearing a son, she was divorced, and returned to Wei. By and by that son became duke of Sung, and she wished to return to that State, but submitted to the rules of propriety, which forbade her doing so;—intimating, however, her maternal longing in these two verses, which are supposed to be greatly to her honour. 1 They tell me that the Ho is wide ;— With a few reeds I could cross through. They tell me Sung is distant far;— Rising on tiptoe Sung I view. 2 They tell me that the Ho is wide;— A little boat it will not bear. BK Y. ix.] THE BOOK OF POETET. 109 They tell me Sung is distant far;— Ere morning fades I might be there. VIII. The Pih he; narrative, and metaphorical. A WIPE MOURNS OVEE THE PEOTEACTED ABSENCE OF HEB HUSBAND ON THE KING'S SERVICE. 1 How martial looks my noble man, The hero of the land ! See him in chariot lead the van, His halberd in his hand ! 2 Since eastward on his course he sped, My hair neglected flies. I might anoint and wash my head, But not to meet his eyes. 3 For rain, for rain, the people cry, But brightly shines the sun ; So for my absent lord long I, Head pained, and heart undone. 4 Where shall I lethe's lily find, Behind my house to set ? I think of him with aching mind, For how can I forget ? IX. The Tern Ju>o ; metaphorical. A WOMAN EXPBESSES HEE DESIEE FOR A HUSBAND. The woman certainly does so in a singular way ; but in this interpreta tion of the piece all the critics agree ; while the older ones find in it a condemnation of the government of Wei, which certainly does not appear in it. 1 Lonely, suspicious, is that fox, At that dam cross the Kfe. Like him that man, for whom I'm sad! No lower dress has he. 2 Lonely, suspicious, is that fox. At that deep ford of K fe. Like him that man, for whom I'm sad ! No girdle-sash has he !
110 THE BOOK OF POETRY. [PART I. 3 Lonely, suspicious, is that fox, There, on the bank of K'e. Like him that man, for whom I'm sad ! No clothes at all has he ! X. The Muh Jtwa ; metaphorical. SMALL GIFTS OF KINDNESS SHOULD BE RESPONDED TO WITH GREATER ; WHILE FRIENDSHIP IS MORE THAN ANY GIFT. When Wei was nearly extinguished by the Teih, duke Hwan of Ts'e, as the leading prince among the States, came grandly and munificently to its help ; and Maou finds in this piece the grateful sentiments of the people of Wei towards him. If this be the correct interpretation, Hwan's all but royal munificence and favour is strongly represented by the insignificant present of a fruit. Choo compares the piece with iii. XVII., and thinks it may refer to an interchange of courtesies between a lover and his mistress. But we need not seek any particular interpret ation of it. What is metaphorically set forth may have a general ap plication. 1 A tree-gourd they gave me in compliment, And I in return gave a lovely A-ett-gem. 'Twas not in return for the compliment;— I wished to make lasting my friendship with them. 2 A peach they presented in compliment, And I in return gave a lovely yaou-gem. 'Twas not in return for the compliment;— I wished to make lasting my friendship with them. 3 A plum they presented in compliment, And I in return gave a lovely Jcew-staue. 'Twas not in return for the compliment;— Our friendship to knit was my motive alone. BK VI. i.] THE BOOK OP POETET. Ill BOOK VI. THE ODES OP THE ROYAL DOMAIN. BY the " Royal Domain " we are to understand the territory attached to Loh, or the eastern capital of (!how. At the beginning of that dynasty king Wan occupied the city of Fung, in the present district of Hoo of the department Se-gan, Shen-se, from which his son Woo moved the seat of government a little further east to Haou, 30 le south of the present district city of Ch'ang-gan. iu the same department. In the time of king Ch'ing, a city was built near the present Loh-yang, Ho nan, and called " the eastern capital." Meetings of the princes of the States assembled there, but the court continued to be held at Haou, till the accession of king P'ing, who removed it to Loh in B.C. 769. From this time the Chow kings sank nearly to the level of the princes of the States, and the poems collected in their domain were classed with " the Lessons of Manners," though still distinguished by the epithet of Boyal, prefixed to them. I. The Shoo le; narrative. AN OFFICER DESCRIBES His MELANCHOLY AND REFLECTIONS ON SEEING THE DESOLATION OF THE OLD CAPITAL OF CHOW. 1 Where the palaces rose grand, When Chow nobly ruled the land, Millets, some with drooping head, Some, just coming into blade, All around abundant grew. Slow the fields I wandered through, Moved in heart such sight to view. Friends who knew me understood What induced my saddened mood. Those who did not know me said, There I search for something made. 0 thou azure Heaven, remote, Who this desolation wrought ? 2 Where the palaces rose grand, When Chow nobly ruled the land, Millets, drooping, heavy here, There just coining into ear, t
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I<br />
108 <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> OP POETET. [PAET I.<br />
The Hman-lan; allusive.<br />
OP BANK.<br />
VI.<br />
PICTURE <strong>OF</strong> A CONCEITED YOUNG MAN<br />
It is of no use trying, as many Chinese critics do, to find a historical<br />
application for the subject of this piece. The spike at the girdle was of<br />
ivory, worn for the purpose of loosening knots. It belonged to the<br />
equipment of grown-up men, and was supposed to indicate their com<br />
petency for the management of business, however intricate. The archer's<br />
thimble was also made of ivory ; it was placed on the thumb of the<br />
right hand, to assist in drawing the bow. A ring of jade is now often<br />
employed for the same purpose.<br />
1 Feeble as branch, of sparrow-gourd, this youth,<br />
Wears spike at girdle, as if he, forsooth,<br />
Were quite a man; but though the spike he wears,<br />
He knows not us at whom he proudly stares.<br />
How easy and conceited is his mien !<br />
How drop his girdle-ends, full jaunty seen !<br />
2 Like leaf of sparrow-gourd, that coxcomb young,<br />
With archer's thimble at his girdle hung !<br />
He wears the thimble, but he's not the Swell<br />
To lord it over us who know him well.<br />
How easy and conceited is his mien !<br />
How drop his girdle-ends, full jaunty seen !<br />
VII.<br />
The Ho liming: narrative. O<strong>THE</strong>E THINGS M<strong>OR</strong>E DIFFICULT TO<br />
OVERCOME THAN DISTANCE MAY KEEP ONE FEOM A PLACE.<br />
This little piece is referred to a daughter of Seuen Keang (iii. IX.)<br />
who was married to duke Hwan of Sung. After bearing a son, she was<br />
divorced, and returned to Wei. By and by that son became duke of<br />
Sung, and she wished to return to that State, but submitted to the rules<br />
of propriety, which forbade her doing so;—intimating, however, her<br />
maternal longing in these two verses, which are supposed to be greatly to<br />
her honour.<br />
1 They tell me that the Ho is wide ;—<br />
With a few reeds I could cross through.<br />
They tell me Sung is distant far;—<br />
Rising on tiptoe Sung I view.<br />
2 They tell me that the Ho is wide;—<br />
A little boat it will not bear.<br />
BK Y. ix.] <strong>THE</strong> <strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>OF</strong> POETET. 109<br />
They tell me Sung is distant far;—<br />
Ere morning fades I might be there.<br />
VIII.<br />
The Pih he; narrative, and metaphorical. A WIPE MOURNS OVEE<br />
<strong>THE</strong> PEOTEACTED ABSENCE <strong>OF</strong> HEB HUSBAND ON <strong>THE</strong> <strong>KING</strong>'S SERVICE.<br />
1 How martial looks my noble man,<br />
The hero of the land !<br />
See him in chariot lead the van,<br />
His halberd in his hand !<br />
2 Since eastward on his course he sped,<br />
My hair neglected flies.<br />
I might anoint and wash my head,<br />
But not to meet his eyes.<br />
3 For rain, for rain, the people cry,<br />
But brightly shines the sun ;<br />
So for my absent lord long I,<br />
Head pained, and heart undone.<br />
4 Where shall I lethe's lily find,<br />
Behind my house to set ?<br />
I think of him with aching mind,<br />
For how can I forget ?<br />
IX.<br />
The Tern Ju>o ; metaphorical. A WOMAN EXPBESSES HEE DESIEE F<strong>OR</strong><br />
A HUSBAND.<br />
The woman certainly does so in a singular way ; but in this interpreta<br />
tion of the piece all the critics agree ; while the older ones find in it a<br />
condemnation of the government of Wei, which certainly does not appear<br />
in it.<br />
1 Lonely, suspicious, is that fox,<br />
At that dam cross the Kfe.<br />
Like him that man, for whom I'm sad!<br />
No lower dress has he.<br />
2 Lonely, suspicious, is that fox.<br />
At that deep ford of K fe.<br />
Like him that man, for whom I'm sad !<br />
No girdle-sash has he !