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how this supportive attitude persists alongside its opposite into the Tang period. An appropriate
example for explaining this alternate view is found in the following lines from “The Sixth Month”
(“Liu yue” 六 月 ), a poem in which war is depicted not through its subsequent angst but instead as a
proud duty willingly taken up by those defending the cohesion of their country against outsiders. The
following excerpts from “The Sixth Month” exemplify this position:
猃 狁 孔 炽
The Xianyan's strength is flourishing,
我 是 用 急
Because of this I am gravely concerned.
王 于 出 征
The king orders us to war,
以 匡 王 国
And we assist the kingdom.
.................. ................................
我 服 既 成
My military clothes are already made,
于 三 十 里
Travelling thirty li in a day.
王 于 出 征
The king orders us to war,
以 佐 天 子
And we assist our lord
...................... ...........................
薄 伐 猃 狁
以 奏 肤 公
有 严 有 翼
共 武 之 服
共 武 之 服
Successes noted against the Xianyun,
And meritorious deeds established.
Both solemn and in tight formation,
Engaging together in the duties of war
Engaging together in the duties of war
39
以 定 王 国 Making the kingdom secure. 40
(lines 5-8; 13-16; 19-24)
So far as its effect on the evolution of frontier poetry is concerned, The Book of Songs
establishes the elementary attributes of war as a tragedy for the men directly engaged in conflict as well
39 Shijing, p.94
40 “The Sixth Month” is pertinent in that it contains the poetic rumblings of highly complex responses towards frontier
warfare found especially in High Tang frontier poetry. The thesis will expound upon these aspects later when addressing
the distinctive characteristics of High Tang frontier poetry. The inclusion above of “The Sixth Month” is intended to
demonstrate a possible precedent from which an array of attitudes towards military conflict on the frontier would slowly
emerge.