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• Introduction to the Shi King. *
• Part I.: Characteristics of the States.
• Book I.: The Odes of Chow and the South. *
• Book II.: The Odes of ShÂu and the South. *
• Book III.: The Odes of P‘ei.
• Book IV.: The Odes of Yung. *
• Book V.: The Odes of Wei.
• Book VI.: The Odes of the Royal Domain. *
• Book VII.: The Odes of Ch‘ing. *
• Book VIII.: The Odes of Ts‘i. *
• Book IX.: The Odes of Wei. *
• Book X.: The Odes of T‘ang. *
• Book XI.: The Odes of Ts‘in. *
• Book XII.: The Odes of Ch‘in. *
• Book XIII.: The Odes of Kwai. *
• Book XIV.: The Odes of Ts‘Âu. *
• Book XV.: The Odes of Pin. *
• Part II.: The Minor Festal Odes.
• Book I.
• Book II.
• Book III.
• Book IV.
• Book V.
• Book VI.
• Book VII.
• Book VIII.
• Part III.: The Greater Festal Odes.
• Book I.: The “wĂn Wong” Decade. *
• Book II.: The “shang Min” Decade.
• Book III.: The “tang” Decade.
• Part IV.: Festal Hymns and Songs.
• Book I.: The Hymns of Chow. * First Section.
• Book II.: The Hymns of Chow. Second Section.
• Book III.: The Hymns of Chow. Third Section.
• Book IV.: The Festal Songs of Lu. *
• Book V.: The Festal Odes of Shang.

BOOK XI.

THE ODES OF TS‘IN.*

I. xi. 1.

LIFE AT COURT—BUDDING INTO OPULENCE AND GAIETY.

• • Now hath he rumbling carriages,
  • And the white-crested steeds.
  • And lo! to come before the Chief
  • The Eunuch’s pass one needs.
• • The varnish-tree adorns the slope,
  • The chestnut the moist ground.—
  • Here sit we now around our Chief,
  • And lutes are thrumming round.
  • If joy be not for present years,
  • What will fourscore have found?
• • The mulberry-tree adorns the slope,
  • The willow the wet plains.—
  • Here sit we now around our Chief,
  • And hear the organ’s strains.
  • If pleasure be not for to-day,
  • Years pass, till nought remains.

I. xi. 2.

THE COURT-HUNT.

• • Four irongreys, of height superb,
  • Lo! held by half-a-dozen reins.
  • The Chief’s own favourites their Chief
  • Are following to the hunting plains.
• • They beat him up the season’s game,*
  • The season’s game superb for size.
  • “Off to the left,” calls out the Chief:
  • Lets fly the shaft, and bags the prize.
• • Then through the north park strolls he back,
  • The while his four well-broken steeds,
  • With bells at bits,† in light-built carts,
  • Draw home the hounds of various breeds.‡

I. xi. 3.

THE ABSENT WARRIOR-HUSBAND.§

• • Curricle of war, so narrow,
  • With its pole with five gay bindings,
  • Sliding rings at shoulder-braces,∥
  • Silvered fastenings at the cross-bar,*
  • Tiger-skin, naves far-projecting,
  • And my piebalds at the traces—†
  • Ay, my thoughts are of my husband
  • So beloved,‡ so good and kind,
  • Now amid the log-huts yonder;
  • And what tumult fills my mind!
• • Team of four strong colts and stalwart,
  • Half a dozen reins to hold them,§
  • Piebalds for the inner twain,†
  • Dappled greys the two outsiders,†
  • Dragon shields, each matching other,∥
  • Silver-clasped each inner rein—
• • Ay, my thoughts are of my husband
  • Good and kind, in towns far hence.
  • When, when shall his term be ended?
  • Long, too long, this thought intense!
• • Four mailed chargers, well assorted,
  • Trident spears, with shaft-ends silvered,
  • Shields adorned with painted wings,
  • Case of tiger-skin steel-mounted
  • For the bows, two bows containing,
  • Bound to bamboo frames by strings—¶
• • Ay, my thoughts are of my husband,
  • When I rise or lay me down.
  • Worthy man, may peace attend him,
  • And his name win wide renown.

I. xi. 4.

CHASING THE PHANTOM.*

• • When reed and rush grew green, grew green,
  • And dews to hoar-frost changed,
  • One whom they speak of as “that man”
  • Somewhere the river ranged.
  • Upstream they went in quest of him,
  • A long and toilsome way;
  • Downstream they went in quest of him;—
  • In mid-stream there he lay!
• • When reed and rush grew tall, grew tall,
  • And dews lay yet undried,
  • He whom they speak of as “that man”
  • Was by the riverside.
  • Upstream they searched for him, along
  • The toilsome, deep defile;
  • Downstream again—and there he lay,
  • Midway, upon the isle!
• • When reed and rush were cut and gone,
  • And dews still lingered dank,
  • He whom they speak of as “that man”
  • Was on the river’s bank.
  • Upstream they searched for him, along
  • The toilsome right-hand road;
  • Downstream,—and on the island there,
  • In mid-stream, he abode!

I. xi. 5.

THE RULER’S RETURN FROM THE KING’S COURT AFTER PROMOTION TO HIGHER RANK.

• • What see we on the Chung-nan* mountain?
  • Here silver firs, and plum-trees there.
  • Behold our noble lord arriving
  • In broider’d robe and fox-furs fair,—
  • His countenance as rouged, so ruddy:
  • A prince is he indeed beyond compare!
• • What see we on the Chung-nan mountain?
  • Here shady nook, there open glade.†
  • Behold our noble lord arriving,
  • In flowery robe and train arrayed,
  • With jewels at his girdle tinkling:
  • Long life be his, and fame that shall not fade!

I. xi. 6.

THE LIVING BURIED WITH THE DEAD.‡

• • In flocks the yellow birds
  • Flew in and out each thorny tree.—§
  • Who followed dead∥ Duke Muh?
  • He of the clan Tse-Kü, Yen-Si.
  • Gazing into his grave
  • He shrank with shuddering dread.
  • Powers of yon blue concave!*
  • Our best men all lie dead.
  • O, could a ransom save,
  • A hundred died instead!
• • In flocks the yellow birds
  • Hovered the mulberry-trees among.—
  • Who followed dead Duke Muh?
  • He of the clan Tse-Kü, Chung-Hang.
  • Match for a hundred men
  • Was he, the same Chung-Hang.
  • Gazing into his grave
  • He shrank with shuddering dread.
  • Powers of yon blue concave!
  • Our best men all lie dead.
  • O, could a ransom save,
  • A hundred died instead!
• • In flocks the yellow birds
  • There in and out the thicket flew.—
  • Who followed dead Duke Muh?
  • He of the clan Tse-Kü, Chin-Hu.
  • Withstand a hundred men.
  • Could he that same Chin-Hu.
  • Gazing into his grave
  • He shrank with shuddering dread.
  • Powers of yon blue concave!
  • Our best men all lie dead.
  • O, could a ransom save,
  • A hundred died instead.

I. xi. 7.

OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND.

• • Swiftly sped the sparrow-hawk,
  • Northward where the woods grow dense.—
  • Absent is my husband still,
  • And ’tis sad, this long suspense.
  • Why is he, methinks, and how
  • So unmindful of me now?
• • Groves of oak adorn the hill,
  • Elm-trees, six of them, the mead.—
  • Absent is my husband still;
  • Sad and cheerless life I lead,
  • Why is he, methinks, and how
  • So unmindful of me now?
• • On the hill wild cherry-trees,
  • On the meadowland wild pears.—
  • With my husband absent still
  • I seem stupefied with cares.
  • Why is he, methinks, and how
  • So unmindful of me now?

I. xi. 8.

COMRADES IN WAR-TIME.

• • How say we have no clothes?
  • One plaid for both will do.
  • Let but the king, in raising men,
  • Our spears and pikes renew,—
  • We’ll fight as one, we two!
• • How say we have no clothes?
  • One skirt our limbs shall hide.
  • Let but the king, in raising men,
  • Halberd and lance provide,—
  • We’ll do it, side by side!
• • How say we have no clothes?
  • My kirtle thou shalt wear.
  • Let but the king, in raising men,
  • Armour and arms prepare,—
  • The toils of war we’ll share.

I. xi. 9.

A REFUGEE HEIR OF TSIN ASSISTED IN HIS RIGHTS.*

• • Escorting my cousin
  • There north of the Wai so far,
  • What gifts did I leave him?
  • Bay team for a ducal car.†
• • My cousin’s escorting
  • Aye long in my thoughts abides.
  • What gifts did I leave him?
  • Rich gems for his belt besides.

I. xi. 10.

OLD OFFICIALS LEFT IN THE COLD.*

• • Alas for us!
  • Fine houses first and all on liberal scale;—
  • Now, each meal o’er, remains naught more!
  • Ah, welladay!
  • So to begin and afterwards to fail!
• • Alas for us!
  • Four platters once at meals for every man;
  • And now each feeds within his needs!
  • Ah, welladay!
  • Not to go on as we at first began!

[* ]The State of Ts‘in was about 900 bc quite a small fief in the North-West. Many of its inhabitants belonged to the wild Mongolian tribes, and probably also some of its princes. The State grew by degrees into importance, and in the third century bc the ruling Chief made himself master of the whole of China and established the Ts‘in Dynasty.

The first Ode seems to celebrate the growing dignity of the feudal lord, and the gayer life at his Court.

[* ]Lit., males.

[† ]The light vehicles, with small bells at the horses’ bits, seem to have been used for beating up the game, and for conveying home the dogs; or, in the latter case, it may have been that the tinkling bells simply kept together the dogs.

[‡ ]“Long and short-nosed.”

[§ ]The first six lines in each stanza give a rapid confused picture of the equipments of the husband on his setting out to the wars,—a picture which is ever present to the wife’s mind; and in the last four she explains herself and passes on to the thought of his present surroundings. The Expedition would be against the wild tribes of the West.

[∥ ]Some provision for keeping under control the outside horses.

[* ]i.e., at the ends of the traces.

[† ]The colours of the horses throughout are only approximate in the translation. One of them is described, in one syllable, as a horse with a white left foot!

[‡ ]Lit., like a jewel.

[§ ]Two interior reins were attached to the carriage front, and these are those referred to in the 6th line.

[∥ ]A pair of shields, showing the imperial emblem, stood on the front of the carriage.

[¶ ]An instrument to keep the bows from warping.

[* ]No other title than this which I venture can well be given to this piece. All Chinese guesses as to the meaning seem far-fetched and absurd. Perhaps the “happy mean,” which so many miss, is the answer to the riddle.

[* ]A noted mountain in the State of Ts‘in, at the foot of which was the ruler’s seat. The beauties of the scenery seem introduced in comparison with the ruler’s new adornments.

[† ]Ki and t’ang, are thus explained by Chu Hi and his followers.

[‡ ]A practice evidently learnt from their barbarous neighbours in the West, and unknown in any other State in China.

[§ ]It seems hopeless to seek any meaning in these introductory lines.

[∥ ]“Dead” is not in the original, but the sense requires it. Duke Muh died 620 bc, and not only these three clansmen, but 170 persons in all, it is said, were buried alive with him.

[* ]Lit., yonder azure Heaven!

[* ]A long history is attached to this piece, for which see Dr. Legge’s “Shi King,” Vol. I. p. 203. The writer is Duke K‘ang of Ts‘in (son of Duke Muh of Ode 6), at that time, however, only heir-apparent; and the cousin was Ch‘ung-urh, afterwards Duke Wan of Tsin.

[† ]i.e., on the king’s acknowledgment of him as rightful heir, when the king would present him with the car of state. The cousin had, however, to fight his way in order to regain his rightful possessions; and the danger attending this enterprise seems to be the cause of the anxiety expressed in verse 2.

[* ]Supposed to satirize Duke K’ang’s treatment of the old servants of his father (Muh).