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dankodesHere's the second of the week's poetry discussion posts. Both are currently set to members only, and will be made public once we sort out privacy options for anyone who wants them.
Odes Of Shao And The South:
https://ctext.org/book-of-poetry/odes-of-shao-and-the-south, or http://wengu.tartarie.com/wg/wengu.php?l=Shijing&no=12 (On the page, this string guides you through the Shao poems: nº 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 .)
Discussion Notes:
Please drop all resources, thoughts and questions in the comment stream pertaining to the relevant poem. I'd be especially grateful for context notes on these! The general wiki entry on the Book of Odes/Classic of Poetry is a nice starting point.
General questions and fannish stuff can have their own comment threads. I'll post the next two chapters' posts next Monday, unless we end up feeling that's too soon or something. The posts will remain available to go back and comment on, if you get behind but still want to engage with them.
Que Chao
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove dwells in it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are meeting her.
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove possesses it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are escorting her.
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove fills it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
These hundreds of carriages complete her array.
Cai Fan
She gathers the white southernwood,
By the ponds, on the islets.
She employs it,
In the business of our prince.
She gathers the white southernwood,
Along the streams in the valleys.
She employs it,
In the temple of our prince.
With head-dress reverently rising aloft,
Early, while yet it is night, she is in the prince's temple ;
In her dead-dress, slowly retiring,
She returns to her own apartments.
Cao Chong
Yao-yao went the grass-insects,
And the hoppers sprang about.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is agitated.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be stilled.
I ascended that hill in the south,
And gathered the turtle-foot ferns.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is very sad.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be pleased.
I ascended that hill in the south,
And gathered the thorn-ferns.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is wounded with grief.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be at peace.
Cai Ping
She gathers the large duckweed,
By the banks of the stream in the southern valley.
She gathers the pondweed,
In those pools left by the floods.
She deposits what she gathers,
In her square baskets and round ones
She boils it,
In her tripods and pans.
She sets forth her preparations,
Under the window in the ancestral chamber.
Who superintends the business ?
It is [this] reverent young lady.
Gan Tang
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, hew it not down.
Under it the chief of Zhou lodged.
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, break not a twig of it.
Under it the chief of Zhou rested.
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, bend not a twig of it.
Under it the chief of Zhou halted.
Xing Lu
Wet lay the dew on the path : –
Might I not [have walked there] in the early dawn ?
But I said there was [too] much dew on the path.
Who can say the sparrow has no horn ?
How else can it bore through my house ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial,
Your ceremonies for betrothal were not sufficient.
Who can say that the rat has no molar teeth ?
How else could it bore through my wall ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial,
I will still not follow you.
Gao Yang
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
With their five braidings of white silk !
They have retired from the court to take their their meal ;
Easy are they and self-possesed.
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
With their five seams wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired from the court to take their their meal.
The seams of [those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
The five joinings wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired to take their their meal from the court.
Yin Qi Lei
Grandly rolls the thunder,
On the south of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder,
About the sides of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder,
At the foot of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not remaining a little at rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Piao You Mei
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] seven [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me,
This is the fortunate time !
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] three [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me,
Now is the time.
Dropt are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
In my shallow basket I have collected them.
Would the gentlemen who seek me
[Only] speak about it !
Xiao Xing
Small are those starlets,
Three or five of them in the east,
Swiftly by night we go ;
In the early dawn we are with the prince.
Our lot is not like hers.
Small are those starlets,
And there are Orion and the Pleiades.
Swiftly by night we go,
Carrying our coverlets and sheets.
Our lot is not like hers.
Jiang You Si
The Jiang has its branches, led from it and returning to it.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not employ us.
She would not employ us ;
But afterwards she repented.
The Jiang has its islets.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not let us be with her.
She would not let us be with her ;
But afterwards she repressed [such feelings].
The Jiang has the Tuo.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not come near us
She would not come near us ;
But she blew that feeling away, and sang.
Ye You Si Jun
In the wild there is a dead antelope,
And it is wrapped up with the white grass.
There is a young lady with thoughts natural to the spring,
And a fine gentleman would lead her astray.
In the forest there are the scrubby oaks ;
In the wild there is a dead deer,
And it is bound round with the white grass.
There is a young lady like a gem.
[She says], Slowly ; gently, gently ;
Do not move my handkerchief ;
Do not make my dog bark.
He Bi Nong Yi
How great is that luxuriance,
Those flowers of the sparrow-plum !
Are they not expressive of reverence and harmony, –
The carriages of the king's daughter ?
How great is that luxuriance,
The flowers like those of the peach-tree or the plum !
[See] the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king,
And the son of the reverent marquis !
What are used in angling ?
Silk threads formed into lines.
The son of the reverent marquis,
And the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king !
Zou Yu
Strong and abundant grow the rushes ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars.
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
Strong and abundant grow the artemisia ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars.
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
Odes Of Shao And The South:
https://ctext.org/book-of-poetry/odes-of-shao-and-the-south, or http://wengu.tartarie.com/wg/wengu.php?l=Shijing&no=12 (On the page, this string guides you through the Shao poems: nº 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 .)
Discussion Notes:
Please drop all resources, thoughts and questions in the comment stream pertaining to the relevant poem. I'd be especially grateful for context notes on these! The general wiki entry on the Book of Odes/Classic of Poetry is a nice starting point.
General questions and fannish stuff can have their own comment threads. I'll post the next two chapters' posts next Monday, unless we end up feeling that's too soon or something. The posts will remain available to go back and comment on, if you get behind but still want to engage with them.
Que Chao
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove dwells in it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are meeting her.
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove possesses it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are escorting her.
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove fills it.
This young lady is going to her future home ;
These hundreds of carriages complete her array.
Cai Fan
She gathers the white southernwood,
By the ponds, on the islets.
She employs it,
In the business of our prince.
She gathers the white southernwood,
Along the streams in the valleys.
She employs it,
In the temple of our prince.
With head-dress reverently rising aloft,
Early, while yet it is night, she is in the prince's temple ;
In her dead-dress, slowly retiring,
She returns to her own apartments.
Cao Chong
Yao-yao went the grass-insects,
And the hoppers sprang about.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is agitated.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be stilled.
I ascended that hill in the south,
And gathered the turtle-foot ferns.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is very sad.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be pleased.
I ascended that hill in the south,
And gathered the thorn-ferns.
While I do not see my lord,
My sorrowful heart is wounded with grief.
Let me have seen him,
Let me have met him,
And my heart will then be at peace.
Cai Ping
She gathers the large duckweed,
By the banks of the stream in the southern valley.
She gathers the pondweed,
In those pools left by the floods.
She deposits what she gathers,
In her square baskets and round ones
She boils it,
In her tripods and pans.
She sets forth her preparations,
Under the window in the ancestral chamber.
Who superintends the business ?
It is [this] reverent young lady.
Gan Tang
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, hew it not down.
Under it the chief of Zhou lodged.
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, break not a twig of it.
Under it the chief of Zhou rested.
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ; –
Clip it not, bend not a twig of it.
Under it the chief of Zhou halted.
Xing Lu
Wet lay the dew on the path : –
Might I not [have walked there] in the early dawn ?
But I said there was [too] much dew on the path.
Who can say the sparrow has no horn ?
How else can it bore through my house ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial,
Your ceremonies for betrothal were not sufficient.
Who can say that the rat has no molar teeth ?
How else could it bore through my wall ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial,
I will still not follow you.
Gao Yang
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
With their five braidings of white silk !
They have retired from the court to take their their meal ;
Easy are they and self-possesed.
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
With their five seams wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired from the court to take their their meal.
The seams of [those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins,
The five joinings wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired to take their their meal from the court.
Yin Qi Lei
Grandly rolls the thunder,
On the south of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder,
About the sides of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder,
At the foot of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this,
Not remaining a little at rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Piao You Mei
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] seven [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me,
This is the fortunate time !
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] three [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me,
Now is the time.
Dropt are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
In my shallow basket I have collected them.
Would the gentlemen who seek me
[Only] speak about it !
Xiao Xing
Small are those starlets,
Three or five of them in the east,
Swiftly by night we go ;
In the early dawn we are with the prince.
Our lot is not like hers.
Small are those starlets,
And there are Orion and the Pleiades.
Swiftly by night we go,
Carrying our coverlets and sheets.
Our lot is not like hers.
Jiang You Si
The Jiang has its branches, led from it and returning to it.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not employ us.
She would not employ us ;
But afterwards she repented.
The Jiang has its islets.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not let us be with her.
She would not let us be with her ;
But afterwards she repressed [such feelings].
The Jiang has the Tuo.
Our lady, when she was married,
Would not come near us
She would not come near us ;
But she blew that feeling away, and sang.
Ye You Si Jun
In the wild there is a dead antelope,
And it is wrapped up with the white grass.
There is a young lady with thoughts natural to the spring,
And a fine gentleman would lead her astray.
In the forest there are the scrubby oaks ;
In the wild there is a dead deer,
And it is bound round with the white grass.
There is a young lady like a gem.
[She says], Slowly ; gently, gently ;
Do not move my handkerchief ;
Do not make my dog bark.
He Bi Nong Yi
How great is that luxuriance,
Those flowers of the sparrow-plum !
Are they not expressive of reverence and harmony, –
The carriages of the king's daughter ?
How great is that luxuriance,
The flowers like those of the peach-tree or the plum !
[See] the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king,
And the son of the reverent marquis !
What are used in angling ?
Silk threads formed into lines.
The son of the reverent marquis,
And the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king !
Zou Yu
Strong and abundant grow the rushes ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars.
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
Strong and abundant grow the artemisia ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars.
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
Xiao Xing
Re: Xiao Xing
"Little Stars
Faint are those little stars,
2 Three and five of them in the east.
Hurriedly mid the night we go,
4 In morning and at night we are in the palace—
Really people’s lots are not the same!
6 Faint are those little stars,
Of Orion and the Pleiades.
8 Hurriedly mid the night we go,
Carrying our coverlets and sheets—
10 Really people’s lots are not similar!
The xing (a ective image) that opens this poem is also a bi (comparison), linking the stars to lower-ranking palace women. In the growing light of dawn—which may symbolize the waking of the ruler’s favorite—these three and ve “stars” grow ever fainter. Why not three or four stars? The answer is that these three and ve stars are those in ancient Chinese constellations comparable with our Orion and the Pleiades, the stars that remain visible the longest in the winter’s morning sky. This unusual trope allows the rst stanza to link to the second, where the meta- phor becomes clearer. The theme of this song is similar to the meaning of the ancient Chinese saying “The hungry sing of their food, the labored sing of their service.” The persona here laments her lower status, which makes it impossible for her to attend her lord for the entire night, as the main wife would. Thus she and her fellow court ladies hurry about. The image of these women with the cover- lets and sheets draped on their shoulders suggests both the canopy of the sky (in the appearance of the women) and the hierarchy of the palace women themselves (seen in their hardship). The prosody of this poem is regular except for the “extra” fth line in each stanza, perhaps lending emphasis to the plaint of the nal lines, an emphasis heightened by the rhyme scheme ababb, acacc.
There is a second, relatively common reading of this poem that identi es the persona as a low-ranking courtier (a member of the shi, or petit nobility) who scur- ries to be on time for the dawn audience, his own star obscured by the higher- ranking grandees of the court. Indeed, many traditional poems have been inter- preted variously as political or love songs. Yet the coverlets and sheets argue of love here, and the entire poem bears some resemblance to Sappho’s (late seventh–early sixth century b.C.e.) fragment no. 34:6
Stars around the lovely moon
Hide their gleaming beauty away Whenever she at the full sheds
Over the earth her radiant glow.
Although once again a Greek fragment offers us no context, the juxtaposition of some central female figure (the moon) to her subordinate women (the stars around her) is not unlike the situation in “Little Stars.” "
Re: Xiao Xing
Legge's translation of "Carrying our coverlets and sheets." definitely biases the concubine interpretation; the word 抱 now means "hold; carry; hug," but baidu says it's actually the ancient version of 抛, "throw"?? Not sure what the implications of that are; baidu then references a bunch of other literature for this character, but I can't parse it.