Yeah, Baike glosses it as: a type of short tailed bird. Also called bojiu, fubu. Ancients thought it was a filial bird
Baike says this is a 行役 poem, which relates to serving in the army, forced labor, or official business causing the narrator to wander away from home. The whole poem uses the 'fu' technique.
Baike is also pretty authoritatively saying this is a poem expressing discontent with the ruler, and it is a misinterpretation to say it is about how they couldn't satisfy their loyalty to the ruler and filial piety simultaneously. So rulers would use the poem to show appreciation for the hardships of the workers. Baike proceeds to say all the famous interpretations that turn the 'complain' aspect of the poem into 'beauty' are incorrect.
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Re: 162. 四牡 - Si Mu
Date: 2021-03-27 10:19 pm (UTC)Baike says this is a 行役 poem, which relates to serving in the army, forced labor, or official business causing the narrator to wander away from home. The whole poem uses the 'fu' technique.
Baike is also pretty authoritatively saying this is a poem expressing discontent with the ruler, and it is a misinterpretation to say it is about how they couldn't satisfy their loyalty to the ruler and filial piety simultaneously. So rulers would use the poem to show appreciation for the hardships of the workers. Baike proceeds to say all the famous interpretations that turn the 'complain' aspect of the poem into 'beauty' are incorrect.