V.

The Pih hwa; metaphorical. THE WIFE OF KING YEW COMPLAINS

OF BEING DEGRADED AND FORSAKEN.

There is nothing in the piece itself to suggest this special reference of it to the queen of king Yew; but from the Han dynasty downwards all the critics have concurred in this view of it.

1 The fibres of the white-flowered rush

Are with the white grass bound.
So do the two together go,

In closest union found.

And thus should man and wife abide,
The twain combined in one;

But this bad man sends me away,

And bids me dwell alone.

2 Both rush and grass from the bright clouds
The genial dew partake.
Kind and impartial, nature's laws

No odious difference make.
But providence appears unkind;
Events are often hard.

This man, to principle untrue,
Denies me his regard.

3 Northward the pools their waters send,
To flood each paddy field;

So get the fields the sap they need,
Their store of rice to yield.

But that great man no deed of grace
Deigns to bestow on me.

My songs are sighs. At thought of him
My heart aches wearily.

4 The mulberry branches they collect,
And use their food to cook.

But I must use a furnace small,

That pot nor pan will brook.
So me that great man badly treats,
Nor uses as his wife,

Degrades me from my proper place,
And fills with grief my life.

5 The bells and drums inside the court
Men stand without and hear;
So should the feelings in my breast,
To him distinct appear.
All-sorrowful, I think of him,
Longing to move his love;

But he vouchsafes no kind response;
His thoughts far from me rove.

6 The marabow stands on the dam,
And to repletion feeds;

The crane deep in the forest cries,
Nor finds the food it needs.
So in my room the concubine

By the great man is placed;
While I with cruel banishment
Am cast out and disgraced.

7 The Yellow ducks sit on the dam,
With left wing gathered low;
So on each other do they lean,

And their attachment show.

And love should thus the man and wife
In closest concord bind;

But that man turns away from me,
And shows a fickle mind.

8 When one stands on a slab of stone,
No higher than the ground,
Nothing is added to his height;—
Low with the stone he's found.
So does the favourite's mean estate
Render that great man mean,
While I by him, to distance sent,
Am pierced with sorrow keen.

VI.

The Meen man; allusive. SOME INFERIOR COMPLAINS OF HIS TOIL IN AN EXPEDITION, AND OF THE NEGLECT WITH WHICH HE WAS TREATED BY HIS SUPERIORS.

Choo regards the piece as all metaphorical. "The whole case," says a critic, "is put into the mouth of an oriole, and the lines flow naturally

and easily ;-metaphorically, without the appearance of metaphor, expressing the object of the writer. We must not think that in the last four lines we have a man longing for some one in whom he could trust for help ;-they are the thoughts of the bird to that effect." But if the writer chose to put the expression of his sentiments into the mouth of a bird, he would have made it talk like a bird;-as in I. xv. II. better judgment here deserted him.

Choo's

See the use Confucius makes of a couple of the lines in “the Great Learning," Commentary, iii. 2.

1 Twitters fast the oriole,

Where yonder bends the mound.
The happy little creature

Its resting place has found.

So have not I. The journey's length
And weary toil o'ertask my strength.
Give me to eat; give me to drink;
And teach my mind the way to think.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare
Along the route myself to bear.

2 Twitters fast the oriole,

Where shows its edge the mound:
The happy little creature

Its resting place has found.

So have not I. I dare not shrink

From the long way, but trembling think,
Unable to hold on, I'll sink.

Give me to drink; and give me food;
And teach my mind the thing that's good.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare

Along the route myself to bear.

3 Twitters fast the oriole,

Where spreads its side the mound.
The happy little creature

Its resting place has found.

So have not I. I dare not shrink

From the long way, but trembling think,
Before we reach the end, I'll sink.

Give me to drink; to food invite;

And tell my mind the thing that's right.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare
Along the route myself to bear.

VII.

The Hoo yeh; narrative. WHERE THE PROVISIONS ARE MOST FRUGAL, ALL THE RULES OF POLITE INTERCOURSE MAY YET BE PRESERVED.

Over the frugal meal described, the parties in the writer's eye would be as ceremonious as at a grand feast. First, the host pours out a cup of his spirits, and tastes them to be assured they are good. Then he fills a cup, and presents it to the guests. The guests drink, and have a cup filled, which the host drinks. Lastly, the host has the cups of the guests filled, and they cause his to be filled, and they all drink to one another.

1 A few gourd leaves that waved about

Cut down and boiled;-the feast how spare!

But the good host his spirits takes,

Pours out a cup, and proves

2 A single rabbit on the mat,

them rare.

Or baked, or roast:-how small the feast!
But the good host his spirits takes,

And fills the cup of every guest.

3 A single rabbit on the mat,

Roasted or broiled :-how poor the meal!
But the guests from the spirit vase

Fill their host's cup, and drink his weal.

4 A single rabbit on the mat,

Roasted or baked : -no feast we think!
But from the spirit vase they take,

Both host and guests, and joyous drink.

VIII.

The Tseen-tsëen che shuh; narrative.

COMMEMORATING THE HARD

SHIPS OF A LONG AND DIFFICULT EXPEDITION TO THE EAST, AGGRAVATED BY GREAT RAINS.

1 How high those frowning rocks arise!
With awe they fill the mind.

Our way through streams, o'er mountains lies;

Toilsome the march we find.

Eastward our expedition goes,

Nor has our chief one hour's repose

2 Those frowning rocks the heights surmount,
And fill the mind with dread.

O'er hills, through streams, our steps we count;-
When shall our march be sped?

Our warrior hastens on the track,
Nor thinks he of our drawing back.

3 Look at the swine, with legs all white,
Washed by the pools from stain !

The moon wades through the Hyads bright,
Foretelling heavier rain.

He at whose word we eastward fare

No leisure has for other care.

IX.

The Teaou che hwa; metaphorical. THE WRITER LAMENTS HIS MISERY AMIDST AND IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE GENERAL DECAY OF THE KINGDOM.

1 Deep yellow are turned
The bignonia flowers;
And my wounded heart
Its sorrow outpours.

2 The flowers are all gone;

But green leaves are seen.
Than this fate have known,
Better not to have been!

3 In fish traps but stars!

Ewes thin, with large head!
While some may have food,
Most languish, ill fed.

X.

The Ho tsaou puh hwang; allusive and narrative.

THE MISERY AND

MURMURING OF SOLDIERS CONSTANTLY EMPLOYED ON EXPEDITIONARY SERVICES, AND TREATED WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION.

1 Yellow now is all the

grass;

All the days in marching pass.

On the move is every man ;

Hard work, far and near, they plan.