Part 10 (1/2)

and affected his ancestors in their spirit-state, and would draw down their protecting favour. Their blessing, seen in his prosperity, was the natural result of his filial piety.

2. The Hwai rises in the department of Nan-yang, Ho-nan, and flows eastward to the sea. South of it, down to the time of this ode, were many rude and wild tribes that gave frequent occupation to the kings of Kau.

3. When prisoners refused to submit, their left ears were cut off, and shown as trophies.

4. The ancient Shun's Minister of Crime. The 'examiners' were officers.

who questioned the prisoners, especially the more important of them, to elicit information, and decide as to the amount of their guilt and punishment.]

grand, Without noise or display, Without appeal to the judges [1], They will here present (the proofs of) their merit.

7. How they draw their bows adorned with bone! How their arrows whiz forth! Their war chariots are very large! Their footmen and charioteers never weary! They have subdued the tribes of Hwai, And brought them to an unrebellious submission. Only lay your plans securely, And all the tribes of the Hwai will be won [2].

8. They come flying on the wing, those owls, And settle on the trees about the college; They eat the fruit of our mulberry trees, And salute us with fine notes [3]. So awakened shall be those tribes of the Hwai.

They will come presenting their precious things, Their large tortoises, and their elephants' teeth, And great contributions of the southern metals [4].

[1. The 'judges' decided all questions of dispute in the army, and on the merits of different men who had distinguished themselves.

2. In this stanza the poet describes a battle with the wild tribes, as if it were going on before his eyes.

3 An owl is a bird with a disagreeable scream, instead of a beautiful note; but the mulberries grown about the college would make them sing delightfully. And so would the influence of Lu, going forth from the college, transform the nature of the tribes about the Hwai.

4 That is, according to 'the Tribute of Yu,' in the Shu, from King-kau and Yang-kau.]

ODE 4. THE Pi KUNG.

IN PRAISE OF DUKE HSi, AND AUSPICING FOR HIM A MAGNIFICENT CAREER OF SUCCESS, WHICH WOULD MAKE-Lu ALL THAT IT HAD EVER BEEN:--WRITTEN, PROBABLY, ON AN OCCASION WHEN HSi HAD REPAIRED THE TEMPLES OF THE STATE, OF WHICH PIOUS ACT HIS SUCCESS WOULD BE THE REWARD.

There is no doubt that duke Hsi is the hero of this piece. He is mentioned in the third stanza as 'the son of duke Kw.a.n.g,' and the Hsi-sze referred to in the last stanza as the architect under whose superintendence the temples had been repaired was his brother, whom we meet with elsewhere as 'duke's son, Yu'. The descriptions of various sacrifices prove that the lords of Lu, whether permitted to use royal ceremonies or not, did really do so. The writer was evidently in a poetic rapture as to what his ruler was, and would do. The piece is a genuine bardic effusion.

The poet traces the lords of Lu to Khang Yuen and her son Hau-ki. He then comes to the establishment of the Kau dynasty, and under it of the marquisate of Lu; and finally to duke Hsi, dilating on his sacrificial services, the military power of Lu, and the achievements which be might be expected to accomplish in subjugating all the territory lying to the east and a long way South, of Lu.

I. How pure and still are the solemn temples, In their strong solidity and minute completeness! Highly distinguished was Kiang Yuan[1], Of virtue undeflected. G.o.d regarded her with favour, And without injury or hurt, Immediately, when her months were completed, She gave birth to Hau-ki! On him were conferred all blessings,--(To know) how the (ordinary) millet ripened early, and the sacrificial millet late; How first to sow pulse

[1. About Kiang Yuan and her conception and birth of Hau-ki, see the first piece in the third decade of the Major Odes of the Kingdom. There also Hau-ki's teaching of husbandry is more fully described.]

and then wheat. Anon he was invested with an inferior state, And taught the people how to sow and to reap, The (ordinary) millet and the sacrificial, Rice and the black millet; Ere long over the whole country:--(Thus) continuing the work of Yu.

2. Among the descendants of Hau-ki, There was king Thai[1], Dwelling on the south of (mount) Khi, Where the clipping of Shang began. In process of time Wan and Wu Continued the work of king Thai, And (the purpose of) Heaven was carried out in its time, In the plain of Mu [2]. 'Have no doubts, no anxieties,'--(it was said), 'G.o.d is with you [3].' Wu disposed of the troops of Shang; He and his men equally, shared in the achievement. (Then) king (Khang) said, 'My uncle [4], I will set up your eldest son, And make him marquis of Lu. I will greatly enlarge your territory there, To be a help and support to the House of Kau.'

3. Accordingly he appointed (our first) duke of Lo, And made him marquis in the east, Giving him the hills and rivers, The lands and fields, and the attached states [5]. The (present) descendant of the duke of Kau, The son of duke Kw.a.n.g, With dragon-emblazoned banner, attends the sacrifices, (Grasping) his six reins soft and pliant. In spring

[1. See on the Sacrificial Odes of Kau, decade i, ode 5.

2. See the Shu, V, iii.

3. Shang-fu, one of Wu's princ.i.p.al leaders, encouraged him at the battle of Mu with these words.

4 That is, the duke of Kau.