The Shih King, or, Book of Poetry Part 19

2. The same as 'the hordes of the Khwan' in ode 3. Mr. T. W. Kingsmill says that 'Kwan' here should be 'Chun,' and charges the transliteration Kwan with error (journal of the Royal Asiatic Society for April, 1878).

He had not consulted his dictionary for the proper p.r.o.nunciation of the Chinese character.]

state, raised up a proper ruler[1] for it,--From the time of Thai-po and king Ki (this was done) [1]. Now this king Ki In his heart was full of brotherly duty. Full of duty to his elder brother, He gave himself the more to promote the prosperity (of the country), And secured to him the glory (of his act) [2]. He accepted his dignity and did not lose it, And (ere long his family) possessed the whole kingdom.

This king Ki Was gifted by G.o.d with the power of judgment, So that the fame of his virtue silently grew. His virtue was highly intelligent,--Highly intelligent, and of rare discrimination; Able to lead, able to rule, To rule over this great country; Rendering a cordial submission, effecting a cordial union [3]. When (the sway) came to king Wan, His

[1. King Wan is 'the proper ruler' intended here, and the next line intimates that this was determined before there was any likelihood of his becoming the ruler even of the territory of Kau; another instance of the foreseeing providence ascribed to G.o.d. Thai-po was the eldest son of king Thai, and king Ki was, perhaps, only the third. The succession ought to have come to Thai-po; but he, seeing the sage virtues of Khang (afterwards king Wan), the son of Ki, and seeing also that king Thai was anxious that this boy should ultimately become ruler of Kau, voluntarily withdrew from Kau altogether, and left the state to Ki and his son. See the remark of Confucius on Thai-po's conduct, in the a.n.a.lects, VIII, i.

2 .The lines from six to ten speak of king Ki in his relation to his elder brother. He accepted Thai-po's act without -any failure of his own duty to him, and by his own improvement of it, made his brother more glorious through it. His feeling of brotherly duty was simply the natural instinct of his heart. Having accepted the act, it only made him the more anxious to promote the good of the state, and thus he made his brother more glorious by showing what advantages accrued from his resignation and withdrawal from Kau.

3. This line refers to Ki's maintenance of his own loyal duty to the dynasty of Shang, and his making all the states under his presidency loyal also.]

virtue left nothing to be dissatisfied with, He received the blessing of G.o.d, And it was extended to his descendants.

G.o.d said to king Wan [1], 'Be not like those who reject this and cling to that; Be not like those who are ruled by their likings and desires;'

So he grandly ascended before others to the height (of virtue). The people of Mi [2] were disobedient, Daring to oppose our great country, And invaded Yuan, marching to Kung[3]. The king rose, majestic in his wrath; He marshalled his troops, To stop the invading foes; To consolidate the prosperity of Kau; To meet the expectations of all under heaven.

He remained quietly in the capital, But (his troops) went on from the borders of Yuan. They ascended our lofty ridges, And (the enemy) arrayed no forces on our hills, On our hills, small or large, Nor drank at our springs, Our springs or our pools. He then determined the finest of the plains, And settled on the south of Khi[4], On the banks of

[1. The statement that 'G.o.d spake to king Wan,' repeated in stanza 7, vexes the Chinese critics, and they find in it simply an intimation that Wan's conduct was 'in accordance with the will of Heaven.' I am not prepared to object to that view of the meaning; but it is plain that the writer, in giving such a form to his meaning, must have conceived of G.o.d as a personal Being, knowing men's hearts, and able to influence them.

2. Mi or Mi-hsu was a state in the present King-ning Kau, of Phing-liang department, Kan-su.

3. Yuan was a state adjacent to Mi,--the present King Kau, and Kung must have been a place or district in it.

4 Wan, it appears, made now a small change in the site of his capital, but did not move to Fang, where he finally settled.]

the Wei, The centre of all the states, The resort of the lower people.

G.o.d said to king Wei, 'I am pleased with your intelligent virtue, Not loudly proclaimed nor pourtrayed, Without extravagance or changeableness, Without consciousness of effort on your part, In accordance with the pattern of G.o.d.' G.o.d said to king Wan, 'Take measures against the country of your foes. Along with your 'brethren, Get ready your scaling ladders, And your engines of onfall and a.s.sault, To attack the walls of Khung[1].'

The engines of onfall and a.s.sault were (at first) gently plied, Against the walls of Khung high and great; Captives for the question were brought in, one after another; The left ears (of the slain) were taken leisurely [2]. He had sacrificed to G.o.d and to the Father of War [3], Thus seeking to induce

[1. Khung was a state, in the present district of Hu, department Hsi-an, Shen-hsi. His conquest of Khung was an important event in the history of king Win. He moved his capital to it, advancing so much farther towards the east, nearer to the domain of-Shang. According to Sze-mg Khien the marquis of Khung had slandered the lord of Kau, who was president of the states of the west, to Kau-hsin, the king of Shang, and our hero was put in prison. His friends succeeded in effecting his deliverance by means of various gifts to the tyrant, and he was reinstated In the west with more than his former power. Three years afterwards he attacked the marquis of Khung.

2. So far the siege was prosecuted slowly and, so to say, tenderly, Wan hoping that the enemy would be induced to surrender without great sacrifice of life.

3. The sacrifice to G.o.d had been offered in Kau, at the commencement of the expedition; that to the Father of War, on the army's arriving at the borders of Khung. We can hardly tell who is intended by the Father of War. Ku Hsi and others would require the plural 'Fathers,' saying the sacrifice was to Hw.a.n.g Ti and Khih Yu, who are found engaged in hostilities far back in the mythical period of Chinese history. But Khih Yu appears as a rebel, or opposed to the One man in all the country who was then fit to rule. It is difficult to imagine how they could be a.s.sociated, and sacrificed to together.]

submission, And throughout the region none had dared to insult him. The engines of onfall and a.s.sault were (then) vigorously plied, Against the walls of Khung very strong. He attacked it, and let loose all his forces; He extinguished (its sacrifices) [1], and made an end of its existence; And throughout the kingdom none dared to oppose him.

ODE 9. THE HSIa Wu.

IN PRAISE OF KING Wu, WALKING IN THE WAYS OF HIS FOREFATHERS, AND BY HIS FILIAL PIETY SECURING THE THRONE TO HIMSELF AND HIS POSTERITY.

Successors tread in the steps (of their predecessors) in our Kau. For generations there had been wise kings; The three sovereigns were in heaven [2]; And king (Wu) was their worthy successor in his capital [3].

King (Wu) was their worthy successor in his capital, Rousing himself to seek for the hereditary virtue, Always striving to be in accordance with the

[1. The extinction of its sacrifices was the final act in the extinction of a state. Any members of its ruling House who might survive could no longer sacrifice to their ancestors as having been men of princely dignity. The family was reduced to the ranks of the people.

2. 'The three sovereigns,' or 'wise kings,' are to be understood of the three celebrated in ode 7,--Thai, Ki, and Wan. We are thus obliged, with all Chinese scholars, to understand this ode of king Wu. The statement that 'the three kings were in heaven' is very express.

3. The capital here is Hao, to which Wu removed in B.C. 1134, the year after his father's death. It was on the east of the river Fang, and only about eight miles from Wan's capital of Fang.]

will (of Heaven); And thus he secured the confidence due to a king.

He secured the confidence due to a king, And became the pattern of all below him. Ever thinking how to be filial, His filial mind was the model (which he supplied).

Men loved him, the One man, And responded (to his example) with a docile virtue. Ever thinking how to be filial, He brilliantly continued the doings (of his fathers).

Brilliantly! and his posterity, Continuing to walk in the steps of their forefathers, For myriads of years, Will receive the blessing of Heaven.

They will receive the blessing of Heaven, And from the four quarters (of the kingdom) will felicitations come to them. For myriads of years Will there not be their helpers?

ODE 10. THE WAN w.a.n.g Yu SHANG.

THE PRAISE OF KINGS WAN AND Wu:-HOW THE FORMER DISPLAYED HIS MILITARY PROWESS ONLY TO SECURE THE TRANQUILLITY OF THE PEOPLE; AND HOW THE LATTER, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESULTS OF DIVINATION, ENTERED IN HIS NEW CAPITAL OF HaO, INTO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE KINGDOM WITH THE SINCERE GOOD WILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE.

King Win is famous; Yea, he is very famous. What he sought was the repose (of the people); What he saw was the completion (of his work). A sovereign true was king Wan!

King Win received the appointment (from Heaven), And achieved his martial success. Having overthrown Khung[1]. He fixed his (capital) city in Fang [2]. A sovereign true was king Wan!

[1. As related in ode 7.

2. Fang had, probably, been the capital of Khung, and Wan removed to it, simply making the necessary repairs and alterations. This explains how we find nothing about the divinations which should have preceded so important a step as the founding of a new capital.]

He repaired the walls along the (old) moat. His establis.h.i.+ng himself in Fang was according to (the pattern of his forefathers), It was not that lie was in haste to gratify his wishes;--It was to show the filial duty that had come down to him. A sovereign true was the royal prince!

His royal merit was brightly displayed By those walls of Fang. There were collected (the sympathies of the people of) the four quarters, Who regarded the royal prince as their protector. A sovereign true was the royal prince!

The Fang-water flowed on to the east (of the city), Through the meritorious labour of Yu. There were collected (the sympathies of the people of) the four quarters, Who would have the great king as their ruler. A sovereign true was the great king

In the capital of Hao he built his hall with its circlet of water [2].

From the west to the east, From the south to the north, There was not a thought but did him homage. A sovereign true was the great king!

He examined and divined, did the king, About settling in the capital of Hao. The tortoise-sh.e.l.l decided the site[3], And king Wu completed the city. A sovereign true was king Wu!

[1. The writer has pa.s.sed on to Wu, who did actually become king.

2. See on the third of the Praise Odes of Lu in Part IV.

3. Hao was built by Wu, and hence we have the account of his divining About the site and the undertaking.]