Confucius (551-433BC)

The Master Said

The Master said,
“It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.”
It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.
“It is from Music that the finish is received.”
The Master said,
“The people may be made to follow a path of action,
but they may not be made to understand it.
- Confucius

Hsu Yun (1840-1959)

Crimson Stream Temple
At Crimson Peak the clouds are thickest;
But the mystic's road is clear though it turns
Again and again.
The mountain flowers, glistening with frosty dew,
Reflect the moon;
And safe within the stands of bamboo, a kingfisher bird
Scolds humanity.
At dawn, rain beats a tattoo on the rocks.
In a crazed sortie, the dragon strikes at distant retreats,
Making clouds come in so thick that morning turns to dusk.
By noon there's Armistice!
Sun and peace and a world that's fresh and new.

Hsieh Ling-yun (385-433)

Passing My Estate at Shih-ning

Bobbed haired, irksome child, I longed to grow Upright,
and find fame for it…
But then I found things of this world,
and they held me.
Only yesterday, or it seems so, I let such
honorable ambition go…
two dozen years, in fact, the then to now.
Blackened, reamed, worn as a knight would
never be, my nature sullied , I’d betrayed,
forgotten, even the bright broad land itself.
Worn, wasted, wearied I’m shamed now
by anything upright and firm…
But stupidity and sickness may yet
be my salvation: these have brought me here again
to the very bosom of Silence.
I am empowered by the emblem of a Magistrate
to rule “The Blue Sea”, but first I’ll play King
of my own old hills a while.
Hiking the high places, and the low,
crossing, tracing a winding stream to its source.
Here are cliffs, crags and peaks, and
ranks of ridges, ranges,
like rock islets and bits of sand bar in sea surge.
White clouds wrap dark boulders.
Green bamboo writhe in shamanesses’ dances by the stream.
I’ll rethatch the roof with the view
of the river’s twistings, and raise up
a tower for viewing the peaks.
Then I’ll wave farewell to my village folk:
“A three year term, then I’ll return…
plant me grave yard evergreens, and
coffin wood trees. These
are my last wishes.

Zhan Shichuang (1841-1893)

Crossing Hangu Pass

Zhan  Shichuanɡ Long is the ancient road; Towering the insurmountable pass. Gone the Blue Buffalo, way beyond Hangu, Only the Daode classic is with us         millennia old. Who is today's dweller of that cave house? The white rooster's still there         wandering in the courtyard. The wheels roll on         this Taoist tour of ours; Destiny has brought us together         from all corners of the world.

Fa Xing (?)

Cold rain tapping the roof of the house;
Hot tea warming the roof of my mouth;
Nothing else to do until my friend arrives...
Perfect.

Li Shangyin (813-858)

Falling Petals

Gone is the guest from the Chamber of Rank,
And petals, confused in my little garden,
Zigzagging down my crooked path,
Escort like dancers the setting sun.
Oh, how can I bear to sweep them away?
To a sad-eyed watcher they never return.
Heart's fragrance is spent with the ending of spring
And nothing left but a tear-stained robe.

 

Li Shangyin :

T'ao Ch'ien (365-427)

Reading the Classic of Hills and Seas

In the summer grass and trees have grown.
Over my roof the branches meet.
Birds settle in the leaves.
I enjoy my humble place.
Ploughing’s done, the ground is sown,
Time to sit and read my book.
The narrow deeply-rutted lane
Means my friends forget to call.
Content, I pour the new Spring wine,
Go out and gather food I’ve grown.
A light rain from the East,
Blows in on a pleasant breeze.
I read the story of King Mu,
See pictures of the Hills and Seas.
One glance finds all of heaven and earth.
What pleasures can compare with these?

Note: King Mu (1001-947BC) of the Chou Dynasty dined with the Queen of the Immortals, Si Wang Mu, in the Western Paradise (among the Kun-lun mountains of Tibet). There she tended the garden where the peach-tree grew that supported the Universe. Her Paradise was that of exalted purity, the jade or pearl mountain, entered through a golden door. The peaches conferred immortality. She later visited Emperor Wu Ti of Han (r.141-97BC) riding on a white dragon, gave him a peach from the tree, and taught him the secrets of eternal life. Wu built a tower with a golden vase on its summit to collect the pure dew that dripped from the stars.

Han Yu (768-824)

Han YuOn the Festival of the Moon to Sub-official Zhang

嗣 皇 繼 聖 登 夔 皋

昨 者 州 前 槌 大 鼓

海 氣 濕 蟄 熏 腥 臊

下 床 畏 蛇 食 畏 藥

幽 居 默 默 如 藏 逃

十 生 九 死 到 官 所

蛟 龍 出 沒 猩 鼯 號

洞 庭 連 天 九 疑 高

不 能 聽 終 淚 如 雨

君 歌 聲 酸 辭 且 苦

一 杯 相 屬 君 當 歌

沙 平 水 息 聲 影 絕

清 風 吹 空 月 舒 波

纖 雲 四 捲 天 無 河

八 月 十 五 夜 贈 張 功 曹

	判 司 卑 官 不 堪 說	坎 軻 祇 得 移 荊 蠻	州 家 申 名 使 家 抑	滌 瑕 蕩 垢 清 朝 班	遷 者 追 回 流 者 還	罪 從 大 辟 皆 除 死	赦 書 一 日 行 萬 里	八 月 十 五 夜 贈 張 功 曹

	有 酒 不 飲 奈 明 何	人 生 由 命 非 由 他	一 年 明 月 今 宵 多	我 歌 今 與 君 殊 科	君 歌 且 休 聽 我 歌	天 路 幽 險 難 追 攀	同 時 輩 流 多 上 道	未 免 捶 楚 塵 埃 間	八 月 十 五 夜 贈 張 功 曹

八月十五夜贈張功曹
纖雲四捲天無河， 清風吹空月舒波。
沙平水息聲影絕， 一杯相屬君當歌。
君歌聲酸辭且苦， 不能聽終淚如雨。
洞庭連天九疑高， 蛟龍出沒猩鼯號。
十生九死到官所， 幽居默默如藏逃。
下床畏蛇食畏藥， 海氣濕蟄熏腥臊。
昨者州前槌大鼓， 嗣皇繼聖登夔皋。
赦書一日行萬里， 罪從大辟皆除死。
遷者追回流者還， 滌瑕蕩垢清朝班。
州家申名使家抑， 坎軻祇得移荊蠻。
判司卑官不堪說， 未免捶楚塵埃間。
同時輩流多上道， 天路幽險難追攀。
君歌且休聽我歌， 我歌今與君殊科。
一年明月今宵多， 人生由命非由他；
有酒不飲奈明何？

原文 67

The fine clouds have opened and the River of Stars is gone,
A clear wind blows across the sky, and the moon widens its wave,
The sand is smooth, the water still, no sound and no shadow,
As I offer you a cup of wine, asking you to sing.
But so sad is this song of yours and so bitter your voice
That before I finish listening my tears have become a rain:
"Where Lake Dongting is joined to the sky by the lofty Nine-Doubt Mountain,
Dragons, crocodiles, rise and sink, apes, flying foxes, whimper....
At a ten to one risk of death, I have reached my official post,
Where lonely I live and hushed, as though I were in hiding.
I leave my bed, afraid of snakes; I eat, fearing poisons;
The air of the lake is putrid, breathing its evil odours....
Yesterday, by the district office, the great drum was announcing
The crowning of an emperor, a change in the realm.
The edict granting pardons runs three hundred miles a day,
All those who were to die have had their sentences commuted,
The unseated are promoted and exiles are recalled,
Corruptions are abolished, clean officers appointed.
My superior sent my name in but the governor would not listen
And has only transferred me to this barbaric place.
My rank is very low and useless to refer to;
They might punish me with lashes in the dust of the street.
Most of my fellow exiles are now returning home –
A journey which, to me, is a heaven beyond climbing."
...Stop your song, I beg you, and listen to mine,
A song that is utterly different from yours:
"Tonight is the loveliest moon of the year.
All else is with fate, not ours to control;
But, refusing this wine, may we choose more tomorrow?"

Wang Xizhi (303-361)