_
_I feel as one feels listening to the sound of the waters of the
Dragon Mound in Ch'in.
_I feel as one feels listening to the sound of the waters of the
Dragon Mound in Ch'in.
Amy Lowell - Chinese Poets
There are black jades; pure white jades, described by the
Chinese as "mutton fat"; jades with brown and red veins; yellow jades
tinged with green; grey jades with white or brown lines running through
them; and, most usual of all, green jades, of which there are an
infinite number of shades.
These green jades vary from the dark, opaque moss-green, very much like
the New Zealand "green-stone," to the jewel jade called by the Chinese
_fei ts'ui_, or "kingfisher feather," which, in perfect examples, is the
brilliant green of an emerald. As a result of this range of colouring,
the Chinese use the term "jade" to describe the tints seen in Nature.
The colours of the sky, the hills, the sea, can all be found in the
jades, which are considered by the Chinese as the most desirable of
precious stones. In addition to its employment in actual comparison, the
word "jade" is very often used in a figurative sense to denote anything
especially desirable.
_Note 20. _
_Beneath the quilt of the Fire-Bird, on the bed of the Silver-Crested
Love-Pheasant. _
The Fire-Bird is the _Luan_, and the Love-Pheasant the _Fêng Huang_;
both are fully described in the table of mythical animals in the
Introduction.
_Note 21. _
_As the tears of your so Unworthy One escape and continue constantly
to flow. _
The term "Unworthy One" is constantly used by wives and concubines in
speaking of themselves to their husbands or to the men they love.
_Note 22. _
_As I toss on my pillow, I hear the cold, nostalgic sound of the
water-clock. _
The clepsydra, or water-clock, has been used by the Chinese for many
centuries, one can still be seen in the North Worshipping Tower in
Canton, and another in the "Forbidden" portion of the Peking Palace,
where the dethroned Manchu Emperor lives. The following account of the
one in Canton is taken from the "Chinese Repository," Volume XX, Page
430: "The clepsydra is called the 'copper-jar water-dropper. ' There are
four covered jars standing on a brickwork stairway, the top of each of
which is level with the bottom of the one above it. The largest measures
twenty-three inches high and broad and contains seventy catties or
ninety-seven and a half pints of water; the second is twenty-two inches
high and twenty-one inches broad; the third, twenty-one inches high and
twenty broad; and the lowest, twenty-three inches high and nineteen
inches broad. Each is connected with the other by an open trough along
which the water trickles. The wooden index in the lowest jar is set
every morning and afternoon at five o'clock, by placing the mark on it
for these hours even with the cover through which it rises and indicates
the time. The water is dipped out and poured back into the top jar when
the index shows the completion of the half day, and the water is renewed
every quarter. "
THE PLEASURES WITHIN THE PALACE
_Note 23. _
_From little, little girls, they have lived in the Golden House. _
The "Golden House" is an allusion to a remark made by the Emperor Wu of
Han who, when still a boy, exclaimed that if he could marry his lovely
cousin A-chiao he would build a golden house for her to live in.
Palaces were often given most picturesque names, and different parts of
the precincts were described as being of "jade" or some other precious
material, the use of the word "golden" is, of course, in this case,
purely figurative.
The organization of the Imperial seraglio, which contained many
thousands of women, was most complicated, and the ladies belonged to
different classes or ranks.
There was only one Empress, whose title was _Hou_, and, if the wife of
the preceding monarch were still alive, she was called _T'ai Hou_, or
Greater Empress. These ladies had each their own palace. Next in rank
came the principal Imperial concubines or secondary wives called _Fei_.
As a rule, there were two of them, and they had each their palace and
household. After them came the _P'in_ described as "Imperial concubines
of first rank," or maids of honour, who lived together in a large
palace and who, once they had attained this rank, could never be
dispersed. (See Note 69. ) The ladies of the Court are often spoken of as
_Fei-P'in_. Of lower rank than these were the innumerable Palace women
called _Ch'ieh_, concubines or handmaids. The use of the word is not
confined to the inmates of the Palace, as ordinary people may have
_ch'ieh_. Little girls who were especially pretty, or who showed unusual
promise, were often sent to the Palace when quite young, that they might
become accustomed to the surroundings while still children. (See
Introduction. )
_Note 24. _
_They are lovely, lovely, in the Purple Hall. _
The Ruler of Heaven lives in a circumpolar constellation called the Tzŭ
Wei, Purple Enclosure; therefore the Palace of his Son, the Ruler of
Earth, is called "Purple. "
_Note 25. _
_Their only sorrow, that the songs and wu dances are over. _
The wu dance is a posturing dance for which special, very elaborately
embroidered dresses with long streamers are worn. As the arms move,
these scarves float rhythmically in the air.
_Note 26. _
_Changed into the five-coloured clouds and flown away. _
The allusion to the five-coloured clouds is to the beautifully
variegated clouds, bright with the five colours of happiness, upon which
the Immortals ride.
WRITTEN IN THE CHARACTER OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
_Note 27. _
_Bright, bright, the gilded magpie mirror. _
Magpies are the birds of happiness. There is an old story of the Gold
Magpie which tells that, ages ago, a husband and wife, at parting,
divided a round mirror between them, each keeping a half as a guarantee
of fidelity. Unhappily, the wife forgot her marriage vows, and to her
horror the half circle she had kept turned into a magpie and flew away.
Since then, magpies are often carved on mirror backs as reminders and
warnings.
_Note 28. _
_I sit at my dressing-stand, and I am like the Green Fire-Bird who,
thinking of its mate, died alone. _
The Green Fire-Bird is a fabulous creature who is regarded as the
embodiment of every grace and beauty. It is the essence of the Fire God,
and references to it in stories of love and marriage are frequent. One
of the most popular of these tales is that of a King of India who caught
a beautiful bird with green plumage of an extraordinary brilliance. He
valued it greatly, and had an exquisite gold cage made for it. For three
years it lived in captivity, and not a sound came from it in all that
time. At last, the King, who was much puzzled at its silence, consulted
his wife, saying: "Is the creature dumb? " She replied: "No, but every
creature is the same, when it meets one of its own species it will
speak. " Not knowing how to obtain a mate for the Green Fire-Bird, the
King placed a large mirror in its cage. The _Luan_ danced with joy,
uttered strange cries, and then, with all its strength, hurled itself
against its own reflection and fell dead.
_Note 29. _
_My tears, like white jade chop-sticks, fall in a single piece. _
It was said of the Empress Ch'ên of Wei (403-241 B. C. ) that her tears
fell so fast they formed connected lines like jade chop-sticks.
SONGS TO THE PEONIES
_Note 30. _
The "Songs to the Peonies" were written on a Spring morning when Ming
Huang, accompanied by Yang Kuei-fei, his favourite concubine, and his
Court, had gone to see the blooms for which he had a passion. As he
sat, admiring the flowers and listening to the singing of the Palace
maidens, he suddenly exclaimed: "I am tired of these old songs, call Li
Po. " The poet was found, but unfortunately in a state best described by
the Chinese expression of "great drunk. " Supported by attendants on
either side of him, he appeared at the pavilion, and while Yang Kuei-fei
held his ink-slab, dashed off the "Songs. " She then sang them to the
air, "Peaceful Brightness," while the Emperor beat time.
The "Songs" compare Yang Kuei-fei to the Immortals and to Li Fu-jên, a
famous beauty of whom it was said that "one glance would overthrow a
city, a second would overthrow the State. " But, unluckily, Li T'ai-po
also brought in the name of the "Flying Swallow," a concubine of the Han
Emperor Ch'êng, who caused the downfall of the noble Pan Chieh-yü (see
Note 155) and is looked upon as a despicable character. Kao Li-shih, the
Chief Eunuch of the Court, induced Yang Kuei-fei to take this mention as
an insult, and it finally cost Li T'ai-po his place at Court.
In the third "Song," there is an allusion to the Emperor under the
figure of the sun. When his presence is removed, the unhappy, jealous
flowers feel as if they were growing on the North side of the pavilion.
Yang Kuei-fei, the most famous Imperial concubine in Chinese history,
was a young girl of the Yang (White Poplar) family, named Yü Huan, or
Jade Armlet; she is generally referred to as Yang Kuei-fei or simply
Kuei-fei--Exalted Imperial Concubine.
The Chief Eunuch brought her before the T'ang Emperor, Ming Huang, at a
time when the old man was inconsolable from the double deaths of his
beloved Empress and his favourite mistress.
The story goes that the Emperor first saw Yang Yü Huan, then fifteen
years old, as she was bathing in the pool made of stone, white as jade,
in the pleasure palace he had built on the slopes of the Li Mountains.
As the young girl left the water, she wrapped herself in a cloak of
open-work gauze through which her skin shone with a wonderful light. The
Emperor immediately fell desperately in love with her, and she soon
became chief of the Palace ladies wearing "half the garments of an
Empress. "
Yang Kuei-fei rose to such heights of power that her word was law; she
had her own palace, her own dancing-girls, and was even allowed by the
doting monarch to adopt the great An Lu-shan, for whom she had a
passion, as her son. Her follies and extravagancies were innumerable,
and her ill-fame spread about the country to such an extent that, when
the rebellion broke out (see Note 37), the soldiers refused to fight
until she had been given over to them for execution.
After her death, Ming Huang spent three inconsolable years as an exile
in Szechwan, and his first act upon his return to the Empire, which he
had ceded to his son, was to open her grave. It was empty. Even the gold
hair-ornaments, and the half of a round gold box shared with the Emperor
as an emblem of conjugal unity, had gone; the only trace of the dead
beauty was the scent-bag in which she had kept these treasures. "Ah,"
cried the unhappy monarch, "may I not see even the bones of my beloved? "
In despair, he sent for a Taoist magician and begged him to search the
Worlds for Yang Kuei-fei. The Taoist burnt charms to enlist the help of
the beneficent spirits, but these were unsuccessful in their search. He
finally sat in contemplation until the "vital essence" issued from his
body and descended to the World of Shades. Here the names of all the
spirits who have passed from the World of Light are entered in
classified books, but that of Yang Kuei-fei was not among them. The
demon in charge insisted that if the name were not entered, the spirit
had not arrived, and the Taoist left, sad and crest-fallen.
He then reflected that if she really were not at the Yellow Springs
below, she must be among the Immortals above. He therefore ascended to
Paradise, and asked the first person he met, who happened to be the
Weaving Maiden who lives in the sky, for news of the lost lady. The
Weaving Maiden was most uncommunicative, and found much difficulty in
believing that Ming Huang, who had consented to the execution of Yang
Kuei-fei, really mourned her death, but finally admitted that she was
living among the Immortals on the island of P'êng Lai in the Jade-grey
Sea, and even assisted the Taoist to find her. She then told Yang
Kuei-fei that, if she still loved the Emperor, the Moon Mother might be
induced to allow a meeting at the full moon on the fifteenth day of the
Eighth Month. Yang Kuei-fei eagerly assented, and giving the Taoist a
gold hairpin and her half of the round box as a proof of her existence,
begged that he hasten back to the World of Light and make all
arrangements with her lover.
Accordingly, at the appointed time, the Taoist threw his fly-whip into
the air, creating a bridge of light between this world and the moon, and
over this Ming Huang passed. Yang Kuei-fei was waiting for him. She
stood under the great cassia-tree which grows in the moon, and was
surrounded by fairies.
The story, which is often sung to the air "Rainbow Skirts and Feather
Collar," goes on to relate that the Weaving Maiden was moved to deep
pity by their joy at meeting and arranged with the Jade Emperor, Chief
Ruler of the Heavens, that the pair, immortalized by their great love,
should live forever in the Tao Li Heaven.
THE PALACE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON ROBES
_Note 31. _
_I ponder his regard, not mine the love
Enjoyed by those within the Purple Palace. _
The Palace woman of Ch'in was evidently one of the lower ranks of
concubines who lived in the Women's Apartments and only appeared when
sent for, not in one of the palaces given to ladies of higher rank.
_Note 32. _
_If floods should come, I also would not leave.
A bear might come and still I could protect. _
Now that she is no longer needed, she reflects sadly on the stories of
two heroines whose behaviour she would gladly have emulated. These are
Fên Chieh-yü, a favourite of the Han Emperor, Yüan, who once protected
her master with her own body from the attack of a bear which had broken
out of its cage; and Liu Fu-jên, concubine of King Chao of Ch'u. It is
told of Liu Fu-jên that one day she went with the King to the "Terrace
by the Stream," where he told her to wait for him until he returned from
the capital. While she waited, the river rose, but she refused to leave
unless by Imperial command. By the time this arrived she was drowned.
_Note 33. _
_Of serving Sun and Moon. _
The "Sun and Moon" are the Emperor and Empress.
THE NANKING WINE-SHOP
_Note 34. _
_In the wine-shops of Wu, women are pressing the wine. _
Wine made from grain is fermented for several weeks in tubs and then
strained or "pressed" through cloths. It is not red, like wine from
grapes, but either a shade of yellow or pure white. Wines made from
grapes, plums, apples, pears, lichis, and roses, are sometimes used, but
are not nearly so strong as the decoctions from grains.
FÊNG HUANG T'AI
_Note 35. _
_The silver-crested love-pheasants strutted upon the Pheasant
Terrace. _
About A. D. 493, three strange and beautiful birds were noticed inside
the city walls of Nanking, then called the "City of the Golden Mound. "
At first, the people did not suspect the identity of the birds, but when
they saw that all the other birds assembled and appeared to be paying
homage to the strangers, they realized that the visitors were the famous
_Fêng Huang_. (See table of mythical birds in Introduction. ) The terrace
was built to commemorate the occasion.
_Note 36. _
_Here also, drifting clouds may blind the Sun. _
The drifting clouds are supposed to be the evil courtiers who have
poisoned the mind of the Emperor, i. e. the Sun, against Li T'ai-po.
THE NORTHERN FLIGHT
_Note 37. _
The An Lu-shan rebellion, which broke out during the reign of the T'ang
Emperor, Ming Huang, was very nearly successful, and, if the leader had
not been assassinated in A. D. 757 by his son, might have caused the
overthrow of the dynasty. As it was, the Emperor, having fled to
Szechwan--a step strongly deprecated by Li Tai-po in the poem, "The
Perils of the Shu Road" (see Note 11)--abdicated in favour of _his_ son,
Su Tsung, who crushed the rebellion. The poem refers to the time when it
was at its height, and the Emperor's forces were flying to the North.
_Note 38. _
_The rushing whale squeezes the Yellow River;
The man-eating beasts with long tusks assemble at Lo Yang. _
During the rebellion, both sides of the Yellow River were lined with
rebels, the population was obliged to fly, and the country was
devastated as if a whale had rushed up the river and caused it to
overflow its banks.
The "beasts" are fabulous creatures called _tso chih_, with tusks three
feet long, who delight in eating the flesh of men. Li T'ai-po uses them
metaphorically for the rebels who are threatening the capital.
_Note 39. _
_When, before our glad faces, shall we see the Glory of Heaven? _
The Emperor, under the usual figure of the Sun.
THE CROSSWISE RIVER
_Note 40. _
_I say the Crosswise River is terrible.
The savage wind blows as if it would overturn the Heaven's Gate
Mountains. _
The "Crosswise River" is that section of the Yangtze which flows past
steep cliffs in Anhwei. The "Heaven's Gate Mountains" tower above,
making a sharp defile.
_Note 41. _
_From the beginning of things, the Ox Ledge has been more dangerous
than the Standing Horse Hill. _
A very swift current runs past the Ox Lodge, and boats are obliged to
wait for daylight before attempting to breast it. The Standing Horse
Hill, so called from its resemblance to a standing horse, is above a
reach of the Yangtze where the river is comparatively tranquil.
_Note 42. _
_Is the Eighth Month tide-bore of Chêkiang equal to this? _
The T'ien River in Chêkiang is famous for its bore, or tidal wave.
During the Autumnal equinox, this bore sometimes attains a height of
twenty feet and more.
CH'ANG KAN
_Note 43. _
_I could not yet lay aside my face of shame;
I hung my head, facing the dark wall. _
In China, little girls are supposed to hide their faces at the
suggestion of marriage.
_Note 44. _
_I often thought that you were the faithful man who clung to the
bridge-post. _
A certain Wei Shêng had a great reputation for sincerity and
reliability, which was put to proof on an occasion when he had an
appointment with a lady to meet on a bridge. The lady did not come. But,
in spite of the fact that the waters rose to a flood, Wei Shêng would
not leave. Finally, as he stood there clinging to the bridge-post to
keep himself firm, the waves engulfed him and he was never seen again.
_Note 45. _
_That I should never be obliged to ascend the Looking-for-Husband
Ledge. _
A hill on the banks of the Yangtze, so called because of a legend that,
many centuries ago, a wife, whose husband had been away for several
years, went daily to watch for his returning sail. In the end, she was
turned to stone on the spot where she had kept her vigil.
_Note 46. _
_To the Ch'ü Tang Chasm and the Whirling Water Rock of the Yü River
Which, during the Fifth Month, must not be collided with;
Where the wailing of the gibbons seems to come from the sky. _
The Ch'ü T'ang is the first of the three noted chasms in the upper
reaches of the Yangtze. At the point where the River Yü empties into the
Yangtze, there is a great rock which, when uncovered, is more than two
hundred feet high. In the Fifth Month (June) the water from the melting
snows of the Tibetan mountains causes the river to rise to such an
extent that the rock is covered, which makes it especially dangerous to
navigation. The height of the cliffs on either side of the gorge is so
tremendous that the wailing of the gibbons (see Note 15) in the woods
above sounds as though it came from the sky.
_Note 47. _
_I will not go far on the road to meet you,
I will go straight until I reach the Long Wind Sands. _
The Long Wind Sands are many a day's journey from the village of Ch'ang
Kan, which stands just outside the South Gate of Nanking. What the lady
implies is that she will go to "the ends of the earth" to meet her
returning husband.
SORROW DURING A CLEAR AUTUMN
_Note 48. _
_I climb the hills of Chiu I. _
The Chiu I, or "Nine Peaks," lie to the South of the Tung T'ing Lake
(see map) into which the three divisions of the Hsiang River debouch
after having united.
_Note 49. _
_I go by the "Bird's Path. "_
A term very often used for steep mountain paths.
_Note 50. _
_I think much of fishing for a leviathan from the Island of the Cold
Sea. _
The legend referred to at the end of the poem is as follows: A group of
five islands in the Pi Hai, the Jade-grey Sea, were inhabited by the
Immortals, who found themselves very uncomfortable as these islands,
instead of standing firmly, rose and fell in the most disconcerting
manner. The Immortals therefore applied to the Jade Emperor for
assistance, and he commanded fifteen leviathans, three to each island,
to raise their heads and support the islands, thus keeping them from
rocking. All was well until a man from the Elder Dragon Country appeared
and with one cast of his line caught six of the monsters, the result
being that two of the islands toppled over and sank in the sea. The
three which remain are known as the "Three Hills of the Immortals. " This
tale has become proverbial, and people who are disappointed in their
ambition say "I have no rod with which to catch a leviathan. "
POIGNANT GRIEF DURING A SUNNY SPRING
_Note 51.
_
_I feel as one feels listening to the sound of the waters of the
Dragon Mound in Ch'in. _
(See Note 9. )
_Note 52. _
_The gibbons wailing by the Serpent River. _
(See Note 15. )
_Note 53. _
_I feel as the "Shining One" felt when she passed the Jade Frontier,
As the exile of Ch'u in the Maple Forest. _
Two allusions which suggest homesickness. The "Shining One" is Chao
Chün. (See Note 79. ) The exile of Ch'u is Ch'ü Yüan, the famous
statesman. (See Note 62. )
TWO POEMS WRITTEN TO TS'UI (THE OFFICIAL)
_Note 54. _
In both these poems, Ts'ui is compared to T'ao Yüan-ming, author of
"Once More Fields and Gardens," published in this volume. T'ao is the
ideal of the educated scholar, who prefers a life in the fields to any
official post. Many stories are told of him. He planted five willows in
front of his house, and is therefore often spoken of as the "Teacher of
the Five Willows. " He was so fond of music that he declared he could
imagine the sweet sounds of the _ch'in_, and often carried about a
stringless instrument over which he moved his hands. The _ch'in_, or
table-lute, is fully described in Note 114.
WIND-BOUND AT THE NEW FOREST REACH
_Note 55. _
_To-day, at dawn, see the willows beyond the White Gate. _
The White Gate is the Western Gate. The points of the compass are
governed by colours, elements, mythological beasts, and seasons, thus:
East: Green. Wood. The Blue-green Dragon. Spring.
South: Red. Fire. The Vermilion Bird. Summer. West: White. Metal. The
White Tiger. Autumn. North: Black. Water. The Black Warrior. Winter.
Centre: Yellow. Earth.
DRINKING ALONE IN THE MOONLIGHT
_Note 56. _
_But we will keep our appointment by the far-off Cloudy River. _
The Cloudy River is the Chinese name for the Milky Way.
_Note 57. _
_There would be no Wine Star in Heaven. _
The Wine Star is a constellation composed of three stars, to the North
of the Dipper.
_Note 58. _
_There should be no Wine Springs on Earth. _
The Wine Springs lie, one in Kansu, and one in Shansi. (See map. ) The
water of the one in Kansu is supposed to taste like wine, that of the
one in Shansi is used in the making of wine.
RIVER CHANT
_Note 59. _
_Jade flageolets and pipes of gold. _
The Chinese flageolet is a tube measuring a little more than a foot in
length. It has five holes above, one below, and one at the end through
which it is played. They are now made of bamboo, but formerly were made
of copper, jadestone, or marble, as such materials were considered less
liable to be affected by the weather.
_Note 60. _
_The Immortal waited,
Then mounted and rode the yellow crane. _
Tou Tzŭ-an, who had attained Immortality by living a life of
contemplation, was transported to the Taoist Paradise by a crane so old
that it had turned yellow.
_Note 61. _
_Rather would he be followed by the white gulls. _
This line refers to a story from a book treating of Taoist subjects long
supposed to have been written by a philosopher called Lieh Tzŭ, but this
is now known to have been a Second Century forgery. A translation of the
story reads: "The man who lived by the sea loved the sea-gulls. Every
day, as the sun rose above the horizon, the birds from the sea assembled
in hundreds and flew about. His father said: 'I hear the sea-gulls
follow you and fly round you. Catch some in your hands and bring them to
me that I too may enjoy them. ' The next day the birds from the sea all
performed the posturing dance in the air, but did not descend. "
_Note 62. _
_The_ tzŭ _and_ fu _of Ch'ü P'ing hang suspended like the sun and
moon. _
The _tzŭ_ and _fu_ are two irregular forms of verse, they are referred
to in the Introduction in the part dealing with versification. Ch'ü
P'ing is another name for Ch'ü Yüan, a famous poet and statesman who
lived 332-295 B. C. (See Introduction. )
_Note 63. _
_I could move the Five Peaks. _
The sacred mountains of the "four quarters" and the nadir (or the four
points of the compass and the centre of the earth). They are the T'ai
Shan in the East, the Hua Shan in the West, the Hêng Shan in the North,
the Hêng Shan in the South, and the Sung Shan in the centre.
SEPARATED BY IMPERIAL SUMMONS
_Note 64. _
_The Emperor commands; three times the summons. He who left has not
yet returned. _
The official has not responded quickly to the summons from the capital,
so the messenger has been obliged to come three times. Upon the third
occasion, the official realizes that the matter is urgent and prepares
to depart the next day at sunrise, before the messenger can have
reached the Palace on his return journey.
_Note 65. _
_Our thoughts will be with each other. I must ascend the
Looking-for-Husband Hill. _
(See Note 45. )
_Note 66. _
_You must not imitate Su Ch'in's wife and not leave your loom. _
Su Ch'in, who lived in the Fourth Century B. C. , was away from home many
years; when he returned, his wife took no notice whatever, and did not
even leave the loom at which she sat weaving cloth.
A WOMAN SINGS TO THE AIR: "SITTING AT NIGHT"
_Note 67. _
_I sit, sit in the North Hall. _
The "North Hall" is a term for the Women's Apartments, which always lie
farthest from the Great Gate placed in the South wall of the house. (See
Plan of House. )
_Note 68. _
_Then, though my Lord sang ten thousand verses which should cause
even the dust on the beams to fly, to me it would be nothing. _
It is said that when Yü Kung, a man of the State of Lu who lived during
the Han Dynasty, sang, the sounds were so exquisite that even the dust
on the beams flew. "To cause the dust on the beams to fly" has therefore
become a current saying.
THE PALACE WOMAN AND THE SOLDIERS' COOK
_Note 69. _
_Once the Unworthy One was a maiden of the Ts'ung Terrace. _
The Ts'ung Terrace referred to by the sad lady who, in the dispersal of
the Palace women (see Introduction), had fallen to such a low degree,
stood in the Palace of King Chao, who lived at the time of the "Spring
and Autumn Annals," many centuries before our era.
A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ENCOUNTERED ON A FIELD-PATH
_Note 70. _
_Down comes the riding-whip, straight down--it strikes the Five
Cloud Cart. _
The Immortals used Five Coloured Clouds to ride upon, therefore the
term, "Five Cloud Cart," has become a complimentary expression for a
cart or carriage in which a beautiful young woman is travelling.
HEARING A BAMBOO FLUTE IN THE CITY OF LO YANG
_Note 71. _
_I hear "The Snapped Willow. "_
An allusion to the old song suggesting homesickness. (See Note 2. )
THE RETREAT OF HSIEH KUNG
_Note 72. _ Hsieh Kung is the honorary title of the poet, Hsieh T'iao,
who lived in the Fifth Century A. D. Li T'ai-po, who greatly admired him,
constantly quoted his poems, and expressed a wish to be buried on the
Spring-green Mountain where Hsieh Kung had lived. Some accounts say that
he was first buried elsewhere, but that afterwards his body was removed
and put where he desired.
A TRAVELLER COMES TO THE OLD TERRACE OF SU
_Note 73. _
_The old Imperial Park--the ruined Terrace--the young willows. _
Early in the Fifth Century B. C. , Fu Ch'ai, King of Wu, built the Ku Su
Terrace to please Hsi Shin, one of the most famous beauties in history.
It was nearly two miles long, and took three years to build. Its
foundations can still be traced on the hills near Soochow, which was the
capital of Wu.
THE REST-HOUSE ON THE CLEAR WAN RIVER
_Note 74. _
_I love the beauty of the Wan River. _
A little river near Ning Kuo-fu in Anhwei. (See map. )
_Note 75. _
_Really, one cannot help laughing to think that, until now, the
rapid current celebrated by Yen
Has usurped all the fame. _
The philosopher Yen Kuang (_circa_ A. D. 25) is better known as Yen
Tzŭ-ling. The river in which he loved to fish was the Hsin An.
ANSWER TO AN AFFECTIONATE INVITATION FROM TS'UI FIFTEEN
_Note 76. _
A party of friends who are in the habit of meeting each other constantly
are called by numbers according to age. The same custom is used to
distinguish members of a family. (See Introduction. )
_Note 77. _
_You have the "bird's foot-print" characters. _
Writing is supposed by the Chinese to have been invented by Ts'ang
Chieh, a minister of the Yellow Emperor (2698-2598 B. C. ) who, having
"observed the shapes of things in the heavens and the forms of things on
earth, also the foot-prints of birds and beasts on the sand and mud,"
suddenly conceived the idea of pictographic writing. It is highly
complimentary to speak of a person's writing as being like the "bird's
foot-prints. "
_Note 78. _
_You suggest that we drink together at the Lute Stream. _
The Ch'in Ch'i T'ai (Table-lute Stream Terrace) was a stone terrace
where a famous player of the table-lute, who is said to have attained
Immortality, lived. The legend is that he took a small dragon in the
form of a carp from the Ch'in stream and kept it for a month, when it
changed its shape into that of a dragon and ascended to Heaven.
THE HONOURABLE LADY CHAO
_Note 79. _
_Moon over the houses of Han, over the site of Ch'in. _
Ch'in was the name of the State which overcame all the others and welded
China into a homogeneous Empire instead of a loose federation. (See
Introduction. ) The lady Chao lived during the Han Dynasty.
Wang Ch'iang, known to posterity as Chao Chün, the
"Brilliant-and-Perfect," lived in the First Century B. C. The daughter of
educated parents, she was brought up in the strictest Confucian
principles; in the words of the Chinese, she "did not speak loudly nor
did she look beyond the doors, indeed, even within the house, she only
walked the path which led to her mother's room. Her ears were closed to
all distracting sounds, therefore her heart and mind were pure like
those of the Immortals. " Her father regarded her as a precious jewel,
and although many suitors presented themselves, he refused to listen to
their proposals, and finally, when she was seventeen, sent her to the
capital as an offering to the Han Emperor Yüan.
Upon arriving at the Palace, the young girl was housed in the inner
rooms, among the innumerable Palace women who lived there in constant
hope of a summons to the Imperial presence. As the Son of Heaven never
went into this part of his Palace, it was customary to catalogue the
inmates and submit their portraits to him, a form of procedure which led
to much bribery of the Court painters. The rigid principles of the
daughter of the Wang clan forbade her to comply with this Palace custom,
and the portrait which appeared in the catalogue was such a travesty of
her exquisite features that it roused no desire in the Imperial breast.
Five or six dreary years passed, and the young girl remained secluded in
the Women's Apartments. Shortly before this time, one of the Hsiung Nu
tribes (see Note 3) had surrendered to the Chinese soldiers, and as a
proof of good faith on both sides had received permission to serve as a
frontier guard. Soon after, the head of the tribe sent to ask that one
of Yüan Ti's ladies be sent him as Queen. The catalogue was consulted,
and the decision fell upon the daughter of Wang as being the one among
the Palace women who had the fewest charms. She was therefore told to
prepare herself for a journey to the desert wastes where she would reign
over a savage Central Asian tribe, a prospect terrifying to one brought
up in strict seclusion among people of refinement.
Custom demanded that, on the point of departure, she should appear
before the Son of Heaven in order to thank her Imperial Master for his
kind thoughtfulness in thus providing for her future, and then be
formally handed over to the envoys. The audience was held in one of the
secondary halls, the Court was assembled, the envoys stood ready, and
the lady entered. At the sight of her unusual beauty, every one was
thunderstruck, even the Emperor could hardly refrain from springing off
the Dragon Throne and speaking to her. But it was too late; there was
nothing to be done. The most beautiful of all the Palace women was
pledged to the Hsiung Nu Khan, the escort which was to convey her over
the Jade Pass waited, and soon the broken-hearted girl set off.
Fury and consternation spread through the Palace; a camel laden with
gold was sent in pursuit; the guilty painter, Mao Yen-shou, was executed
and his immense fortune sent as a consolation to the Wang family; but
all this could not save the young girl from her fate. The Hsiung Nu
ambassador refused to ransom her, and she passed out through the Jade
Barrier to the "Yellow Sand Fields" beyond.
The banished daughter of Han was true to the principles in which she
had been schooled. Instead of committing suicide, as she longed to do,
she submitted to the will of the Five Great Ones--Heaven, Earth, The
Emperor, her Father, and her Mother--and performed her duties as a wife
to the best of her ability in spite of the homesickness from which she
suffered perpetually.
Upon the death of the Khan, she felt that her hour of deliverance had at
last come and that she was at liberty to poison herself. This she did,
and was buried in the desert, but the mound over her grave remained
always green.
Because of her pseudonym, "Brilliant-and-Perfect," she is often referred
to as "Ming Fei," the "Bright Concubine. " Allusions to her story always
suggest homesickness.
THINKING OF THE FRONTIER
_Note 80. _
_I desire to send the "harmonious writings. "_
Letters from wives to husbands are often spoken of as though they
carried sweet sounds.
_Note 81. _
_He who wears the dragon robes delighted in the sweetly-scented wind
of her garments. _
Appointments for the Emperor's use were all spoken of as "dragon"
appointments, and the analysis of the character which means the
Emperor's love, is a dragon under a roof. Ladies' clothes were, and are
to-day, kept in cupboards in which scented woods were burned, therefore
as the long sleeves of their dresses swayed back and forth a sweet
perfume came from them.
_Note 82. _
_How was it possible for the "Flying Swallow" to snatch the Emperor's
love? _
The "Flying Swallow" was a famous concubine. (See Note 30. )
RECITING VERSES BY MOONLIGHT
_Note 83. _
_I suggest that men meditate at length on Hsieh Hsüan Hui. _
A reference, under a pseudonym, to the poet Hsieh T'iao, whose work Li
T'ai-po so much admired. (See Note 72. ) "Hsüan" is applied to the names
of gods to indicate that they deserve praise and worship, and "Hui"
means bright, splendid, or a ray of the sun.
PASSING THE NIGHT AT THE WHITE HERON ISLAND
_Note 84. _
_At dawn, I left the Red Bird Gate. _
An allusion to the bird which rules the South. (See Note 55. )
_Note 85. _
_At sunset, I came to roost on the White Heron Island. _
According to the Chinese commentary, this island lies "in the heart's
centre of the river, three _li_ West of the district of the Golden Mound
(Nanking), and many herons collect there. "
_Note 86. _
_And the longing in my heart is like that for the Green Jasper Tree.
Chinese as "mutton fat"; jades with brown and red veins; yellow jades
tinged with green; grey jades with white or brown lines running through
them; and, most usual of all, green jades, of which there are an
infinite number of shades.
These green jades vary from the dark, opaque moss-green, very much like
the New Zealand "green-stone," to the jewel jade called by the Chinese
_fei ts'ui_, or "kingfisher feather," which, in perfect examples, is the
brilliant green of an emerald. As a result of this range of colouring,
the Chinese use the term "jade" to describe the tints seen in Nature.
The colours of the sky, the hills, the sea, can all be found in the
jades, which are considered by the Chinese as the most desirable of
precious stones. In addition to its employment in actual comparison, the
word "jade" is very often used in a figurative sense to denote anything
especially desirable.
_Note 20. _
_Beneath the quilt of the Fire-Bird, on the bed of the Silver-Crested
Love-Pheasant. _
The Fire-Bird is the _Luan_, and the Love-Pheasant the _Fêng Huang_;
both are fully described in the table of mythical animals in the
Introduction.
_Note 21. _
_As the tears of your so Unworthy One escape and continue constantly
to flow. _
The term "Unworthy One" is constantly used by wives and concubines in
speaking of themselves to their husbands or to the men they love.
_Note 22. _
_As I toss on my pillow, I hear the cold, nostalgic sound of the
water-clock. _
The clepsydra, or water-clock, has been used by the Chinese for many
centuries, one can still be seen in the North Worshipping Tower in
Canton, and another in the "Forbidden" portion of the Peking Palace,
where the dethroned Manchu Emperor lives. The following account of the
one in Canton is taken from the "Chinese Repository," Volume XX, Page
430: "The clepsydra is called the 'copper-jar water-dropper. ' There are
four covered jars standing on a brickwork stairway, the top of each of
which is level with the bottom of the one above it. The largest measures
twenty-three inches high and broad and contains seventy catties or
ninety-seven and a half pints of water; the second is twenty-two inches
high and twenty-one inches broad; the third, twenty-one inches high and
twenty broad; and the lowest, twenty-three inches high and nineteen
inches broad. Each is connected with the other by an open trough along
which the water trickles. The wooden index in the lowest jar is set
every morning and afternoon at five o'clock, by placing the mark on it
for these hours even with the cover through which it rises and indicates
the time. The water is dipped out and poured back into the top jar when
the index shows the completion of the half day, and the water is renewed
every quarter. "
THE PLEASURES WITHIN THE PALACE
_Note 23. _
_From little, little girls, they have lived in the Golden House. _
The "Golden House" is an allusion to a remark made by the Emperor Wu of
Han who, when still a boy, exclaimed that if he could marry his lovely
cousin A-chiao he would build a golden house for her to live in.
Palaces were often given most picturesque names, and different parts of
the precincts were described as being of "jade" or some other precious
material, the use of the word "golden" is, of course, in this case,
purely figurative.
The organization of the Imperial seraglio, which contained many
thousands of women, was most complicated, and the ladies belonged to
different classes or ranks.
There was only one Empress, whose title was _Hou_, and, if the wife of
the preceding monarch were still alive, she was called _T'ai Hou_, or
Greater Empress. These ladies had each their own palace. Next in rank
came the principal Imperial concubines or secondary wives called _Fei_.
As a rule, there were two of them, and they had each their palace and
household. After them came the _P'in_ described as "Imperial concubines
of first rank," or maids of honour, who lived together in a large
palace and who, once they had attained this rank, could never be
dispersed. (See Note 69. ) The ladies of the Court are often spoken of as
_Fei-P'in_. Of lower rank than these were the innumerable Palace women
called _Ch'ieh_, concubines or handmaids. The use of the word is not
confined to the inmates of the Palace, as ordinary people may have
_ch'ieh_. Little girls who were especially pretty, or who showed unusual
promise, were often sent to the Palace when quite young, that they might
become accustomed to the surroundings while still children. (See
Introduction. )
_Note 24. _
_They are lovely, lovely, in the Purple Hall. _
The Ruler of Heaven lives in a circumpolar constellation called the Tzŭ
Wei, Purple Enclosure; therefore the Palace of his Son, the Ruler of
Earth, is called "Purple. "
_Note 25. _
_Their only sorrow, that the songs and wu dances are over. _
The wu dance is a posturing dance for which special, very elaborately
embroidered dresses with long streamers are worn. As the arms move,
these scarves float rhythmically in the air.
_Note 26. _
_Changed into the five-coloured clouds and flown away. _
The allusion to the five-coloured clouds is to the beautifully
variegated clouds, bright with the five colours of happiness, upon which
the Immortals ride.
WRITTEN IN THE CHARACTER OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
_Note 27. _
_Bright, bright, the gilded magpie mirror. _
Magpies are the birds of happiness. There is an old story of the Gold
Magpie which tells that, ages ago, a husband and wife, at parting,
divided a round mirror between them, each keeping a half as a guarantee
of fidelity. Unhappily, the wife forgot her marriage vows, and to her
horror the half circle she had kept turned into a magpie and flew away.
Since then, magpies are often carved on mirror backs as reminders and
warnings.
_Note 28. _
_I sit at my dressing-stand, and I am like the Green Fire-Bird who,
thinking of its mate, died alone. _
The Green Fire-Bird is a fabulous creature who is regarded as the
embodiment of every grace and beauty. It is the essence of the Fire God,
and references to it in stories of love and marriage are frequent. One
of the most popular of these tales is that of a King of India who caught
a beautiful bird with green plumage of an extraordinary brilliance. He
valued it greatly, and had an exquisite gold cage made for it. For three
years it lived in captivity, and not a sound came from it in all that
time. At last, the King, who was much puzzled at its silence, consulted
his wife, saying: "Is the creature dumb? " She replied: "No, but every
creature is the same, when it meets one of its own species it will
speak. " Not knowing how to obtain a mate for the Green Fire-Bird, the
King placed a large mirror in its cage. The _Luan_ danced with joy,
uttered strange cries, and then, with all its strength, hurled itself
against its own reflection and fell dead.
_Note 29. _
_My tears, like white jade chop-sticks, fall in a single piece. _
It was said of the Empress Ch'ên of Wei (403-241 B. C. ) that her tears
fell so fast they formed connected lines like jade chop-sticks.
SONGS TO THE PEONIES
_Note 30. _
The "Songs to the Peonies" were written on a Spring morning when Ming
Huang, accompanied by Yang Kuei-fei, his favourite concubine, and his
Court, had gone to see the blooms for which he had a passion. As he
sat, admiring the flowers and listening to the singing of the Palace
maidens, he suddenly exclaimed: "I am tired of these old songs, call Li
Po. " The poet was found, but unfortunately in a state best described by
the Chinese expression of "great drunk. " Supported by attendants on
either side of him, he appeared at the pavilion, and while Yang Kuei-fei
held his ink-slab, dashed off the "Songs. " She then sang them to the
air, "Peaceful Brightness," while the Emperor beat time.
The "Songs" compare Yang Kuei-fei to the Immortals and to Li Fu-jên, a
famous beauty of whom it was said that "one glance would overthrow a
city, a second would overthrow the State. " But, unluckily, Li T'ai-po
also brought in the name of the "Flying Swallow," a concubine of the Han
Emperor Ch'êng, who caused the downfall of the noble Pan Chieh-yü (see
Note 155) and is looked upon as a despicable character. Kao Li-shih, the
Chief Eunuch of the Court, induced Yang Kuei-fei to take this mention as
an insult, and it finally cost Li T'ai-po his place at Court.
In the third "Song," there is an allusion to the Emperor under the
figure of the sun. When his presence is removed, the unhappy, jealous
flowers feel as if they were growing on the North side of the pavilion.
Yang Kuei-fei, the most famous Imperial concubine in Chinese history,
was a young girl of the Yang (White Poplar) family, named Yü Huan, or
Jade Armlet; she is generally referred to as Yang Kuei-fei or simply
Kuei-fei--Exalted Imperial Concubine.
The Chief Eunuch brought her before the T'ang Emperor, Ming Huang, at a
time when the old man was inconsolable from the double deaths of his
beloved Empress and his favourite mistress.
The story goes that the Emperor first saw Yang Yü Huan, then fifteen
years old, as she was bathing in the pool made of stone, white as jade,
in the pleasure palace he had built on the slopes of the Li Mountains.
As the young girl left the water, she wrapped herself in a cloak of
open-work gauze through which her skin shone with a wonderful light. The
Emperor immediately fell desperately in love with her, and she soon
became chief of the Palace ladies wearing "half the garments of an
Empress. "
Yang Kuei-fei rose to such heights of power that her word was law; she
had her own palace, her own dancing-girls, and was even allowed by the
doting monarch to adopt the great An Lu-shan, for whom she had a
passion, as her son. Her follies and extravagancies were innumerable,
and her ill-fame spread about the country to such an extent that, when
the rebellion broke out (see Note 37), the soldiers refused to fight
until she had been given over to them for execution.
After her death, Ming Huang spent three inconsolable years as an exile
in Szechwan, and his first act upon his return to the Empire, which he
had ceded to his son, was to open her grave. It was empty. Even the gold
hair-ornaments, and the half of a round gold box shared with the Emperor
as an emblem of conjugal unity, had gone; the only trace of the dead
beauty was the scent-bag in which she had kept these treasures. "Ah,"
cried the unhappy monarch, "may I not see even the bones of my beloved? "
In despair, he sent for a Taoist magician and begged him to search the
Worlds for Yang Kuei-fei. The Taoist burnt charms to enlist the help of
the beneficent spirits, but these were unsuccessful in their search. He
finally sat in contemplation until the "vital essence" issued from his
body and descended to the World of Shades. Here the names of all the
spirits who have passed from the World of Light are entered in
classified books, but that of Yang Kuei-fei was not among them. The
demon in charge insisted that if the name were not entered, the spirit
had not arrived, and the Taoist left, sad and crest-fallen.
He then reflected that if she really were not at the Yellow Springs
below, she must be among the Immortals above. He therefore ascended to
Paradise, and asked the first person he met, who happened to be the
Weaving Maiden who lives in the sky, for news of the lost lady. The
Weaving Maiden was most uncommunicative, and found much difficulty in
believing that Ming Huang, who had consented to the execution of Yang
Kuei-fei, really mourned her death, but finally admitted that she was
living among the Immortals on the island of P'êng Lai in the Jade-grey
Sea, and even assisted the Taoist to find her. She then told Yang
Kuei-fei that, if she still loved the Emperor, the Moon Mother might be
induced to allow a meeting at the full moon on the fifteenth day of the
Eighth Month. Yang Kuei-fei eagerly assented, and giving the Taoist a
gold hairpin and her half of the round box as a proof of her existence,
begged that he hasten back to the World of Light and make all
arrangements with her lover.
Accordingly, at the appointed time, the Taoist threw his fly-whip into
the air, creating a bridge of light between this world and the moon, and
over this Ming Huang passed. Yang Kuei-fei was waiting for him. She
stood under the great cassia-tree which grows in the moon, and was
surrounded by fairies.
The story, which is often sung to the air "Rainbow Skirts and Feather
Collar," goes on to relate that the Weaving Maiden was moved to deep
pity by their joy at meeting and arranged with the Jade Emperor, Chief
Ruler of the Heavens, that the pair, immortalized by their great love,
should live forever in the Tao Li Heaven.
THE PALACE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON ROBES
_Note 31. _
_I ponder his regard, not mine the love
Enjoyed by those within the Purple Palace. _
The Palace woman of Ch'in was evidently one of the lower ranks of
concubines who lived in the Women's Apartments and only appeared when
sent for, not in one of the palaces given to ladies of higher rank.
_Note 32. _
_If floods should come, I also would not leave.
A bear might come and still I could protect. _
Now that she is no longer needed, she reflects sadly on the stories of
two heroines whose behaviour she would gladly have emulated. These are
Fên Chieh-yü, a favourite of the Han Emperor, Yüan, who once protected
her master with her own body from the attack of a bear which had broken
out of its cage; and Liu Fu-jên, concubine of King Chao of Ch'u. It is
told of Liu Fu-jên that one day she went with the King to the "Terrace
by the Stream," where he told her to wait for him until he returned from
the capital. While she waited, the river rose, but she refused to leave
unless by Imperial command. By the time this arrived she was drowned.
_Note 33. _
_Of serving Sun and Moon. _
The "Sun and Moon" are the Emperor and Empress.
THE NANKING WINE-SHOP
_Note 34. _
_In the wine-shops of Wu, women are pressing the wine. _
Wine made from grain is fermented for several weeks in tubs and then
strained or "pressed" through cloths. It is not red, like wine from
grapes, but either a shade of yellow or pure white. Wines made from
grapes, plums, apples, pears, lichis, and roses, are sometimes used, but
are not nearly so strong as the decoctions from grains.
FÊNG HUANG T'AI
_Note 35. _
_The silver-crested love-pheasants strutted upon the Pheasant
Terrace. _
About A. D. 493, three strange and beautiful birds were noticed inside
the city walls of Nanking, then called the "City of the Golden Mound. "
At first, the people did not suspect the identity of the birds, but when
they saw that all the other birds assembled and appeared to be paying
homage to the strangers, they realized that the visitors were the famous
_Fêng Huang_. (See table of mythical birds in Introduction. ) The terrace
was built to commemorate the occasion.
_Note 36. _
_Here also, drifting clouds may blind the Sun. _
The drifting clouds are supposed to be the evil courtiers who have
poisoned the mind of the Emperor, i. e. the Sun, against Li T'ai-po.
THE NORTHERN FLIGHT
_Note 37. _
The An Lu-shan rebellion, which broke out during the reign of the T'ang
Emperor, Ming Huang, was very nearly successful, and, if the leader had
not been assassinated in A. D. 757 by his son, might have caused the
overthrow of the dynasty. As it was, the Emperor, having fled to
Szechwan--a step strongly deprecated by Li Tai-po in the poem, "The
Perils of the Shu Road" (see Note 11)--abdicated in favour of _his_ son,
Su Tsung, who crushed the rebellion. The poem refers to the time when it
was at its height, and the Emperor's forces were flying to the North.
_Note 38. _
_The rushing whale squeezes the Yellow River;
The man-eating beasts with long tusks assemble at Lo Yang. _
During the rebellion, both sides of the Yellow River were lined with
rebels, the population was obliged to fly, and the country was
devastated as if a whale had rushed up the river and caused it to
overflow its banks.
The "beasts" are fabulous creatures called _tso chih_, with tusks three
feet long, who delight in eating the flesh of men. Li T'ai-po uses them
metaphorically for the rebels who are threatening the capital.
_Note 39. _
_When, before our glad faces, shall we see the Glory of Heaven? _
The Emperor, under the usual figure of the Sun.
THE CROSSWISE RIVER
_Note 40. _
_I say the Crosswise River is terrible.
The savage wind blows as if it would overturn the Heaven's Gate
Mountains. _
The "Crosswise River" is that section of the Yangtze which flows past
steep cliffs in Anhwei. The "Heaven's Gate Mountains" tower above,
making a sharp defile.
_Note 41. _
_From the beginning of things, the Ox Ledge has been more dangerous
than the Standing Horse Hill. _
A very swift current runs past the Ox Lodge, and boats are obliged to
wait for daylight before attempting to breast it. The Standing Horse
Hill, so called from its resemblance to a standing horse, is above a
reach of the Yangtze where the river is comparatively tranquil.
_Note 42. _
_Is the Eighth Month tide-bore of Chêkiang equal to this? _
The T'ien River in Chêkiang is famous for its bore, or tidal wave.
During the Autumnal equinox, this bore sometimes attains a height of
twenty feet and more.
CH'ANG KAN
_Note 43. _
_I could not yet lay aside my face of shame;
I hung my head, facing the dark wall. _
In China, little girls are supposed to hide their faces at the
suggestion of marriage.
_Note 44. _
_I often thought that you were the faithful man who clung to the
bridge-post. _
A certain Wei Shêng had a great reputation for sincerity and
reliability, which was put to proof on an occasion when he had an
appointment with a lady to meet on a bridge. The lady did not come. But,
in spite of the fact that the waters rose to a flood, Wei Shêng would
not leave. Finally, as he stood there clinging to the bridge-post to
keep himself firm, the waves engulfed him and he was never seen again.
_Note 45. _
_That I should never be obliged to ascend the Looking-for-Husband
Ledge. _
A hill on the banks of the Yangtze, so called because of a legend that,
many centuries ago, a wife, whose husband had been away for several
years, went daily to watch for his returning sail. In the end, she was
turned to stone on the spot where she had kept her vigil.
_Note 46. _
_To the Ch'ü Tang Chasm and the Whirling Water Rock of the Yü River
Which, during the Fifth Month, must not be collided with;
Where the wailing of the gibbons seems to come from the sky. _
The Ch'ü T'ang is the first of the three noted chasms in the upper
reaches of the Yangtze. At the point where the River Yü empties into the
Yangtze, there is a great rock which, when uncovered, is more than two
hundred feet high. In the Fifth Month (June) the water from the melting
snows of the Tibetan mountains causes the river to rise to such an
extent that the rock is covered, which makes it especially dangerous to
navigation. The height of the cliffs on either side of the gorge is so
tremendous that the wailing of the gibbons (see Note 15) in the woods
above sounds as though it came from the sky.
_Note 47. _
_I will not go far on the road to meet you,
I will go straight until I reach the Long Wind Sands. _
The Long Wind Sands are many a day's journey from the village of Ch'ang
Kan, which stands just outside the South Gate of Nanking. What the lady
implies is that she will go to "the ends of the earth" to meet her
returning husband.
SORROW DURING A CLEAR AUTUMN
_Note 48. _
_I climb the hills of Chiu I. _
The Chiu I, or "Nine Peaks," lie to the South of the Tung T'ing Lake
(see map) into which the three divisions of the Hsiang River debouch
after having united.
_Note 49. _
_I go by the "Bird's Path. "_
A term very often used for steep mountain paths.
_Note 50. _
_I think much of fishing for a leviathan from the Island of the Cold
Sea. _
The legend referred to at the end of the poem is as follows: A group of
five islands in the Pi Hai, the Jade-grey Sea, were inhabited by the
Immortals, who found themselves very uncomfortable as these islands,
instead of standing firmly, rose and fell in the most disconcerting
manner. The Immortals therefore applied to the Jade Emperor for
assistance, and he commanded fifteen leviathans, three to each island,
to raise their heads and support the islands, thus keeping them from
rocking. All was well until a man from the Elder Dragon Country appeared
and with one cast of his line caught six of the monsters, the result
being that two of the islands toppled over and sank in the sea. The
three which remain are known as the "Three Hills of the Immortals. " This
tale has become proverbial, and people who are disappointed in their
ambition say "I have no rod with which to catch a leviathan. "
POIGNANT GRIEF DURING A SUNNY SPRING
_Note 51.
_
_I feel as one feels listening to the sound of the waters of the
Dragon Mound in Ch'in. _
(See Note 9. )
_Note 52. _
_The gibbons wailing by the Serpent River. _
(See Note 15. )
_Note 53. _
_I feel as the "Shining One" felt when she passed the Jade Frontier,
As the exile of Ch'u in the Maple Forest. _
Two allusions which suggest homesickness. The "Shining One" is Chao
Chün. (See Note 79. ) The exile of Ch'u is Ch'ü Yüan, the famous
statesman. (See Note 62. )
TWO POEMS WRITTEN TO TS'UI (THE OFFICIAL)
_Note 54. _
In both these poems, Ts'ui is compared to T'ao Yüan-ming, author of
"Once More Fields and Gardens," published in this volume. T'ao is the
ideal of the educated scholar, who prefers a life in the fields to any
official post. Many stories are told of him. He planted five willows in
front of his house, and is therefore often spoken of as the "Teacher of
the Five Willows. " He was so fond of music that he declared he could
imagine the sweet sounds of the _ch'in_, and often carried about a
stringless instrument over which he moved his hands. The _ch'in_, or
table-lute, is fully described in Note 114.
WIND-BOUND AT THE NEW FOREST REACH
_Note 55. _
_To-day, at dawn, see the willows beyond the White Gate. _
The White Gate is the Western Gate. The points of the compass are
governed by colours, elements, mythological beasts, and seasons, thus:
East: Green. Wood. The Blue-green Dragon. Spring.
South: Red. Fire. The Vermilion Bird. Summer. West: White. Metal. The
White Tiger. Autumn. North: Black. Water. The Black Warrior. Winter.
Centre: Yellow. Earth.
DRINKING ALONE IN THE MOONLIGHT
_Note 56. _
_But we will keep our appointment by the far-off Cloudy River. _
The Cloudy River is the Chinese name for the Milky Way.
_Note 57. _
_There would be no Wine Star in Heaven. _
The Wine Star is a constellation composed of three stars, to the North
of the Dipper.
_Note 58. _
_There should be no Wine Springs on Earth. _
The Wine Springs lie, one in Kansu, and one in Shansi. (See map. ) The
water of the one in Kansu is supposed to taste like wine, that of the
one in Shansi is used in the making of wine.
RIVER CHANT
_Note 59. _
_Jade flageolets and pipes of gold. _
The Chinese flageolet is a tube measuring a little more than a foot in
length. It has five holes above, one below, and one at the end through
which it is played. They are now made of bamboo, but formerly were made
of copper, jadestone, or marble, as such materials were considered less
liable to be affected by the weather.
_Note 60. _
_The Immortal waited,
Then mounted and rode the yellow crane. _
Tou Tzŭ-an, who had attained Immortality by living a life of
contemplation, was transported to the Taoist Paradise by a crane so old
that it had turned yellow.
_Note 61. _
_Rather would he be followed by the white gulls. _
This line refers to a story from a book treating of Taoist subjects long
supposed to have been written by a philosopher called Lieh Tzŭ, but this
is now known to have been a Second Century forgery. A translation of the
story reads: "The man who lived by the sea loved the sea-gulls. Every
day, as the sun rose above the horizon, the birds from the sea assembled
in hundreds and flew about. His father said: 'I hear the sea-gulls
follow you and fly round you. Catch some in your hands and bring them to
me that I too may enjoy them. ' The next day the birds from the sea all
performed the posturing dance in the air, but did not descend. "
_Note 62. _
_The_ tzŭ _and_ fu _of Ch'ü P'ing hang suspended like the sun and
moon. _
The _tzŭ_ and _fu_ are two irregular forms of verse, they are referred
to in the Introduction in the part dealing with versification. Ch'ü
P'ing is another name for Ch'ü Yüan, a famous poet and statesman who
lived 332-295 B. C. (See Introduction. )
_Note 63. _
_I could move the Five Peaks. _
The sacred mountains of the "four quarters" and the nadir (or the four
points of the compass and the centre of the earth). They are the T'ai
Shan in the East, the Hua Shan in the West, the Hêng Shan in the North,
the Hêng Shan in the South, and the Sung Shan in the centre.
SEPARATED BY IMPERIAL SUMMONS
_Note 64. _
_The Emperor commands; three times the summons. He who left has not
yet returned. _
The official has not responded quickly to the summons from the capital,
so the messenger has been obliged to come three times. Upon the third
occasion, the official realizes that the matter is urgent and prepares
to depart the next day at sunrise, before the messenger can have
reached the Palace on his return journey.
_Note 65. _
_Our thoughts will be with each other. I must ascend the
Looking-for-Husband Hill. _
(See Note 45. )
_Note 66. _
_You must not imitate Su Ch'in's wife and not leave your loom. _
Su Ch'in, who lived in the Fourth Century B. C. , was away from home many
years; when he returned, his wife took no notice whatever, and did not
even leave the loom at which she sat weaving cloth.
A WOMAN SINGS TO THE AIR: "SITTING AT NIGHT"
_Note 67. _
_I sit, sit in the North Hall. _
The "North Hall" is a term for the Women's Apartments, which always lie
farthest from the Great Gate placed in the South wall of the house. (See
Plan of House. )
_Note 68. _
_Then, though my Lord sang ten thousand verses which should cause
even the dust on the beams to fly, to me it would be nothing. _
It is said that when Yü Kung, a man of the State of Lu who lived during
the Han Dynasty, sang, the sounds were so exquisite that even the dust
on the beams flew. "To cause the dust on the beams to fly" has therefore
become a current saying.
THE PALACE WOMAN AND THE SOLDIERS' COOK
_Note 69. _
_Once the Unworthy One was a maiden of the Ts'ung Terrace. _
The Ts'ung Terrace referred to by the sad lady who, in the dispersal of
the Palace women (see Introduction), had fallen to such a low degree,
stood in the Palace of King Chao, who lived at the time of the "Spring
and Autumn Annals," many centuries before our era.
A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ENCOUNTERED ON A FIELD-PATH
_Note 70. _
_Down comes the riding-whip, straight down--it strikes the Five
Cloud Cart. _
The Immortals used Five Coloured Clouds to ride upon, therefore the
term, "Five Cloud Cart," has become a complimentary expression for a
cart or carriage in which a beautiful young woman is travelling.
HEARING A BAMBOO FLUTE IN THE CITY OF LO YANG
_Note 71. _
_I hear "The Snapped Willow. "_
An allusion to the old song suggesting homesickness. (See Note 2. )
THE RETREAT OF HSIEH KUNG
_Note 72. _ Hsieh Kung is the honorary title of the poet, Hsieh T'iao,
who lived in the Fifth Century A. D. Li T'ai-po, who greatly admired him,
constantly quoted his poems, and expressed a wish to be buried on the
Spring-green Mountain where Hsieh Kung had lived. Some accounts say that
he was first buried elsewhere, but that afterwards his body was removed
and put where he desired.
A TRAVELLER COMES TO THE OLD TERRACE OF SU
_Note 73. _
_The old Imperial Park--the ruined Terrace--the young willows. _
Early in the Fifth Century B. C. , Fu Ch'ai, King of Wu, built the Ku Su
Terrace to please Hsi Shin, one of the most famous beauties in history.
It was nearly two miles long, and took three years to build. Its
foundations can still be traced on the hills near Soochow, which was the
capital of Wu.
THE REST-HOUSE ON THE CLEAR WAN RIVER
_Note 74. _
_I love the beauty of the Wan River. _
A little river near Ning Kuo-fu in Anhwei. (See map. )
_Note 75. _
_Really, one cannot help laughing to think that, until now, the
rapid current celebrated by Yen
Has usurped all the fame. _
The philosopher Yen Kuang (_circa_ A. D. 25) is better known as Yen
Tzŭ-ling. The river in which he loved to fish was the Hsin An.
ANSWER TO AN AFFECTIONATE INVITATION FROM TS'UI FIFTEEN
_Note 76. _
A party of friends who are in the habit of meeting each other constantly
are called by numbers according to age. The same custom is used to
distinguish members of a family. (See Introduction. )
_Note 77. _
_You have the "bird's foot-print" characters. _
Writing is supposed by the Chinese to have been invented by Ts'ang
Chieh, a minister of the Yellow Emperor (2698-2598 B. C. ) who, having
"observed the shapes of things in the heavens and the forms of things on
earth, also the foot-prints of birds and beasts on the sand and mud,"
suddenly conceived the idea of pictographic writing. It is highly
complimentary to speak of a person's writing as being like the "bird's
foot-prints. "
_Note 78. _
_You suggest that we drink together at the Lute Stream. _
The Ch'in Ch'i T'ai (Table-lute Stream Terrace) was a stone terrace
where a famous player of the table-lute, who is said to have attained
Immortality, lived. The legend is that he took a small dragon in the
form of a carp from the Ch'in stream and kept it for a month, when it
changed its shape into that of a dragon and ascended to Heaven.
THE HONOURABLE LADY CHAO
_Note 79. _
_Moon over the houses of Han, over the site of Ch'in. _
Ch'in was the name of the State which overcame all the others and welded
China into a homogeneous Empire instead of a loose federation. (See
Introduction. ) The lady Chao lived during the Han Dynasty.
Wang Ch'iang, known to posterity as Chao Chün, the
"Brilliant-and-Perfect," lived in the First Century B. C. The daughter of
educated parents, she was brought up in the strictest Confucian
principles; in the words of the Chinese, she "did not speak loudly nor
did she look beyond the doors, indeed, even within the house, she only
walked the path which led to her mother's room. Her ears were closed to
all distracting sounds, therefore her heart and mind were pure like
those of the Immortals. " Her father regarded her as a precious jewel,
and although many suitors presented themselves, he refused to listen to
their proposals, and finally, when she was seventeen, sent her to the
capital as an offering to the Han Emperor Yüan.
Upon arriving at the Palace, the young girl was housed in the inner
rooms, among the innumerable Palace women who lived there in constant
hope of a summons to the Imperial presence. As the Son of Heaven never
went into this part of his Palace, it was customary to catalogue the
inmates and submit their portraits to him, a form of procedure which led
to much bribery of the Court painters. The rigid principles of the
daughter of the Wang clan forbade her to comply with this Palace custom,
and the portrait which appeared in the catalogue was such a travesty of
her exquisite features that it roused no desire in the Imperial breast.
Five or six dreary years passed, and the young girl remained secluded in
the Women's Apartments. Shortly before this time, one of the Hsiung Nu
tribes (see Note 3) had surrendered to the Chinese soldiers, and as a
proof of good faith on both sides had received permission to serve as a
frontier guard. Soon after, the head of the tribe sent to ask that one
of Yüan Ti's ladies be sent him as Queen. The catalogue was consulted,
and the decision fell upon the daughter of Wang as being the one among
the Palace women who had the fewest charms. She was therefore told to
prepare herself for a journey to the desert wastes where she would reign
over a savage Central Asian tribe, a prospect terrifying to one brought
up in strict seclusion among people of refinement.
Custom demanded that, on the point of departure, she should appear
before the Son of Heaven in order to thank her Imperial Master for his
kind thoughtfulness in thus providing for her future, and then be
formally handed over to the envoys. The audience was held in one of the
secondary halls, the Court was assembled, the envoys stood ready, and
the lady entered. At the sight of her unusual beauty, every one was
thunderstruck, even the Emperor could hardly refrain from springing off
the Dragon Throne and speaking to her. But it was too late; there was
nothing to be done. The most beautiful of all the Palace women was
pledged to the Hsiung Nu Khan, the escort which was to convey her over
the Jade Pass waited, and soon the broken-hearted girl set off.
Fury and consternation spread through the Palace; a camel laden with
gold was sent in pursuit; the guilty painter, Mao Yen-shou, was executed
and his immense fortune sent as a consolation to the Wang family; but
all this could not save the young girl from her fate. The Hsiung Nu
ambassador refused to ransom her, and she passed out through the Jade
Barrier to the "Yellow Sand Fields" beyond.
The banished daughter of Han was true to the principles in which she
had been schooled. Instead of committing suicide, as she longed to do,
she submitted to the will of the Five Great Ones--Heaven, Earth, The
Emperor, her Father, and her Mother--and performed her duties as a wife
to the best of her ability in spite of the homesickness from which she
suffered perpetually.
Upon the death of the Khan, she felt that her hour of deliverance had at
last come and that she was at liberty to poison herself. This she did,
and was buried in the desert, but the mound over her grave remained
always green.
Because of her pseudonym, "Brilliant-and-Perfect," she is often referred
to as "Ming Fei," the "Bright Concubine. " Allusions to her story always
suggest homesickness.
THINKING OF THE FRONTIER
_Note 80. _
_I desire to send the "harmonious writings. "_
Letters from wives to husbands are often spoken of as though they
carried sweet sounds.
_Note 81. _
_He who wears the dragon robes delighted in the sweetly-scented wind
of her garments. _
Appointments for the Emperor's use were all spoken of as "dragon"
appointments, and the analysis of the character which means the
Emperor's love, is a dragon under a roof. Ladies' clothes were, and are
to-day, kept in cupboards in which scented woods were burned, therefore
as the long sleeves of their dresses swayed back and forth a sweet
perfume came from them.
_Note 82. _
_How was it possible for the "Flying Swallow" to snatch the Emperor's
love? _
The "Flying Swallow" was a famous concubine. (See Note 30. )
RECITING VERSES BY MOONLIGHT
_Note 83. _
_I suggest that men meditate at length on Hsieh Hsüan Hui. _
A reference, under a pseudonym, to the poet Hsieh T'iao, whose work Li
T'ai-po so much admired. (See Note 72. ) "Hsüan" is applied to the names
of gods to indicate that they deserve praise and worship, and "Hui"
means bright, splendid, or a ray of the sun.
PASSING THE NIGHT AT THE WHITE HERON ISLAND
_Note 84. _
_At dawn, I left the Red Bird Gate. _
An allusion to the bird which rules the South. (See Note 55. )
_Note 85. _
_At sunset, I came to roost on the White Heron Island. _
According to the Chinese commentary, this island lies "in the heart's
centre of the river, three _li_ West of the district of the Golden Mound
(Nanking), and many herons collect there. "
_Note 86. _
_And the longing in my heart is like that for the Green Jasper Tree.
