Complete Translation of Chu Ci

Author: Xiao Bing
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-01-01
Features: Chu Ci is a newly emerging literary style of the Warring States period, represented by Qu Yuan's works, characterized by Chu language and music, rich in local color and the tradition of Chu folk songs. As its representative work is Qu Yuan's Li Sao, it is also known as "Sao Style." As a poetic form, its main features include "heterogeneous lines" predominantly in six-character lines, with interjections like "xi" (or "she," "zhi") at the end or middle of the lines. During the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang compiled the works of Qu Yuan, Song Yu, and others into a book, and during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wang Yi wrote annotations, titled Chu Ci Zhangju. Since then, there have been countless annotations and studies. Fragments of Chu Ci have been found in early Western Han bamboo slips and silk documents, proving its reliability. This book includes all complete poems of the Chu Kingdom from the Warring States period, represented by Qu Yuan's works, while excluding imitations of Chu Ci after the Han Dynasty. Qu Yuan is the founder and representative of "Chu Ci" and also one of China's greatest poets, whose works truly embody the ideological and artistic characteristics of "Chu Ci." Qu Yuan, styled Ping and named Yuan, was a statesman of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period. In his Li Sao, the protagonist describes his birth date: "Shi Ti was in the beginning of Meng Zhou, and I was born on Geng Yin." Due to differing interpretations of "Shi Ti" and variations in ancient calendars, the birth year of this poet modeled after Qu Yuan remains debated. Generally, it is believed he was born on the 14th day of the first month of the first year of King Wei of Chu (339 BC, Geng Yin), though there are also claims of his birth in 353 BC and other dates. Qu Yuan was born into the Chu aristocracy. The Qu family was a branch of the "three surnames of the Chu" (Qu, Jing, and Zhao), and his later position as the "San Lu Da Fu" primarily involved overseeing the affairs of the "three surnames of the royal family," especially the education and management of the descendants of the noble clans. In his youth, he wrote The Ode to the Tangerine, saying: "I accept my fate and do not move, born in the southern land." "Oh, you young aspirations, you are different." It seems he achieved success at a young age and was appointed as the high-ranking "Zu Tu," a position second only to the "Ling Yin," equivalent to a prime minister. During this period of youth and adulthood, he likely traveled to the north and south of the Han River, east and west of Zigui, or the Yuan and Xiang regions, composing the fresh and elegant Nine Songs on the basis of ancient folk love songs and ritual melodies, expressing his love for his homeland, its people, and their customs, while also praising the passionate and beautiful folk love. The Records of the Grand Historian·Biography of Qu Yuan describes him as: "learned and wise, understanding governance and chaos, skilled in rhetoric. When at home, he planned state affairs and issued decrees; when abroad, he welcomed guests and dealt with feudal lords. King Huai trusted him greatly." After Wu Qi's reforms during King Dao of Chu and the efforts of the people, as well as the governance and accumulation of the Su, Xuan, and Wei dynasties, the early reign of King Huai saw a strong Chu state. Qu Yuan played a significant role in political reforms, administrative management, and diplomatic activities. In the 11th year of King Huai, the alliance of the six states was formed, with the six states jointly attacking Qin, and King Huai even became the leader of the alliance. However, when Qin launched an attack at the Hangu Pass, the alliance dissolved, and all retreated (see Records of the Grand Historian·Annals of Chu). From then on, Chu's power reached its peak and began to decline. Qu Yuan's political thought was fundamentally that of the Confucian reformist faction, loyal to the king and the country, revering sages and valuing talent, but he also absorbed some beneficial insights from Daoism and Legalism. He was concerned about the decline of the imperial carriage ("Fear the imperial carriage's decline") and the hardships of the people ("Sorrow for the people's suffering") (see Li Sao). Around the beginning of the 16th year of King Huai, Qu Yuan was ordered by the king to compile and write a systematic "Xian Jin," though its content remains unclear, it generally included principles like "promote the worthy and entrust the capable, follow the rules without deviation" (see Li Sao), which were helpful for achieving "prosperity and order." To realize his ideal of strengthening the military, developing agriculture, enriching the state and benefiting the people, promoting the capable, rewarding merit, and punishing the wicked, he would inevitably weaken the entrenched aristocracy, suppress the powerful, streamline the bureaucracy, and dismiss treacherous officials. The entrenched nobles, who always disregarded rules and pursued their own interests ("Breaking the rules to chase the crooked, competing to please as a standard" (see Li Sao), were always a great threat to reformist constitutions and laws. Thus, their spokesperson, Shang Guan Da Fu, found excuses to "take" Qu Yuan's draft and alter its content. Qu Yuan refused, and Shang Guan Da Fu slandered him in front of King Huai, saying: "The king appointed Qu Ping as an official, and everyone knows it. Every decree he issues, he boasts of his achievement, saying that only he could do it." The arrogant King Huai flew into a rage, alienated Qu Yuan, and exiled him from the capital. Chu Ci is a newly emerging literary style characterized by Qu Yuan's works, with Chu language and music, rich in local color and the tradition of Chu folk songs. Professor Xiao Bing's Complete Translation of Chu Ci includes prefaces before each poem, briefly introducing its meaning, content, and artistic achievements. The annotations draw from various interpretations and offer personal insights, aiming for simplicity and clarity. The translations strive to "translate poetry with poetry," using regulated verse or folk song forms to reflect the mood, rhythm, and rhyme of the original works. This book is concise, accurate, and accessible, making it a beloved companion to the Complete Translation of the Book of Songs (translated and annotated by Professor Jin Qihua).