Shijing Complete Translation - (New Century Popular Edition)

Author: Situ Bowen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
①，。②，。③，。，。，。，。，④。，。，⑤。，。【Annotations】①：Onomatopoeia describing the harmonious call of water birds.(ju): A type of water bird.②(yaotiao): Beautiful appearance.③(cenci): Uneven in length.(xing): Aquatic plant, edible.④: Refers to the hands of the woman gathering the water plant.⑤(mao): To select or pick.
[Translation]
The male and female quail call "kuan kuan," nesting on the small island in the river. A pure and beautiful girl, truly a fine match for me. Long and short fresh water plants, gathered left and right along the stream. A pure and beautiful girl, loving her in waking and dreams. The pursuit of the girl is difficult to achieve, her thoughts lingering day and night. Deep and lingering affection, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Long and short fresh water plants, gathered left and right, selected with care. A pure and beautiful girl, played the lute and zither to show her affection. Long and short fresh water plants, gathered left and right, carefully selected. A pure and beautiful girl, played the bell and drum to win her heart.
[Analysis]
This is a poem from the Classic of Poetry, and one of its most renowned masterpieces. It describes a beautiful and kind girl gathering water plants by the river, sparking deep admiration in a man's heart. The first stanza depicts their encounter, the second and third stanzas describe the man's longing, while the fourth and fifth stanzas imagine the happiness of success in his pursuit. The poem builds layer by layer, with the phrase "the pursuit is difficult to achieve" adding a twist, making the structure rigorous yet not monotonous. Combined with the successful use of artistic techniques such as fu, bi, and xing, it further solidifies the Guan Ju's exemplary status in Chinese poetic history. P2-3