Shijing

Author: (Spring and Autumn) Confucius / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
Guan Ju [Original]
Guan guan ju jiu, zai he zhi zhou.
Yao tiao shu nu, jun zi hao qiu.①
Can can xing cai, zuo you liu zhi.
Yao tiao shu nu, wu mèi qiu zhi.②
Qiu zhi bu de, wu mèi si fu.
You zai you zai, zhuan zhe fan ce.③
Can can xing cai, zuo you cai zhi.
Yao tiao shu nu, qin se you zhi.④
Can can xing cai, zuo you bi zhi.
Yao tiao shu nu, zhong gu le zhi.⑤
[Translation]
Fish eagles sing in harmony,
G on the sandbar by the river.
A beautiful and virtuous girl,
A fine match for a noble man.
The water chestnuts vary in length,
Picked left and right in haste.
A beautiful and virtuous girl,
Always longing awake or asleep.
Longing for her but unable to attain,
Thoughts linger awake or asleep.
Oh, how unforgettable,
Tossing and turning in bed.
The water chestnuts vary in length,
Picked left and right in haste.
A beautiful and virtuous girl,
Playing the qin and se in her heart.
The water chestnuts vary in length,
Picked left and right in haste.
A beautiful and virtuous girl,
Appreciated with bells and drums.
[Analysis]
Folk songs express the hearts of the common people, singing their experiences of life. Their charm lies in capturing the universal human experiences and simple truths that everyone can relate to. Their brilliance makes the artificiality of literary works seem pale and powerless. Like the words of the common folk, folk songs are sincere, straightforward, and to the point. "Men marry when they grow old, and women marry when they grow old" is an unchanging natural law. A fine young man's heart races when he sees a beautiful girl, and a beautiful girl is smitten by a fine young man—this is a natural and human impulse. A young girl in her teens longs for love, and a young man in his prime is moved—this theme of love is perhaps eternal in the world. Sincere and moving love songs can be called timeless masterpieces. Love between men and women is a natural and righteous thing, yet some insist on delving into it, finding hidden meanings in every word, while others deliver long-winded sermons with stern faces. Some twist meanings to suit their own purposes, and others whine about love without it. People often invent "ghosts" to scare themselves and bind themselves with self-imposed shackles, unwilling to look in the mirror and examine themselves honestly. The times are changing—has human nature changed too? Men are no longer like men, full of cloying sweetness, unable to ride horses or shoot guns, weak as kittens—no longer called "men" but "boys." Women are no longer like women, loud and boisterous, daring to do what boys dare not, daring to say what boys dare not, unable to do what girls should do. Industrialization not only turns people into "mechanical products" churned out on assembly lines but also turns the genuine emotions of love between men and women into "" mass-produced on assembly lines. Compared to the ancients, are we lucky or unlucky? P11-12