Book of Songs -(Image and Text)

Author: Chen Shuguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: "The male and female magpie birds, on the island in the river,
The gentle and graceful young woman, the gentleman's ideal match.
The water plants are of varying lengths, flowing left and right.
The gentle and graceful young woman, sought for day and night.
Unable to find her, thought of her day and night.
Long and long, tossing and turning.
The water plants are of varying lengths, gathered left and right.
The gentle and graceful young woman, befriended with the zither and lute.
The water plants are of varying lengths, arranged left and right.
The gentle and graceful young woman, delighted with the bell and drum."
[Explanation] "The Preface to the Book of Songs" states: "The 'Guanju' (The Magpie Bird), the virtue of the empress, is the beginning of the 'Feng' (), used to influence the world and correct the relationship between husband and wife. Therefore, 'Guanju' delights in finding a gentle and graceful young woman to match the gentleman, worries about promoting virtuous people, does not indulge in lust, mourns the gentle and graceful, thinks of talented individuals, and does not harm the virtuous. This is the meaning of 'Guanju.'"
According to modern understanding: From the text of the poem "Guanju," one cannot see much trace of the "virtue of the empress," nor can one see the subtle meaning of "influencing the world and correcting the relationship between husband and wife." However, "Guanju" is indeed the beginning of the "Feng" in the Book of Songs, and it truly expresses the hope of "delighting in finding a gentle and graceful young woman to match the gentleman." Yet, it is also true that one cannot see the meaning of "indulging in lust" or "harming the virtuous." In ancient literature, the pursuit of a gentle and graceful young woman is often used to metaphorically represent "thinking of talented individuals." "Guanju" may be the same, but we are too blind to see it in the text of the poem. We believe that the explanation of "Guanju" in the "Preface to the Book of Songs" has both merit and flaws. The theme of "Guanju," in our opinion, is very clear and simple—it is about the gentleman seeking a gentle and graceful young woman, nothing more. P001-P002