The Chang Woo

Nan Chung’s descendant, Hwang the Great,
Grand-master, now draws near
Before the king, and to him straight
The king’s charge, loud and clear,
“Comes thus :—“My armies six forth call ;
‘What war requires make ready all ;—
South we our course direct.
Your duties reverently fulfil,
And wary be lest our good will
Those southern States reject.’?

Next to the chief of Yin ’twas said :—
“Charge Hew-foo, earl of Ch‘ing,
The ranks.to range, and warning dread
Make through the host to ring.
Our march along the Hwae’s bank lies ;
Against Seu must our enterprise
Rapid and sure bé made.
Delay we brook not, nor to hold
The land we take, lest the threefold
Work in the fields be stayed.”

The son of Heaven calm, trustful was,
Majestic in his strength.
His troops advanced, no crowded mass,
Nor lines of broken length.
From stage to stage, as on they went,
The land of Seu with terror rent,
Its people all unmanned.
As when men hear the thunder’s roll,
Or sudden crash, and quake in soul,
So now shook all the land.

The king aroused his martial might,
As he were moved with rage.
His tiger-chiefs he sent to fight ;
And eager to engage
Well named were they! Along Hwae’s banks
Soon grandly moved the royal ranks.
A captive crowd was held.
Securely kept the country round,
No rebel hosts a passage found,
Succour to Seu to yield.

Numerous the legions, moving fleet,
As if on wings they flew ;
Grand as the Keang and Han, when meet
Their mingled streams the view.
Solid as mountain mass they seemed,
And brightly as the river gleamed,
Whose waters ceaseless rush.
Continuous, in order sure,
Inscrutable, success secure,
They marched revolt to crush.

The king’s plans truthful and sincere,
Seu’s tribes at once sought peace.
Its chiefs assembled all; their prayer
Was for the royal grace.
And quickly by the son of Heaven
Was order to the country given ;
In solemn court he shone.
Before him came the chiefs, and swore
That they would break their faith no more.
“The war,” he said, ‘‘is done.”