History & Politics

Delight of the People on seeing the Magnificence with which King Wan surrounded himself

by Shi Jing (The Book of Songs) poems c. 1000–600 BC; compilation traditionally ascribed to Confucius

Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part III, Book i

History & Politics

The King designed his wondrous tower:
'Twas his design,. 'twas his device;
His people undertook the work,
And all was finished in a trice!
In planning it he urged no haste,
Yet all like children round him pressed.
Behold him in his wondrous park,
Where stags and hinds lie down in herds,
His stags and hinds all sleek and fat;
Around him glinting snow-white birds.

Behold him on his wondrous lake,
Where crowding fish their frolic take.
Like row of trees his music-stand!
Big drums, big bells thereon they pile. —
O harmony of drum and bell!
Delightsome that pavilioned isle!
Delightsome that pavilion'd isle,
With harmony of drum and bell!
Drums of iguana-hide resound.
Those blind ones do their parts (right well).

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Delight of the People on seeing the Magnificence with which King Wan surrounded himself.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/431/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Delight of the People on seeing the Magnificence with which King Wan surrounded himself.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/431/.

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