History & Politics

The Tsin Wei

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

Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part I, Book VII

History & Politics

Of the Tsin and the Wei
Onward the broad stream pours.
Women and men go by,
With valerian flowers.
To gentleman a lady says,
“Have you been there to see the plays?”
“I’ve been,” he says, and she replies,
“‘Let’s go again, and feast our eyes.
The ground beyond the Wei you'll find
Large, and for pleasure well designed.”
So gentlemen and ladies wend
Their way, in sport the day to spend,
And to each other oft small peonies extend.

Of Tsin and Wei along
The lucid waters flow,
And on their banks a throng
Of men and women go.
To gentleman a lady says,
“Have you been there to see the plays ?”
“I’ve been,” says he, and she replies,”
“‘Let’s go again and feast our eyes.
The ground beyond the Wei you'll find
Large, and for pleasure well designed.”
So gentlemen and ladies wend
Their way, in sport the day to spend,
And to each other oft small peonies extend.

✦ ✦ ✦

A festivity of Ch‘ing, and advantage taken of it for licentious assignations.

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Tsin Wei.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/91/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Tsin Wei.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/91/.

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