The Crown Prince of Ch'u having fallen ill, a guest from Wu went to ask after his health.
" I have heard, " said the guest, " of Your Highness' discomfort, and was wondering whether you might have improved somewhat? "
" I am exhausted, " said the Prince. " Thank you ever so much for your concern. " The guest, accordingly, seized this opportunity to offer his advice:
" Presently,
The kingdom is at peace;
everywhere, there is harmony.
And you are,
at this moment, in the prime of your life.
Yet, I should imagine that
you have long been besotted with pleasures,
day and night indulging yourself without limit.
An irruption of noxious humors
has balled up inside of you.
Distracted you are and listless;
distraught and crapulous,
fearful and timorous,
you lie in bed but cannot sleep.
Debilitated and dull of ear,
you detest hearing the sound of another's voice.
Your vitality dissipated,
a hundred illnesses befall you at the same time;
your senses confused,
joy and anger become imbalanced.
If you persist much longer this way,
your life itself may be imperiled. Could it be, Crown Prince, that this is your plight? "
" Thank you ever so much for your concern, " said the Prince. " Relying on my father's royal grace, I do, from time to time, enjoy such pleasures, but not to the degree which you have described. "
" Nowadays, "
said the guest,
" The sons of good families
are sure
to hide away
in the inner recesses of palaces.
Within, they have governesses to look after them,
without, they have preceptors to instruct them;
though they wish to make friends, they have not the
wherewithal.
Their food and drink
is smooth, savory, sweet, and crisp;
their meat is fat, their wine is thick.
Their clothing
is endlessly varied, light but warm;
they swelter and suffocate in it as in the heat of summer.
Even something
as durable as metal or stone,
would soon
fuse and dissolve
in the face of such
heat:
need
I say
what becomes of flesh
and bone?
Therefore, it is said:
he who
gives free rein
to his sensual desires
and dissipates
himself in physical pleasures
will damage
the equilibrium of his circulatory system.
What's more,
riding a chariot or carriage no matter where one goes
is called
a " paralytic portent."
Cave-like winter rooms and airy summer palaces
are called,
likewise, " aguish agents."
Pearly teeth and moth-eyebrows
are called
" hatchets to trim the tree of life."
Things sweet, crisp, oily, and syrupy
are called,
likewise, " rot-gut reagents."
Now
you, Crown Prince,
have a pallid, pasty complexion.
Your arms and legs move sluggishly,
your muscles and bones have lost tone and fiber,
your blood pressure is much too high,
your hands and feet are infirm.
Yüeh lasses wait upon you in front,
Ch'i maidens attend you behind;
you are forever engaged in dalliance or banqueting.
You dissipate yourself
in
hidden rooms and private
parlors,
All this
is willingly to dine on poison;
playing
with the claws and teeth
of savage
beasts.
But the effects
of your past activities
are very deep-seated,
and you have postponed,
for such a long time,
the abandonment of these ways.
Thus, though one should command
Pien-ch'üeh to treat you internally
and Shaman Hsien to treat you externally,
what good would it do?
Now,
an illness such as Your
Excellency's
surely calls for
the superior men of our age —
men of broad learning and strong memory.
They should, when occasion allows, offer their opinions,
thus changing your habits and altering your ideas.
They should never leave your side,
and should serve as your assistants.
These pleasures in which you wallow,
the intemperance which holds your mind,
the apathy which stifles your will —
how could they then
arise? "
" Very well, " said the Crown Prince. " When I am over my illness, I shall carry out these instructions of yours. "
" But your illness, " said the guest, " has now reached the point that neither plant nor mineral medicines, acupuncture nor cauterization can cure you. Only through the exposition of essential apothegms and marvelous maxims may you be rid of it. Wouldn't you like to hear them? "
" Yes, " said the Crown Prince, " I am desirous of hearing your exposition. "
The guest spake:
" The paulownia of Dragon Gate Mountain
reaches
a height of one hundred feet
before it branches.
Its center
has a tightly packed mass
of concentric rings;
its roots
spread out
in all directions.
Above it,
there are thousand-meter peaks;
below,
it looks over hundred-fathom canyons.
The backwash from the rising current
swashes and swirls against it.
Its roots
are half-dead, half-alive.
In winter,
sleet and snow driven by fierce winds
assail
it;
in summer,
resounding peals of thunder and lightning
shake
it.
Mornings,
the yellow oriole and the bulbul sing
there;
evenings,
the mateless hen and birds which have gone astray roost
there.
The solitary snow-goose calls out at daybreak
above it;
the heath-cock
sadly chirps as it flutters about
beneath it.
Then,
with autumn behind and winter coming on,
send
the Lutemaster Chih to chop it down and make it into a lute.
Filaments from the cocoons of wild silkworms are used for its strings,
the buckle of an orphan child is used as an ornamental inlay,
the pearl eardrops of the widowed mother of nine are used for its frets.
Command
Master T'ang to play on it " All Things Pleaseth,"
Po-ya
to accompany him with a song.
The words of the song are:
" The bearded spikes of the wheat do ripen, the pheasant flies up in the morn —
heading for a desolate valley, it sets its back to the withered locust tree;
it skirts along deserted lands, peers down upon twisting mountain streams."
Hearing this song, flying birds
fold their wings — they cannot go on;
hearing this song, wild beasts
droop their ears — they can proceed no farther;
hearing this song, daddy longlegs, caterpillars, crickets and ants
prop their proboscises — they cannot advance.
This, indeed, is the most lugubrious music in the world! Could you force yourself to rise and listen to it? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" A fatty stomach-cut of veal
with bamboo shoots and rush stems to go with it;
a blended mixture of plump dog
and edible lichens for a potage.
Whether rice from Miao Mountain in Ch'u
or wild rice of the zizania grass,
it is so sticky it can be patted into balls,
so slippery it dissolves upon touching your tongue.
Then,
call upon
Yi Yin to saute and simmer,
Yi-ya to season and spice.
There will be well-stewed bear's paw
prepared with a finely flavored sauce.
You shall have thinly sliced sections of roast loin
and fresh strips of minced carp,
perilla plucked in autumn when it is yellow,
vegetables succulent from the white dews of late summer.
This will be followed by wine made fragrant with orchid petals
which you may pour for a mouthwash.
At last, you will dine on hen pheasant
and fetus of domesticated panther.
Whether you eat but little or sup a lot,
it will digest as quickly as hot water poured upon snow.
These, indeed, are the most delectable dishes in the world! Could you force yourself to rise and partake of them? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" You shall have stallions from Chung and Tai,
chosen at the prime age, they will pull your chariot.
From the front, they seem like Flying Duck coursers,
behind, they appear to be mythical mules.
Panic-grass and wheat their provender,
they are restless within and chafe without.
They are harnessed with strong reins
and stick to the good roads.
Thereupon,
Po-le examines the steeds front to back,
Wang Liang and Tsao-fu
serve as the charioteers,
Ch'in Ch'üeh and Lou Chi
ride on the right as guards.
These two
can stop runaway
horses,
can raise overturned
chariots.
Therefore,
you could make
a bet
of one thousand pounds
on a race
of a thousand miles.
These, indeed, are the finest steeds in the world! Can you force yourself to rise and ride in the chariot they pull? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" Or you could mount
the Ching-yi observation tower,
gaze south to Thorn Mountain,
gaze north across the Ju River.
On the left, the Yangtze, on the right, Tung-t'ing Lake —
the pleasures such a view affords are unexcelled.
Thereupon,
you should call
elocutionists with broad learning
to expound on the origins of the rivers and mountains
and to name all of the grasses and trees,
finding analogies and making allusions,
categorizing and classifying.
Let your eye roam and your gaze drift,
then come down from the tower and have wine prepared
in
Heart's Pleasure Palace,
with its corridors leading in all four directions,
its terraced walls and storied structures,
all decorated with variegated colors;
with its crisscross carriageways,
its winding lakes and pools.
There are dabchicks and egrets,
precious peacocks and sylvan swans,
birds of paradise and flamingoes —
a riot of bluish-green crowns and purple necks.
Hens and cocks, stipple-crested and speckle-breasted,
warble harmoniously in flocks.
Sunfish jump and leap,
fins flapping and scales skittering.
Beside still waters grow scizanthus and smartweed,
creeping grasses and aromatic licorice,
supple mulberries and riverside tamarisks —
a profusion of silken-white leaves and purple stems.
The ginkgo and the camphor
have branches which reach to the very heavens;
firmiana and coir palm
make forests which stretch as far as the eye can see.
An almost palpable assembly of fragrant aromas
mingles with the breezes which come from all directions.
The trees sway lazily with the wind,
their leaves showing, by turns, light bottoms and dark tops.
As we take our places on the banquet mats, let wine flow freely
and lilting strains bring joy to our hearts!
Let Ching Ch'un assist with the wine,
Tu Lien be in charge of the music,
Let all sorts of gustful flavors be spread before us,
an assortment of cooked meats, fish, and cereals be prepared.
Refined hues will delight our eyes,
lilting strains give pleasure to our ears.
Thereafter,
the orchestra strikes up
the dance tune
for the Whirling Ch'u,
wafts aloft
the dazzling songs
of Cheng and Wei.
Send for
Hsi-shih
Cheng Shu,
Yang Wen,
Tuan-kan,
Wu-wa
Lü-chü
Fu Yü,
such handsome lads and lovely ladies as these.
In their kaleidoscopic skirts and trailing swallow-tails,
they cast flirtatious glances which show their hearts have already given in.
The luster of their eyes flows in ripples,
they are imbued with the scent of turmeric;
they are as though covered with stardust,
and have anointed themselves with orchid pomade.
Having changed into something comfortable, they come to wait on you.
These, indeed, are the world's most
luxurious, extravagant,
and sumptuous delights!
Can you force yourself to rise and enjoy them? "
" I am still ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" For you, Crown Prince,
I should like
to train
prancing piebald horses,
harness them
to a chariot with streamers flying from the hubs,
or have you ride
in a fine carriage and four.
In your right hand
are sharp-pointed arrows from
Emperor Hou's quiver,
in your left hand,
the decorated bow known as
" Crow Call."
You wend your way through
the Dream-cloud Forest,
make a quick circuit around
moors where orchids grow,
slow your pace when you come to
the Yangtze's banks.
Bending the sedge as you pass,
you head into the soothing breezes;
drunk on the sunny air,
you revel in the ardor of spring.
You chase down crafty beasts,
gather in fleet-winged fowl.
Then,
you give full play
to the ability of your dogs and horses.
Weary
are the legs of the wild animals,
as full scope is given
to the knowledge and skill
of the guides and charioteers.
They strike terror in the tiger and leopard,
cause birds of prey to cower in fright.
The bells on the bits of the pursuing horses tinkle,
causing fish to leap in nooks along the river's edge.
They trod upon roe and rabbit,
trample over elk and deer.
Sweat dripping, froth dropping,
the quarry succumbs to the relentless pressure.
Those which die without even being
wounded
are quite
enough to fill the carts in the
rear.
This is the grandest sort of martial hunt. Could you force yourself to rise and join the chase? "
" I am ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
But this time a sunny sparkle appeared in the space between his brows and gradually spread till it almost covered his entire face. The guest saw that the Crown Prince had a happy look and so pressed forward:
" The fire in the dark of night lights the skies,
the army-carts trundle thunderously;
banners and pennants flutter aloft,
an imposing array of feathers and fur.
Galloping, racing, they contend for the lead;
caught in their zest for the hunt, each strives to be first.
Vast stretches are scorched to intercept the game;
as one gazes across it,
the land stands out in relief.
Immaculate, intact sacrificial animals
are presented at the gates of the feudal princes. "
" Excellent! " exclaimed the Crown Prince. " I'd like to hear more. "
" I'm not finished yet, " said the guest.
" Then,
in dense forests and deep marshes,
'neath a murky layer of mists and clouds —
aurochs and tigers sally forth together.
But the gladiators are ferocious —
bodies bared to the waist, they grapple with the beasts.
Naked swords gleam and glitter,
spears and lances cross in a tangle.
The game is collected and achievements noted,
rewards of gold and silk are presented.
Sedge is pressed down and turmeric spread over it
as a mat to be used by the Breeder for State Sacrifices.
There are excellent wines and delectable dishes,
savory meats barbecued and roasted,
to entertain the honored guests.
Brimming beakers are raised together,
pledges rouse the heart and excite the ear.
Sincere and honorable, they have no regrets;
whether in consent or refusal, they are decisive.
The cast of genuine trust on their faces
is embodied in the music of metal bells and stone chimes.
Loudly they sing, clearly they shout:
" Long live the Crown Prince!" and never weary of it.
This, Crown Prince, is what you really delight in! Can you force yourself to rise and join us? "
" I should very much like to take part, " said the Crown Prince. " It is just that I am afraid I would be a great burden to the high officials. " But it looked as though he were about to get up.
The guest spake:
" On the fifteenth of the eighth month, together with the nobles and your aquaintances and brothers who come from afar, we shall go to view the tidal bore at Winding River in Kuang-ling. When we first get there, we won't be able to see the shape of the tidal flood itself. But simply viewing the force of the water which precedes it is startling enough to terrify the beholder.
Viewing
the way it
o'erleaps
itself,
the way it
plucks itself
up,
the way it
flaunts its
turbulence,
the way it
whirls and
swirls,
the way it
washes and
swishes,
though one have
a clear impression in his mind of what it is and be gifted
with words,
he still could not describe in detail its intrinsic quality.
Blurred — vague —
frightful — terrifying —
a confused rumble;
hazy — fuzzy —
swelling — cresting —
vast and extensive —
o'erstepping into the boundless.
The beholder fixes his mind
on South Mountain,
from there, gazes all the way
to the Eastern Sea;
The waters conjoin
with the azure sky,
imagination is exhausted in trying to distinguish
where the horizon ends.
After scanning this limitlessness,
turn your attention to Aurora's bed.
Rushing waves
borne by the counter-current
come bearing down —
one hardly knows
where they will halt.
Or perhaps,
in a tumultuous tangle,
the waves break.
Suddenly,
resolved, they go off,
never to return.
As the water approaches
Crimson Creek on the southern bank
and then flows into the distance,
inside,
one feels empty, troubled,
and rather enervated.
From evening,
when the tide recedes
until it rises again in the
morning,
in his mind's eye,
he retains an impression of it
without even trying.
And then,
having experienced this catharsis of the spirit
and purgation of his internal organs,
his hands are laved, his feet are bathed,
his hair shampooed, his teeth brushed.
He renounces indolence, relinquishes sloth,
discards impurity, divests filth,
sunders suspicion, dispatches doubt,
opens ear, illumines eye.
At the time of the bore,
even though
one's illness be chronic, his infirmity protracted,
be he
hunchbacked, he would straighten himself, crippled, he would rise and walk,
blind, his eyes would open, deaf, his ears would hear,
so as to behold this
spectacle.
This is all the more true of these who merely
have traces of melancholy and trivial ennui,
suffer from crapulence or oenomania
and the like!
Therefore, I say that
relief from stupor and deliverance from torpor
are not even worthy of
mention. "
" Splendid, " exclaimed the Crown Prince. " But just what is the essence of this bore? "
" There are no records in the ancient books, " the guest replied, " but I have heard from my teacher that there are three aspects wherein it seems almost as though it were divine:
Its urgent
thunder can be heard hundreds of furlongs away;
the river's waters flow in reverse,
the ocean's waters go upstream with the tide;
the mountains exhale and inhale vapors
all day and all night without cease.
Welling and swelling, the tidal race picks up speed,
its waves surge
and its billows rise.
At the very beginning,
it is a cascading
torrent,
like
the downward swoop
of white egrets.
After it has progressed
a short while,
it becomes a vast expanse of dazzling whiteness,
like
a silk-white chariot drawn by white horses,
curtains and canopy unfurled.
The bore's
waves surge
in nebulous confusion,
tumultuous
as though
the three regiments were
plunging into preparedness.
It
spreads out to the sides
and suddenly rears
up,
airily and gracefully
as
the light chariot
of a commander marshalling his troops.
The bore is harnessed to six flood-dragons,
and follows close upon Great White, the god of the river.
It is high and mighty, whether resting or racing,
continuous and unbroken from front to back.
The waves are enormous, towering,
consecutive and recurring —
jos-jostling, ca-capering.
Row after row of stout bulwarks and ramparts,
multitudinous
as the ranks of an army.
with the stentorian and cacophonous roar,
they surge uncurbed across the breadths;
the fount of this flood is not to be stayed!
Observing both banks of the river,
we see there a
convulsive, boiling, brooding, seething,
troublous, roiling, jolting, heaving;
it smashes upward, flings boulders below.
There is, about it, something which resembles
a valiant, mighty warrior
bursting with rage
and completely undaunted.
It tramples revetments, bursts through ferry-crossings,
inundates inlets and courses coves,
then leaps its banks, spills over its dikes.
He who encounters it perishes;
that which blocks it is destroyed.
The bore has its beginning
along the shore of
Surrounding Site.
Diverted by foothills, dividing in valleys,
it swirls past Green Splint,
is muzzled at Sandalwood Signpost.
It slackens its pace
at sacred-to-the-son Wu Tzu-hsü Mountain,
marches on past
mother of Tzu-hsü Arena.
It shoots beyond Red Bank,
Sweeps by Mulberry Brushwood.
It runs amok
like stalking thunder.
Truly aroused is its warlike energy,
as though it were moved with anger!
Rumble, rumble, grumble, grumble,
it has the appearance of galloping horses;
grumble, grumble, rumble, rumble,
its sound is like thundering drums.
Enraged when checked, it boils over,
clear waves arch up and leap across;
river-spirit Yang-hou's billows stir and shake.
They all join battle at
the gorge known as Clashcrash.
Birds are unable to fly away in time,
fish are unable to turn back in time,
animals are unable to flee in time.
There is a flurry of fins, feathers, and fur
amidst the surging waves and chaotic clouds.
The bore takes the southern hills by storm,
then attacks the northern bank at its back;
it overturns hillocks and mounds,
levels flat the western riverside.
Perilous! Precipitous!
Storage basins collapse, reservoirs break —
only with decisive victory does it leave off.
Yet it gurgles, bubbles, murmurs, ruffles;
displaying its spray, flaunting its splash,
it is the extreme of perversity.
Fish and turtles lose their bearings in it —
they are tossed and turned topsy-turvy;
disoriented and bewildered,
they stumble, tumble, fumble, bumble.
Since even sprites are left spellbound,
there is no way adequately to describe it.
It is quite simply enough to bowl a person
over,
reeling in the gloom of
consternation,
This is the world's most
extraordinary and wondrous
spectacle!
Can you force yourself to rise and enjoy it? "
" I am ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" I should like to introduce to you men who are practitioners of the occult, who are capable and learned,
such as
Chuang Chou
Wei Mou
Yang Chu
Mo Ti
P'ien Chüan
Chan He
and the like.
I would have them
expound upon
the mystic profundity of
the world,
argue about
the morality of
all creation.
Confucius and Lao Tzu will be moderators and observers;
Mencius
will verify by manipulating
tallies;
not once in ten thousand times will a mistake be made.
Theirs, indeed, are the most essential apothegms and most marvelous maxims in the world. Wouldn't you like to hear them? "
Thereupon, the Crown Prince, supporting himself on a small table, rose and declared: " I feel enlightened as though I had already heard the words of the sages and dialecticians. " Then he broke out in great beads of sweat and, all of a sudden, his illness was ended.
" I have heard, " said the guest, " of Your Highness' discomfort, and was wondering whether you might have improved somewhat? "
" I am exhausted, " said the Prince. " Thank you ever so much for your concern. " The guest, accordingly, seized this opportunity to offer his advice:
" Presently,
The kingdom is at peace;
everywhere, there is harmony.
And you are,
at this moment, in the prime of your life.
Yet, I should imagine that
you have long been besotted with pleasures,
day and night indulging yourself without limit.
An irruption of noxious humors
has balled up inside of you.
Distracted you are and listless;
distraught and crapulous,
fearful and timorous,
you lie in bed but cannot sleep.
Debilitated and dull of ear,
you detest hearing the sound of another's voice.
Your vitality dissipated,
a hundred illnesses befall you at the same time;
your senses confused,
joy and anger become imbalanced.
If you persist much longer this way,
your life itself may be imperiled. Could it be, Crown Prince, that this is your plight? "
" Thank you ever so much for your concern, " said the Prince. " Relying on my father's royal grace, I do, from time to time, enjoy such pleasures, but not to the degree which you have described. "
" Nowadays, "
said the guest,
" The sons of good families
are sure
to hide away
in the inner recesses of palaces.
Within, they have governesses to look after them,
without, they have preceptors to instruct them;
though they wish to make friends, they have not the
wherewithal.
Their food and drink
is smooth, savory, sweet, and crisp;
their meat is fat, their wine is thick.
Their clothing
is endlessly varied, light but warm;
they swelter and suffocate in it as in the heat of summer.
Even something
as durable as metal or stone,
would soon
fuse and dissolve
in the face of such
heat:
need
I say
what becomes of flesh
and bone?
Therefore, it is said:
he who
gives free rein
to his sensual desires
and dissipates
himself in physical pleasures
will damage
the equilibrium of his circulatory system.
What's more,
riding a chariot or carriage no matter where one goes
is called
a " paralytic portent."
Cave-like winter rooms and airy summer palaces
are called,
likewise, " aguish agents."
Pearly teeth and moth-eyebrows
are called
" hatchets to trim the tree of life."
Things sweet, crisp, oily, and syrupy
are called,
likewise, " rot-gut reagents."
Now
you, Crown Prince,
have a pallid, pasty complexion.
Your arms and legs move sluggishly,
your muscles and bones have lost tone and fiber,
your blood pressure is much too high,
your hands and feet are infirm.
Yüeh lasses wait upon you in front,
Ch'i maidens attend you behind;
you are forever engaged in dalliance or banqueting.
You dissipate yourself
in
hidden rooms and private
parlors,
All this
is willingly to dine on poison;
playing
with the claws and teeth
of savage
beasts.
But the effects
of your past activities
are very deep-seated,
and you have postponed,
for such a long time,
the abandonment of these ways.
Thus, though one should command
Pien-ch'üeh to treat you internally
and Shaman Hsien to treat you externally,
what good would it do?
Now,
an illness such as Your
Excellency's
surely calls for
the superior men of our age —
men of broad learning and strong memory.
They should, when occasion allows, offer their opinions,
thus changing your habits and altering your ideas.
They should never leave your side,
and should serve as your assistants.
These pleasures in which you wallow,
the intemperance which holds your mind,
the apathy which stifles your will —
how could they then
arise? "
" Very well, " said the Crown Prince. " When I am over my illness, I shall carry out these instructions of yours. "
" But your illness, " said the guest, " has now reached the point that neither plant nor mineral medicines, acupuncture nor cauterization can cure you. Only through the exposition of essential apothegms and marvelous maxims may you be rid of it. Wouldn't you like to hear them? "
" Yes, " said the Crown Prince, " I am desirous of hearing your exposition. "
The guest spake:
" The paulownia of Dragon Gate Mountain
reaches
a height of one hundred feet
before it branches.
Its center
has a tightly packed mass
of concentric rings;
its roots
spread out
in all directions.
Above it,
there are thousand-meter peaks;
below,
it looks over hundred-fathom canyons.
The backwash from the rising current
swashes and swirls against it.
Its roots
are half-dead, half-alive.
In winter,
sleet and snow driven by fierce winds
assail
it;
in summer,
resounding peals of thunder and lightning
shake
it.
Mornings,
the yellow oriole and the bulbul sing
there;
evenings,
the mateless hen and birds which have gone astray roost
there.
The solitary snow-goose calls out at daybreak
above it;
the heath-cock
sadly chirps as it flutters about
beneath it.
Then,
with autumn behind and winter coming on,
send
the Lutemaster Chih to chop it down and make it into a lute.
Filaments from the cocoons of wild silkworms are used for its strings,
the buckle of an orphan child is used as an ornamental inlay,
the pearl eardrops of the widowed mother of nine are used for its frets.
Command
Master T'ang to play on it " All Things Pleaseth,"
Po-ya
to accompany him with a song.
The words of the song are:
" The bearded spikes of the wheat do ripen, the pheasant flies up in the morn —
heading for a desolate valley, it sets its back to the withered locust tree;
it skirts along deserted lands, peers down upon twisting mountain streams."
Hearing this song, flying birds
fold their wings — they cannot go on;
hearing this song, wild beasts
droop their ears — they can proceed no farther;
hearing this song, daddy longlegs, caterpillars, crickets and ants
prop their proboscises — they cannot advance.
This, indeed, is the most lugubrious music in the world! Could you force yourself to rise and listen to it? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" A fatty stomach-cut of veal
with bamboo shoots and rush stems to go with it;
a blended mixture of plump dog
and edible lichens for a potage.
Whether rice from Miao Mountain in Ch'u
or wild rice of the zizania grass,
it is so sticky it can be patted into balls,
so slippery it dissolves upon touching your tongue.
Then,
call upon
Yi Yin to saute and simmer,
Yi-ya to season and spice.
There will be well-stewed bear's paw
prepared with a finely flavored sauce.
You shall have thinly sliced sections of roast loin
and fresh strips of minced carp,
perilla plucked in autumn when it is yellow,
vegetables succulent from the white dews of late summer.
This will be followed by wine made fragrant with orchid petals
which you may pour for a mouthwash.
At last, you will dine on hen pheasant
and fetus of domesticated panther.
Whether you eat but little or sup a lot,
it will digest as quickly as hot water poured upon snow.
These, indeed, are the most delectable dishes in the world! Could you force yourself to rise and partake of them? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" You shall have stallions from Chung and Tai,
chosen at the prime age, they will pull your chariot.
From the front, they seem like Flying Duck coursers,
behind, they appear to be mythical mules.
Panic-grass and wheat their provender,
they are restless within and chafe without.
They are harnessed with strong reins
and stick to the good roads.
Thereupon,
Po-le examines the steeds front to back,
Wang Liang and Tsao-fu
serve as the charioteers,
Ch'in Ch'üeh and Lou Chi
ride on the right as guards.
These two
can stop runaway
horses,
can raise overturned
chariots.
Therefore,
you could make
a bet
of one thousand pounds
on a race
of a thousand miles.
These, indeed, are the finest steeds in the world! Can you force yourself to rise and ride in the chariot they pull? "
" I am still ill, " replied the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" Or you could mount
the Ching-yi observation tower,
gaze south to Thorn Mountain,
gaze north across the Ju River.
On the left, the Yangtze, on the right, Tung-t'ing Lake —
the pleasures such a view affords are unexcelled.
Thereupon,
you should call
elocutionists with broad learning
to expound on the origins of the rivers and mountains
and to name all of the grasses and trees,
finding analogies and making allusions,
categorizing and classifying.
Let your eye roam and your gaze drift,
then come down from the tower and have wine prepared
in
Heart's Pleasure Palace,
with its corridors leading in all four directions,
its terraced walls and storied structures,
all decorated with variegated colors;
with its crisscross carriageways,
its winding lakes and pools.
There are dabchicks and egrets,
precious peacocks and sylvan swans,
birds of paradise and flamingoes —
a riot of bluish-green crowns and purple necks.
Hens and cocks, stipple-crested and speckle-breasted,
warble harmoniously in flocks.
Sunfish jump and leap,
fins flapping and scales skittering.
Beside still waters grow scizanthus and smartweed,
creeping grasses and aromatic licorice,
supple mulberries and riverside tamarisks —
a profusion of silken-white leaves and purple stems.
The ginkgo and the camphor
have branches which reach to the very heavens;
firmiana and coir palm
make forests which stretch as far as the eye can see.
An almost palpable assembly of fragrant aromas
mingles with the breezes which come from all directions.
The trees sway lazily with the wind,
their leaves showing, by turns, light bottoms and dark tops.
As we take our places on the banquet mats, let wine flow freely
and lilting strains bring joy to our hearts!
Let Ching Ch'un assist with the wine,
Tu Lien be in charge of the music,
Let all sorts of gustful flavors be spread before us,
an assortment of cooked meats, fish, and cereals be prepared.
Refined hues will delight our eyes,
lilting strains give pleasure to our ears.
Thereafter,
the orchestra strikes up
the dance tune
for the Whirling Ch'u,
wafts aloft
the dazzling songs
of Cheng and Wei.
Send for
Hsi-shih
Cheng Shu,
Yang Wen,
Tuan-kan,
Wu-wa
Lü-chü
Fu Yü,
such handsome lads and lovely ladies as these.
In their kaleidoscopic skirts and trailing swallow-tails,
they cast flirtatious glances which show their hearts have already given in.
The luster of their eyes flows in ripples,
they are imbued with the scent of turmeric;
they are as though covered with stardust,
and have anointed themselves with orchid pomade.
Having changed into something comfortable, they come to wait on you.
These, indeed, are the world's most
luxurious, extravagant,
and sumptuous delights!
Can you force yourself to rise and enjoy them? "
" I am still ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" For you, Crown Prince,
I should like
to train
prancing piebald horses,
harness them
to a chariot with streamers flying from the hubs,
or have you ride
in a fine carriage and four.
In your right hand
are sharp-pointed arrows from
Emperor Hou's quiver,
in your left hand,
the decorated bow known as
" Crow Call."
You wend your way through
the Dream-cloud Forest,
make a quick circuit around
moors where orchids grow,
slow your pace when you come to
the Yangtze's banks.
Bending the sedge as you pass,
you head into the soothing breezes;
drunk on the sunny air,
you revel in the ardor of spring.
You chase down crafty beasts,
gather in fleet-winged fowl.
Then,
you give full play
to the ability of your dogs and horses.
Weary
are the legs of the wild animals,
as full scope is given
to the knowledge and skill
of the guides and charioteers.
They strike terror in the tiger and leopard,
cause birds of prey to cower in fright.
The bells on the bits of the pursuing horses tinkle,
causing fish to leap in nooks along the river's edge.
They trod upon roe and rabbit,
trample over elk and deer.
Sweat dripping, froth dropping,
the quarry succumbs to the relentless pressure.
Those which die without even being
wounded
are quite
enough to fill the carts in the
rear.
This is the grandest sort of martial hunt. Could you force yourself to rise and join the chase? "
" I am ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
But this time a sunny sparkle appeared in the space between his brows and gradually spread till it almost covered his entire face. The guest saw that the Crown Prince had a happy look and so pressed forward:
" The fire in the dark of night lights the skies,
the army-carts trundle thunderously;
banners and pennants flutter aloft,
an imposing array of feathers and fur.
Galloping, racing, they contend for the lead;
caught in their zest for the hunt, each strives to be first.
Vast stretches are scorched to intercept the game;
as one gazes across it,
the land stands out in relief.
Immaculate, intact sacrificial animals
are presented at the gates of the feudal princes. "
" Excellent! " exclaimed the Crown Prince. " I'd like to hear more. "
" I'm not finished yet, " said the guest.
" Then,
in dense forests and deep marshes,
'neath a murky layer of mists and clouds —
aurochs and tigers sally forth together.
But the gladiators are ferocious —
bodies bared to the waist, they grapple with the beasts.
Naked swords gleam and glitter,
spears and lances cross in a tangle.
The game is collected and achievements noted,
rewards of gold and silk are presented.
Sedge is pressed down and turmeric spread over it
as a mat to be used by the Breeder for State Sacrifices.
There are excellent wines and delectable dishes,
savory meats barbecued and roasted,
to entertain the honored guests.
Brimming beakers are raised together,
pledges rouse the heart and excite the ear.
Sincere and honorable, they have no regrets;
whether in consent or refusal, they are decisive.
The cast of genuine trust on their faces
is embodied in the music of metal bells and stone chimes.
Loudly they sing, clearly they shout:
" Long live the Crown Prince!" and never weary of it.
This, Crown Prince, is what you really delight in! Can you force yourself to rise and join us? "
" I should very much like to take part, " said the Crown Prince. " It is just that I am afraid I would be a great burden to the high officials. " But it looked as though he were about to get up.
The guest spake:
" On the fifteenth of the eighth month, together with the nobles and your aquaintances and brothers who come from afar, we shall go to view the tidal bore at Winding River in Kuang-ling. When we first get there, we won't be able to see the shape of the tidal flood itself. But simply viewing the force of the water which precedes it is startling enough to terrify the beholder.
Viewing
the way it
o'erleaps
itself,
the way it
plucks itself
up,
the way it
flaunts its
turbulence,
the way it
whirls and
swirls,
the way it
washes and
swishes,
though one have
a clear impression in his mind of what it is and be gifted
with words,
he still could not describe in detail its intrinsic quality.
Blurred — vague —
frightful — terrifying —
a confused rumble;
hazy — fuzzy —
swelling — cresting —
vast and extensive —
o'erstepping into the boundless.
The beholder fixes his mind
on South Mountain,
from there, gazes all the way
to the Eastern Sea;
The waters conjoin
with the azure sky,
imagination is exhausted in trying to distinguish
where the horizon ends.
After scanning this limitlessness,
turn your attention to Aurora's bed.
Rushing waves
borne by the counter-current
come bearing down —
one hardly knows
where they will halt.
Or perhaps,
in a tumultuous tangle,
the waves break.
Suddenly,
resolved, they go off,
never to return.
As the water approaches
Crimson Creek on the southern bank
and then flows into the distance,
inside,
one feels empty, troubled,
and rather enervated.
From evening,
when the tide recedes
until it rises again in the
morning,
in his mind's eye,
he retains an impression of it
without even trying.
And then,
having experienced this catharsis of the spirit
and purgation of his internal organs,
his hands are laved, his feet are bathed,
his hair shampooed, his teeth brushed.
He renounces indolence, relinquishes sloth,
discards impurity, divests filth,
sunders suspicion, dispatches doubt,
opens ear, illumines eye.
At the time of the bore,
even though
one's illness be chronic, his infirmity protracted,
be he
hunchbacked, he would straighten himself, crippled, he would rise and walk,
blind, his eyes would open, deaf, his ears would hear,
so as to behold this
spectacle.
This is all the more true of these who merely
have traces of melancholy and trivial ennui,
suffer from crapulence or oenomania
and the like!
Therefore, I say that
relief from stupor and deliverance from torpor
are not even worthy of
mention. "
" Splendid, " exclaimed the Crown Prince. " But just what is the essence of this bore? "
" There are no records in the ancient books, " the guest replied, " but I have heard from my teacher that there are three aspects wherein it seems almost as though it were divine:
Its urgent
thunder can be heard hundreds of furlongs away;
the river's waters flow in reverse,
the ocean's waters go upstream with the tide;
the mountains exhale and inhale vapors
all day and all night without cease.
Welling and swelling, the tidal race picks up speed,
its waves surge
and its billows rise.
At the very beginning,
it is a cascading
torrent,
like
the downward swoop
of white egrets.
After it has progressed
a short while,
it becomes a vast expanse of dazzling whiteness,
like
a silk-white chariot drawn by white horses,
curtains and canopy unfurled.
The bore's
waves surge
in nebulous confusion,
tumultuous
as though
the three regiments were
plunging into preparedness.
It
spreads out to the sides
and suddenly rears
up,
airily and gracefully
as
the light chariot
of a commander marshalling his troops.
The bore is harnessed to six flood-dragons,
and follows close upon Great White, the god of the river.
It is high and mighty, whether resting or racing,
continuous and unbroken from front to back.
The waves are enormous, towering,
consecutive and recurring —
jos-jostling, ca-capering.
Row after row of stout bulwarks and ramparts,
multitudinous
as the ranks of an army.
with the stentorian and cacophonous roar,
they surge uncurbed across the breadths;
the fount of this flood is not to be stayed!
Observing both banks of the river,
we see there a
convulsive, boiling, brooding, seething,
troublous, roiling, jolting, heaving;
it smashes upward, flings boulders below.
There is, about it, something which resembles
a valiant, mighty warrior
bursting with rage
and completely undaunted.
It tramples revetments, bursts through ferry-crossings,
inundates inlets and courses coves,
then leaps its banks, spills over its dikes.
He who encounters it perishes;
that which blocks it is destroyed.
The bore has its beginning
along the shore of
Surrounding Site.
Diverted by foothills, dividing in valleys,
it swirls past Green Splint,
is muzzled at Sandalwood Signpost.
It slackens its pace
at sacred-to-the-son Wu Tzu-hsü Mountain,
marches on past
mother of Tzu-hsü Arena.
It shoots beyond Red Bank,
Sweeps by Mulberry Brushwood.
It runs amok
like stalking thunder.
Truly aroused is its warlike energy,
as though it were moved with anger!
Rumble, rumble, grumble, grumble,
it has the appearance of galloping horses;
grumble, grumble, rumble, rumble,
its sound is like thundering drums.
Enraged when checked, it boils over,
clear waves arch up and leap across;
river-spirit Yang-hou's billows stir and shake.
They all join battle at
the gorge known as Clashcrash.
Birds are unable to fly away in time,
fish are unable to turn back in time,
animals are unable to flee in time.
There is a flurry of fins, feathers, and fur
amidst the surging waves and chaotic clouds.
The bore takes the southern hills by storm,
then attacks the northern bank at its back;
it overturns hillocks and mounds,
levels flat the western riverside.
Perilous! Precipitous!
Storage basins collapse, reservoirs break —
only with decisive victory does it leave off.
Yet it gurgles, bubbles, murmurs, ruffles;
displaying its spray, flaunting its splash,
it is the extreme of perversity.
Fish and turtles lose their bearings in it —
they are tossed and turned topsy-turvy;
disoriented and bewildered,
they stumble, tumble, fumble, bumble.
Since even sprites are left spellbound,
there is no way adequately to describe it.
It is quite simply enough to bowl a person
over,
reeling in the gloom of
consternation,
This is the world's most
extraordinary and wondrous
spectacle!
Can you force yourself to rise and enjoy it? "
" I am ill, " said the Crown Prince, " and am, as yet, unable to get up. "
The guest spake:
" I should like to introduce to you men who are practitioners of the occult, who are capable and learned,
such as
Chuang Chou
Wei Mou
Yang Chu
Mo Ti
P'ien Chüan
Chan He
and the like.
I would have them
expound upon
the mystic profundity of
the world,
argue about
the morality of
all creation.
Confucius and Lao Tzu will be moderators and observers;
Mencius
will verify by manipulating
tallies;
not once in ten thousand times will a mistake be made.
Theirs, indeed, are the most essential apothegms and most marvelous maxims in the world. Wouldn't you like to hear them? "
Thereupon, the Crown Prince, supporting himself on a small table, rose and declared: " I feel enlightened as though I had already heard the words of the sages and dialecticians. " Then he broke out in great beads of sweat and, all of a sudden, his illness was ended.