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Classic of Poetry
The Classic of Poetry, also Shijing or Shih-ching, translated variously as the Book of Songs, Book of Odes, or simply known as the Odes or Poetry (詩; Shī), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, comprising 305 works dating from the 11th to 7th centuries BC. It is one of the "Five Classics" traditionally said to have been edited by Confucius, and has been studied and memorized by scholars in China and neighboring countries over two millennia. It is also a rich source of chengyu (four-character classical idioms) that are still a part of learned discourse and even everyday language in modern Chinese. Since the Qing dynasty, its rhyme patterns have also been analysed in the study of Old Chinese phonology.
Early references refer to the anthology as the 300 Poems (shi). The Odes first became known as a jīng, or a "classic book", in the canonical sense, as part of the Han dynasty's official adoption of Confucianism as the guiding principle of Chinese society.[citation needed] The same word shi later became a generic term for poetry. In English, lacking an exact equivalent for the Chinese, the translation of the word shi in this regard is generally as "poem", "song", or "ode". Before its elevation as a canonical classic, the Classic of Poetry (Shi jing) was known as the Three Hundred Songs or the Songs.
The Classic of Poetry contains the oldest chronologically authenticated Chinese poems. The majority of the Odes date to the Western Zhou period (1046–771 BCE), and were drawn from around provinces and cities in the Zhongyuan (Central Plains) area. A final section of 5 "Eulogies of Shang" purports to be ritual songs of the Shang dynasty as handed down by their descendants in the state of Song, but is generally considered quite late in date. According to the Eastern Han scholar Zheng Xuan, the latest material in the Shijing was the song "Tree-Stump Grove" (株林) in the "Odes of Chen", dated to the middle of the Spring and Autumn period (c. 700 BCE).
The content of the Poetry can be divided into two main sections: the "Airs of the States", and the "Eulogies" and "Hymns".
The "Airs of the States" are shorter lyrics in simple language that are generally ancient folk songs which record the voice of the common people. They often speak of love and courtship, longing for an absent lover, soldiers on campaign, farming and housework, and political satire and protest. The first song of the "Airs of the States", "Fishhawk" (Guān jū 關雎), is a well-known example of the category. Confucius commented on it, and it was traditionally given special interpretive weight.
The fishhawks sing gwan-gwan
On sandbars of the stream.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
Fit pair for a prince.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we gather it.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
Wanted waking and sleep.
Wanting, sought her, had her not,
Waking, sleeping, thought of her,
On and on he thought of her,
He tossed from one side to another.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we pull it.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
With harps we bring her company.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we pick it out.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
With bells and drums do her delight.
關關雎鳩
在河之洲
窈窕淑女
君子好逑
參差荇菜
左右流之
窈窕淑女
寤寐求之
求之不得
寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉
輾轉反側
參差荇菜
左右采之
窈窕淑女
琴瑟友之
參差荇菜
左右芼之
窈窕淑女
鐘鼓樂之
On the other hand, songs in the two "Hymns" sections and the "Eulogies" section tend to be longer ritual or sacrificial songs, usually in the forms of courtly panegyrics and dynastic hymns which praise the founders of the Zhou dynasty. They also include hymns used in sacrificial rites and songs used by the aristocracy in their sacrificial ceremonies or at banquets.
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Classic of Poetry
The Classic of Poetry, also Shijing or Shih-ching, translated variously as the Book of Songs, Book of Odes, or simply known as the Odes or Poetry (詩; Shī), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, comprising 305 works dating from the 11th to 7th centuries BC. It is one of the "Five Classics" traditionally said to have been edited by Confucius, and has been studied and memorized by scholars in China and neighboring countries over two millennia. It is also a rich source of chengyu (four-character classical idioms) that are still a part of learned discourse and even everyday language in modern Chinese. Since the Qing dynasty, its rhyme patterns have also been analysed in the study of Old Chinese phonology.
Early references refer to the anthology as the 300 Poems (shi). The Odes first became known as a jīng, or a "classic book", in the canonical sense, as part of the Han dynasty's official adoption of Confucianism as the guiding principle of Chinese society.[citation needed] The same word shi later became a generic term for poetry. In English, lacking an exact equivalent for the Chinese, the translation of the word shi in this regard is generally as "poem", "song", or "ode". Before its elevation as a canonical classic, the Classic of Poetry (Shi jing) was known as the Three Hundred Songs or the Songs.
The Classic of Poetry contains the oldest chronologically authenticated Chinese poems. The majority of the Odes date to the Western Zhou period (1046–771 BCE), and were drawn from around provinces and cities in the Zhongyuan (Central Plains) area. A final section of 5 "Eulogies of Shang" purports to be ritual songs of the Shang dynasty as handed down by their descendants in the state of Song, but is generally considered quite late in date. According to the Eastern Han scholar Zheng Xuan, the latest material in the Shijing was the song "Tree-Stump Grove" (株林) in the "Odes of Chen", dated to the middle of the Spring and Autumn period (c. 700 BCE).
The content of the Poetry can be divided into two main sections: the "Airs of the States", and the "Eulogies" and "Hymns".
The "Airs of the States" are shorter lyrics in simple language that are generally ancient folk songs which record the voice of the common people. They often speak of love and courtship, longing for an absent lover, soldiers on campaign, farming and housework, and political satire and protest. The first song of the "Airs of the States", "Fishhawk" (Guān jū 關雎), is a well-known example of the category. Confucius commented on it, and it was traditionally given special interpretive weight.
The fishhawks sing gwan-gwan
On sandbars of the stream.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
Fit pair for a prince.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we gather it.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
Wanted waking and sleep.
Wanting, sought her, had her not,
Waking, sleeping, thought of her,
On and on he thought of her,
He tossed from one side to another.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we pull it.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
With harps we bring her company.
Watercress grows here and there,
Right and left we pick it out.
Gentle maiden, pure and fair,
With bells and drums do her delight.
關關雎鳩
在河之洲
窈窕淑女
君子好逑
參差荇菜
左右流之
窈窕淑女
寤寐求之
求之不得
寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉
輾轉反側
參差荇菜
左右采之
窈窕淑女
琴瑟友之
參差荇菜
左右芼之
窈窕淑女
鐘鼓樂之
On the other hand, songs in the two "Hymns" sections and the "Eulogies" section tend to be longer ritual or sacrificial songs, usually in the forms of courtly panegyrics and dynastic hymns which praise the founders of the Zhou dynasty. They also include hymns used in sacrificial rites and songs used by the aristocracy in their sacrificial ceremonies or at banquets.