f u P oe t ry : an anC i e n t-s t y l e r Ha P s oDy 71
Chu,’ jesters and dwarfs, entertainers from Didi, everything to delight the ears and eyes, gladden the
heart and spirit, all in sumptuous splendor and garish glitter pass before him.
荊、吳、鄭、衛之聲，韶、濩、武、象之樂 ，陰淫案衍之音，鄢、郢繽紛，激楚結風，俳優侏儒，狄鞮
之倡，所以娛耳目樂心意者，麗靡爛漫於前。405 “Beautiful ladies of dainty delicacy, 靡曼美色 (mí màn mĕi sè)
Like Blue Zither and Fufei, 若夫青琴虙妃之徒 (ruò fū qīng qín fú fēi zhī tú)
Truly extraordinary, unmatched in the world, 絕殊離俗 (jué shū lí sú)
Beguiling and bewitching, elegant and refined, 妖冶閑都 (yāo yĕ xián dū)
Faces powdered and painted, hair sculpted
and trimmed, 靚莊刻飾 (jìng zhuāng kè shì)
410 Lithe and lissome, decorous and demure, 便嬛綽約 (pián xuān chuò yuē)
Soft and supple, gracile and graceful, 柔橈嬽嬽 (róu náo yuān yuān)
Winning and winsome, slender and slight, 嫵媚孅弱 (wŭ mèi xiān ruò)
Trail the hems of their pure silk gowns, 曳獨繭之褕袣 (yè dú jiăn zhī yú xiè)
Subtly flowing and falling, perfectly tailored. 眇閻易以恤削 (miăo yán yì yĭ xù xuē)
415 As they wheel and reel, whirl and twirl, 便姍嫳屑 (pián shān piè xiè)
Their garments seem not of this world. 與世殊服 (yŭ shì shū fú)
Their sweet fragrance, profusely permeating, 芬芳漚鬱 (fēn fāng òu yù)
Is strong and pungent, pure and thick. 酷烈淑郁 (kù liè shú yù)
Their white teeth spangle and sparkle, 皓齒粲爛 (hào chĭ càn làn)
420 Their bright smiles gleam and glitter. 宜笑的皪 (yí xiào dì lì)
Beneath long eyebrows, coiling and curling, 長眉連娟 (cháng méi lián juān)
They coyly gaze, cast sidelong glances. 微睇緜藐 (wēi dì mián miăo)
Their beauty is offered, the spirit consents, 色授魂予 (sè shòu hún yú)
And one’s heart rejoices to be at their side. 心愉於側 (xīn yú yú cè)
v i i
“And then in the midst of drinking, during the rapture of music, the Son of Heaven becomes
disconsolate, as if He had lost something. He says, ‘Alas! This is too extravagant! During Our leisure
moments from attending to state affairs, with nothing to do We cast away the days; following the
celestial cycle, We kill and slaughter, and from time to time rest and repose here in this park. But We
fear the dissolute dissipation of later generations, that once they have embarked on this course they will
be unable to turn back. This is not the way to create achievements and pass down a tradition for one’s
heirs.’
於是酒中樂酣，天子芒然而思，似若有亡，曰： 嗟乎，此大奢侈！朕以覽聽餘 閒，無事棄日，順天道以
殺伐，時休息於此，恐後世靡麗，遂往而不返，非所以為繼嗣創業垂統也。
“Thereupon, He ends the feast, halts the hunt, and commands His officials, saying, ‘Let all land that can
be reclaimed and opened up:
於是乎乃解酒罷獵，而命有司曰：地可墾辟：440 ‘Be made into farmland 悉為農郊 (xī wéi nóng jiāo)
In order to provide for the common folk. 以贍氓隸 (yĭ shàn méng lì)
Tear down the walls, fill in the moats, 隤牆填壍 (kuì qiáng tián qiàn)