38 Pr e - q i n t i m e s
River in southern China, was known for its shamanistic practices. Ban Gu once ob-
served that the people of Chu “believe in the power of shamans and spirits and are
much addicted to lewd religious rites.”4 The Chinese word for “shaman,” wu, origi-
nally referred to someone who could summon gods and spirits through dancing
and singing. One of the essential qualities that shamans claimed to possess was
the ability to communicate with these supernatural beings. Shamans also main-
tained that they often had to leave their physical bodies to meet with such beings,
either above in heaven or down on earth. Thus a journey or flight is a recurrent
motif in the “Nine Songs” and, to a lesser extent, in “On Encountering Trouble.”
C 2. 1
The Lord of the Xiang River 湘君 (xiāng jūn)My lord has not come, he is hesitant, 君不行兮夷猶 ( jūn bù xíng xi yí yóu)
Who is it that keeps him on the isle? 蹇誰留兮中洲 ( jiăn shuí liú xi zhōng zhōu)
A lovely lady with delicate beauty, 美要眇兮宜修 (mĕi yāo miăo xi yí xiū)
I move quickly on my cassia boat. 沛吾乘兮桂舟 (pèi wú chéng xi guì zhōu)
5 I order the Yuan and Xiang to calm their waves, 令沅湘兮無波 (lìng yuán xiāng xi wú bō)
And command the Great River to ease its flow. 使江水兮安流 (shĭ jiāng shuĭ xi ān liú)
I look out for my lord, but still he is not here, 望夫君兮未來 (wàng fū jūn xi wèi lái)
I play the reed pipes, but who is in my mind? 吹參差兮誰思 (chuī cēng cī xi shuí sī)
I ride my flying dragon to journey to the north, 駕飛龍兮北征 (jià fēi lóng xi bĕi zhēng)
10 And steer my way toward Dong-ting Lake. 邅吾道兮洞庭 (zhān wú dào xi dòng tíng)
My sail is decorated with fig leaves and melilot, 薜荔柏兮蕙綢 (pì lì bó xi huì chóu)
Iris and orchid banners cover my flagpole. 蓀橈兮蘭旌 (sūn ráo xi lán jīng)
I gaze at the northern side of the Cen, far away, 望涔陽兮極浦 (wàng cén yáng xi jí pŭ)
And wafting my magic I cross the Great River. 橫大江兮揚靈 (héng dà jiāng xi yáng líng)
15 Wafting my magic, I still have not reached him, 揚靈兮未極 (yáng líng xi wèi jí)
My women are upset and heave deep sighs. 女嬋媛兮為余太息 (nǚ chán yuán xi wèi yú tài xī)
My tears run down like small streams, 橫流涕兮潺湲 (héng liú tì xi chán yuán)
The thought of you makes me grieve. 隱思君兮陫側 (yĭn sī jūn xi fĕi cè)
The cassia oars and orchid sweep on my boat 桂櫂兮蘭枻 (guì zhào xi lān yì)
20 Chip and knock at the ice and snow. 斲冰兮積雪 (zhuó bīng xi jī xuĕ)
I pick fig leaves in the water, 采薜荔兮水中 (căi pì lì xi shuĭ zhōng)
And pluck lotuses from the treetops.5 搴芙蓉兮木末 (qiān fū róng xi mù mò)
Our hearts are different: all matchmaking is
in vain, 心不同兮媒勞 (xīn bù tóng xi méi láo)
Our love is not deep: it is easy to break. 恩不甚兮輕絕 (ēn bú shèn xi qīng jué)
25 A stream dashes through the stone shallows, 石瀨兮淺淺 (shí lài xi jiān jiān)
And the flying dragon hovers above. 飛龍兮翩翩 ( f ēi lóng xi piān piān)
Unfaithful relations cause long bitterness, 交不忠兮怨長 ( jiāo bù zhōng xi yuàn cháng)
He broke our date, telling me that he had
no time. 期不信兮告余以不閒 (qī bù xìng xi gào yú yĭ bǜ xián)
In the morning I race along the riverside, 鼂騁騖兮江皐 (zhāo chĕng wù xi jiāng găo)