f u P oe t ry : an anC i e n t-s t y l e r Ha P s oDy 67
Like the sounds of bells and chimes, 蓋象金石之聲 (gài xiàng jīn shí zhī shēng)
Or the music of pipes and flutes. 管籥之音 (guăn yuè zhī yīn)
240 Tall and short, high and low, 柴池茈虒 (cī chí cí zhì)
The trees surround the rear palaces. 旋還乎後宮 (xuán huán hū hòu gōng)
Manifoldly layered, piled one upon another, 雜襲絫輯 (zá xí lĕi jí)
They blanket the mountains, hem the valleys, 被山緣谷 (bèi shān yuán gŭ)
Follow the slopes, descend into the depressions. 循阪下隰 (xún băn xià xí)
245 Look at them, and there is no beginning; 視之無端 (shì zhī wú duān)
Examine them and there is no end. 究之亡窮 (jīu zhī wú qióng)
And then 於是乎 (yú shì hū)
Black apes and white she-apes, 玄猨素雌 (xuán yuán sù cí)
Kahaus, hoolocks, flying squirrels, 蜼玃飛蠝 (wèi jué fēi lĕi)
Dusky gibbons, monkeys, 蛭蜩玃蝚 (zhì tiáo jué náo)
250 Macaques, weasels, and siamangs 獑胡豰蛫 (chán hú hù guĭ)
Roost and repose among the trees. 棲息乎其間 (qī xī hū qí jiān)
With long howls and sad shrieks, 長嘯哀鳴 (cháng xiào āi míng)
Gracefully gliding, they cross back and forth, 翩幡互經 (piān pān hù jīng)
Bending and bowing on the branches and boughs, 夭蟜枝格 (yāo jiăo zhī gé)
255 Hunched and hunkered on the treetops. 偃蹇杪顛 (yăn jiăn miăo diān)
They overleap unbridged streams, 隃絕梁 (yú jué liáng)
Spring to the top of sundry thickets. 騰殊榛 (téng shū zhēn)
Clutching hanging twigs, 捷垂條 (jié chuí tiáo)
Throwing themselves through open spaces. 掉希間 (diào xī jiān)
260 Sparsely scattered, helter-skelter, 牢落陸離 (láo luò lù lí)
The troupe dissolves and disperses, receding into
the distance. 爛漫遠遷 (làn màn yuăn qiān)
“Places of this sort number in the hundreds and thousands. The emperor sports and plays hither and
thither, and in whatever palace he spends the night or lodge where he rests, his kitchen need not be
transported, his harem need not be moved, and his official staff is ready and waiting.
若此者數百千處。娛游往來，宮宿館舍，庖廚不徙，後宮不移，百官備具。v
“And then, as the year turns its back on autumn and edges into winter, the Son of Heaven stages the
barricade hunt.
於是乎背秋涉冬，天子校獵。270 “He mounts a chariot of carved ivory, 乘鏤象 (chéng lǚ xiàng)
Drawn by six jade-encrusted dragon-steeds. 六玉虯 (liù yù qiú)
Waving rainbow banners, 拖蜺旌 (tuō ní jīng)
Trailing cloud pennants, 靡雲旗 (mí yún qí)
They march with the hide-covered wagon at the
fore, 前皮軒 (qián pí xuān)
275 The guiding and excursion chariots in the rear. 後道游 (hòu dào yóu)
Elder Sun holds the reins, 孫叔奉轡 (sūn shū fèng pèi)