Shi Jing – The Book of Odes

They were gathering the white millet,
In those new fields,
And in these acres brought only one year under cultivation,
When Fang Shu came to take the command.
His chariots were three thousand,
With a host of well-disciplined warriors.
Fang Shu led them on,
In his carriage drawn by four piebalds,
Four piebalds orderly moving.
Red shone his grand carriage,
With its chequered bamboo screen, and seal-skin quivers,
With the hooks for the trappings of the breast-bands, and the rein-ends.

They were gathering the white millet,
In those new fields,
And all about these villages,
When Fang Shu came to take the command.
His chariots were three thousand ;
His banners, with their blazonry of dragons, and of serpents and tortoises, fluttered gaily.
Fang Shu led them on,
The naves of his wheels bound with leather, and his yoke ornamented.
Tinkle-tinkle went the eight bells at the horses' bits.
He wore the robes conferred [by the king] ;
His red knee-covers were resplendent,
And the gems of his girdle-pendant sounding.

Rapid is the flight of the hawk,
Soaring to the heavens,
And again descending and settling in its place.
Fang Shu came to take the command.
His chariots were three thousand,
With a host of well disciplined warriors.
Fang Shu led them on.
With his jinglers and drummers,
He marshalled his hosts and addressed them.
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu,
Deep rolled the sound of his drums ;
With a lighter sound he led the troops back.

Foolish were the savage tribes of King,
Presuming to oppose our great region.
Fang Shu is of great age,
But full of vigour were his plans.
He led his army on,
Seized [the chiefs] for the question, and made captives of a crowd [besides].
Numerous were his war chariots,
Numerous and in grand array,
Like the clap or the roll of thunder their onset.
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu.
He had gone and smitten the Xian-yun,
And the tribes of King came, awed by his majesty.

Legge 178