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Shi Jing Introduction Table of content – The Book of Odes

The oldest collection of Chinese poetry, more than three hundred songs, odes and hymns. Tr. Legge (en) and Granet (fr, incomplete).

Section II — Minor odes of the kingdom
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Chapter 6 — Decade of Bei Shan

205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214

Shijing II. 6. (209)

Thick grew the tribulus [on the ground],
But they cleared away its thorny bushes.
Why did they this of old ?
That we might plant our millet and sacrificial millet ;
That our millet might be abundant,
And our sacrificial millet luxuriant.
When our barns are full,
And our stacks can be counted by tens of myriads,
We proceed to make spirits and prepare viands,
For offerings and sacrifice ;
We seat the representatives of the dead, and urge them to eat : –
Thus seeking to increase our bright happiness.

With correct and reverent deportment,
The oxen and sheep all pure,
We proceed to the winter and autumnal sacrifices.
Some flay [the victims] ; some boil [their flesh] ;
Some arrange [the meat] ; some adjust [the pieces of it].
The priest sacrifices inside the temple gate,
And all the service is complete and brilliant.
Grandly come our progenitors ;
Their Spirits happily enjoy the offerings ;
Their filial descendent receives blessing : –
They will reward him with great happiness,
With myriads of years, life without end.

They attend to the furnaces with reverence ;
They prepare the trays, which are very large ; –
Some for the roast meat ; some for the broiled.
Wives presiding are still and reverent,
Preparing the numerous [smaller] dishes.
The guests and visitors,
Present the cup, and drink all round.
Every form is according to rule ;
Every smile and word are as they should be.
The Spirits quietly come,
And respond with great blessings ; –
Myriads of years as the [fitting] reward.

We are very much exhausted,
And have performed every ceremony without error.
The able priest announces [the will of the Spirits],
And goes to the filial descendent to convey it.
' Fragrant has been your filial sacrifice,
And the Spirits have enjoyed your spirits and viands.
They confer upon you a hundred blessings ;
Each as it is desired, each as sure as law.
You have been exact and expeditions ;
You have been correct and careful :
They will ever confer on you the choicest favours,
In myriads and tens of myriads. '

The ceremonies having thus been completed,
And the bells and drums having given their warning,
The filial descendent goes to his place,
And the able priest makes his announcement,
' The Spirits have drunk to the full. '
The great representative of the dead then rises,
And the bells and drums escort his withdrawal,
[On which] the Spirits tranquilly return [to their place].
All the servants, and the presiding wives,
Remove [the trays and dishes] without delay.
The [descendant's] uncles and cousins,
All repair to the private feast.

Legge 209

Shi Jing II. 6. (209) IntroductionTable of content
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Alias Shijing, Shi Jing, Book of Odes, Book of Songs, Classic of Odes, Classic of Poetry, Livre des Odes, Canon des Poèmes.

The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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