Matteo Ricci: Xiqin Quyi

When Matteo Ricci presented a clavichord (or harpsichord) to the Ming court in 1601 he also apparently presented eight songs, the lyrics for which are below. Ricci was not able to meet the Wanli Emperor directly, so in preparation for the event Ricci had his assistant, Diego de Pantoja, teach the songs to four eunuchs, who then played them for the emperor. Ricci is said to have written the songs in Italian, then translated them into Chinese. However, his original Italian and specifics about the accompanying music have been lost;³ all that survives are the Chinese lyrics, as published in 1608 by the convert Li Zhizao, together with Li's brief preface.⁴ The original lyrics for these eight songs, plus English translations, are copied below.⁵

1. 吾願在上，一章 My Promises are Above⁶

誰識人類之情也？ Who can distinguish the circumstances of mankind?

人也者，乃反樹耳。 Take people, for example: they seem to be the opposite of trees.

樹之根本在地，而從土受養， A tree's roots are in the earth, so it receives its nourishment from the ground;

其幹枝向天而竦。 its trunk and branches respectfully incline towards heaven.

人之根本向乎天，而自天承育， People's roots are inclined towards heaven, thus from heaven receiving nurture;

其幹枝垂下。 but our trunk and limbs extend downwards.

君子之知，知上帝者， What civilized people know is God's knowledge.

君子之學，學上帝者， What civilized people learn is God's learning,

因以擇誨眾也。 so one uses this in selecting how to instruct the people.

上帝之心，惟多憐恤蒼生， The heart of God only only great sympathy for the common people,

少許霹靂傷人， and seldom allows rumbling thunder to harm people.

當使日月照，而照無私方矣！ When (God) causes the sun and moon to shine, it shines not in private places.

常使雨雪降，而降無私田兮！ (God) often causes the rain and snow to fall, but it falls not on private fields.

2. 牧童遊山，二章 A Shepherd Boy Wandering in the Hills (see Spence⁷)

牧童忽有憂， A shepherd boy fell sad one day,

即厭此山， Hating the hillside on which he stood;

而遠望彼山 He thought a distant hill he saw

之如美， More beautiful by far,

可雪憂焉。 And that going there would wipe away his sorrows.

至彼山， So he set off to that distant hill,

近彼山， But as he drew near to it

近不若遠矣。 It looked less good than it had from afar.

牧童、牧童 O shepherd boy, shepherd boy,

易居者寧易己乎？ How can you expect to transform yourself
By changing your dwelling place?

汝何往而能離己乎？ If you move away can you leave yourself behind?

憂樂由心萌， Sorrow and joy sprout in the heart.

心平隨處樂， If the heart is peaceful, you'll be happy everywhere,

心幻隨處憂， If the heart is in turmoil, every place brings sorrow.

微埃入目， A grain of dust in your eye

人速疾之， Brings discomfort speedily;

而爾寬於串心之錐乎？ How can you then ignore this sharp awl
That pierces your heart?

已外尊己， If you yearn for things outside yourself

固不及自得矣， You will never obtain what you are seeking.

奚不治本心， Why not put your own heart in order

而永安於故山也？ And find peace on your own hillside?

古今論皆指一耳。 Old and new writers alike give this advice:

遊外無益， There's no advantage to roaming outside,

居內
有利矣！ Keep the heart inside, for
That brings the profit.

3. 善計壽修，三章 The Proper Way to Calculate Longevity⁸

善知計壽修否？ Do you properly understand how to calculate longevity, or not?

不徒數年月多寡， Do not merely count the number of years and months,

惟以德行之積，盛量己之長也。 Instead consider the accumulation of virtuous actions, as this is one's best measure of length.

不肖百紀，執及賢者一日之長哉！ Living less than a century, worthy people grasp the whole length of each day!

有為者，其身雖未久經世， Productive ones: even if they have not spent long in society,

而足稱耆耄矣。 they are equal to those who live into their 60s or 70s

上帝加我一日，以我改前日之非， If God gives me one extra day, it is so I can change yesterday's errors,

而進於德域一步。 And go forward one further step into a state of virtue.

設令我空費寸尺之寶，因歲之集， If I waste precious time, then as the years accumulate,

集己之咎， This fault itself then accumulates.

夫誠負上主之慈旨矣。 And this really goes against God's compassionate purpose.

嗚呼！恐再復禱壽， Alas! I fear again and again praying for a long life.

壽不可得之，非我福也。 Long life is not there for the taking, that is not our good fortune.

4. 德之勇巧，四章 The Valiant Art of Virtue⁹

琴瑟之音雖雅， The sounds of ancient zithers (qin se¹⁰), although elegant,

止能盈廣寓，和友朋， Can only fill a great hall, bringing harmony to friends,

徑迄牆壁之外，而樂及鄰人。 Or extend beyond the garden walls, bringing pleasure to neighbors.

不如德行之聲之洋洋， This is not equal to the grandeur of the sounds of virtuous action,

其以四海為界乎！ Which have the whole world as a boundary!

寰宇莫載， (Actually,) the whole world cannot contain it,

則猶通天之九重， And so it even penetrates the nine layers of heaven.

浮日月星辰之上， Floating above the sun, moon and stars,

悅天神而致天主之寵乎！ It pleases the heavenly spirits and gains the esteem of the Lord of Heaven!

勇哉，大德之成， How valiant! It is an achievement of great virtue,

能攻蒼天之金剛石城， It can have influence in the diamond city of heaven!

而息至威之怒矣！ And it can appease the wrath of the most majestic!

巧哉，德之大成， How artful, the achievement of virtue;

有聞於天， Having been heard in heaven,

能感無形之神明矣！ It can move the formless heavenly hosts. ¹¹

5. 悔老無德，五章 Regretting old age without virtue ¹²

余春年漸退，有往無復， My youth has gradually receded: there is going forward but no repeating.

蹙老暗侵，莫我恕也。 As I approach old age and darkness invades, no one shares my feelings.

何為乎窄地而營廣廈， How to go about it, with narrow land build a grand mansion,

以有數之日，圖無數之謀歟？ Or with a limited number of days, plan an unlimited number of schemes?

幸獲今日一日，即亟用之勿失。 Enjoy having each and every day, and eagerly use them without fail.

吁！毋許明日，明日難保； Alas, one cannot depend on tomorrow: tomorrow is hard to guarantee.

來日之望，止欺愚乎？ Hopes for future days: they just cheat the foolish.

愚者罄日立於江涯，俟其涸， Fools stand all day on the riverbank, waiting for it to dry up,

而江水汲汲流於海，終弗竭也。 But rivers flow tirelessly to the sea, never ending in exhaustion.

年也者，具有輶翼，莫怪其急飛也。 Years: they all have light wings, do not wonder at their speedy flight.

吾不怪年之急飛，而惟悔吾之懈進。 I do not wonder at the years' speedy flight, just regret my own procrastination.

已夫！老將臻而德未成矣。 Alas! As old age reaches its extreme, virtues can no longer be perfected!¹³

6. 胸中庸平，六章 Inner balance ¹⁴

胸中有備者，常衡乎靖隱， Those who in the heart have completeness are often at ease with quiet solitude;

不以榮自揚揚，不以窮自抑抑矣。 Not using prosperity for self-flattery, or poverty for self-limitation.

榮時則含懼，而窮際有所望， Prosperous times contain fears, while poverty has hopes,

乃知世之勢無常耶！ And so we realize that world conditions are never constant!

安心受命者，改命為義也。 Those who calmly endure their fate can change their fate properly.

海嶽巍巍，樹於海角， As for sea cliffs so lofty, and trees along sea headlands:

猛風鼓之，波浪伐之，不動也。 Fierce winds batter them, waves chop at them, but they do not move.

異於我浮梗蕩漾，竟無內主， How different from my floating on a log in vast waves, really having no inner balance,

第外之飄流是從耳。 And so in the external drifting currents just following along.

造物者造我乎宇內，為萬物尊， The Creator created me in the world, of all creatures the most honorable,¹⁵

而我屈己於林總，為其僕也。 But I submit myself to the great collection of all, becoming its servant.

慘兮慘兮！ Misery! Misery!

孰有抱德勇智者，
能不待物棄己， Who of those who embrace the strength and knowledge of virtue,
can avoid dependence on things and forget themselves,

而己先棄之，斯拔於其上乎？ And having first forgotten themselves, then promote others above themselves?

曰﹕「吾赤身且來，赤身且去， Say, "My physical body not only comes, it also goes.

惟德殉我身之後也，他物誰可之共歟！」 It is only virtue that can be buried with the remnants of my body, who could have something else!"

7. 肩負雙囊，七章 Shouldering two sacks ¹⁶

夫人也，識己也難乎？欺己也易乎？ For anyone, isn't understanding difficult? Isn't deception easy?

昔有言，凡人肩負雙囊。 Formerly it was said, everyone on their shoulders carries two sacks.

以胸囊囊人非， They use the sack on their chest to carry others' faults,

以背囊囊己慝兮。 (but) use the sack on their back to carry their own evil deeds.

目俯下易見他惡， They look down and it is is easy to see other's evils,

回首顧後囊， (But they must) turn their head to look at the sack on their back,

而覺自醜者希兮！ And so they think their own shameful acts are insignificant!

觀他短乃龍睛¹⁷，
視己失即瞽目兮。 To look at other's shortcomings one uses dragon eyes;
to see one's own failings one has blind eyes.

默泥氏一日濫刺毀人。 (The prophet) Mani¹⁸ one day was excessively lashing out, reviling people.

或曰，「汝獨無咎乎？ Someone said, "Are you really without sin ('defect')?

抑思昧吾儕歟？」 Or thinking of muffling us?"

曰，「有哉！或又重兮，惟今吾且自宥兮！」 He said, "There they are! Perhaps they are also important, only now I also myself forgive."

嗟嗟！待己如是寬也，誠闇矣！ Alas! Treating oneself thus so leniently, it is certainly short-sighted.

汝宥己，人則盍宥之？ If you forgive yourself, then should others forgive you?

余制虐法，人亦以此繩我矣。 If I decide on harsh rules, others also use these to restrain me.

世寡無過者，過者纖乃賢耳。 Society rarely has no transgressors, transgressors clever as your goodself.

汝望人恕汝大癰，而可不恕彼小疵乎？
Do you expect them to forgive your big warts,
while (you) can avoid forgiving their minor blemishes?

8. 定命四達，八章 Death reaches everywhere (see Menegon¹⁹)

嗚呼！世之芒芒， Alas! In the bustle of the world,

流年速逝，逼生人也。 years go by and quickly reach an end, pressuring on the living.

月面日易，月易銀容， The silver face of the moon changes every month.

春花紅潤，暮不若旦矣。 But the rosy softness of spring flowers withers from morning to evening!

若雖才，而才不免膚皺， No matter what your beauty, you cannot avoid wrinkles,

弗禁鬢白。 nor stop hair from becoming white.

衰老既詣， When old age and decrepitude arrive,

迅招乎凶， they rapidly summon the lethal night upon you,

夜來暝目也。 and you close your eyes in death.

定命四達，不畏王宮， Death reaches everywhere, does not fear royal palaces,

不恤窮舍， does not shirk the houses of the poor.

貧富愚賢， Poor and rich, ignorant and cultured,

概馳幽道， all are conducted along the tenebrous way.

土中之坎三尺， Burial under three feet of dirt,

候我與王子同圽²⁰兮！ that awaits me as well as the royal prince!

何用勞勞，而避夏猛炎？ What is the use in making so many efforts to avoid the heat of summer?

奚用動動，而防秋風不祥乎？ Why take so many pains to avoid the inconveniences of the autumn wind?

不日而須汝長別妻女親友。 Soon you will have to separate yourself forever from your wife, your relatives, your friends.

縱有深室，青金明朗， If you have a beautiful house, decorated with precious things,

外客或將居之。 maybe someone else will come and live in it.

豈無所愛？ Is there anything you do not love about it?

苑囿百樹， However, none of the numerous trees in your garden,

非松即楸， except for the pine and the catalpa,

皆不殉主喪也。 will survive after the funeral of the master.

日漸苦，萃財賄， All the riches you have accumulated with so much effort day after day

幾聚後人樂侈奢一番， will be enjoyed by your descendants,

即散兮！ and squandered at once.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji 利瑪竇中文著譯集
The Chinese text for these songs is from a modern re-publication, Matteo Ricci: Writings and Translations in Chinese, published 2001 in two editions. Page references here are to the Hong Kong edition in traditional characters, published by 香港城市大學出版社 the City University of Hong Kong Press. For details, search the City University site using either the Chinese or English title, but the book is only in Chinese. In 2001 the book was also published using simplified characters, by 復旦大學出版社 Fudan University Press, Shanghai. That edition (see details) is considerably less expensive. Some further information about the book is on the website of the USF Ricci Institute Library.
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2. Eight Songs for Western Keyboard (西琴曲意 Xiqin Quyi; see further information)
"Xiqin" in this title has also been translated as "for clavichord" and "for harpsichord". My best guess is that the instrument Ricci first brought to Beijing was a clavichord, but it also may have been a harpsichord; eventually he probably had both. For more on this see also Keyboards ca. 1600 CE and What musical instrument(s). As for the term "quyi" in the title, literally "song meaning", it can also indicate "making a special concession to achieve others' goals" (deFrancis).

Lyrics
Jonathan Spence, The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci. New York, Viking Penguin, 1984, pp. 198 - 200, gives an account of Ricci writing these lyrics, apparently with the help of some court eunuchs; Spence also translates the lyrics for the second of the songs. It is assumed that Ricci (or Pantoja) wrote out both the Chinese and Italian lyrics together with the specified music and gave this to the eunuchs; unfortunately no such document exists, or has even been mentioned. As a result, all that we have today is an edition with only the Chinese lyrics, no music. It was edited by the Catholic convert 李之藻 Li Zhizao, published in 1608, then preserved in some Chinese compendiums. This the text used in Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji and copied here. Ricci's comments on the popularity of the songs perhaps refers to the reaction to this version, published without the music.

This Chinese text, the original of which presumably was unpunctuated, is copied here, with modern punctuation, from Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji, pp. 287 - 291. This Chinese text, with some different phrasing, can also be found together with the Italian translation (not Ricci's original Italian, which is lost) by Pasquale D'Elia in his "Musica e Canti Italiani a Pechino (Marzo-Aprile 1601)," Rivista degli Studi Orientali 30 (1955): 131-45. Here I have copied the text from Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi, with a few minor punctuation changes, and aligned the Chinese according to the English translations.

The general introduction to the songs in Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji (p. 285) says that Ricci's lyrics were largely inspired by the Psalms of David, mentioning in particular Ricci's songs #2, #5, "and so on". Ricci refers to them not as religious lyrics but as 道語 daoyu, suggesting lyrics on moral or philosophical subjects.

Music
Jonathan Spence, ibid., writes that four court eunuchs were each taught to play a single instrumental melody on the keyboard. In addition, while the eunuchs were learning these, "Ricci and the younger eunuchs composed eight songs in Chinese that could be sung with harpsichord accompaniment." Spence later adds that, "the words he had written (were) sung by the court musicians to Pantoja's music". It is not clear whether they learned two songs each, they all sang together, one person did all the singing, or some other arrangement. More importantly, though, what was the style of this music?

Fonti Ricciane does not specify the music used for these songs; and, as mentioned above, if there ever was an original document or edition containing the music as well as the lyrics it is long lost. This has led to a certain amount of speculation as to the nature of this music (see further comment, in particular by Cronin). Sometimes Ricci himself has been credited with having written the music. However, although Ricci had musical training, it is difficult to believe he composed new music for such an extensive set of songs. As for whether another of the Jesuits composed new music, even if they had such skills this seems unlikely considering the time frame within which they had to work. Thus it seem most likely that existing melodies were used or adapted.

Some sources (e. g., Cronin) say the music was adapted from madrigals by Giovanni Animuccia (ca. 1520 – 1571) and Nanino (also called Nanini; they do not specify which of the two brothers they mean, Giovanni Maria Nanino [1543 or 1544 – March 11, 1607] or Giovanni Bernardino Nanino [c.1560 – 1623]). There does not seem to be music from these composers listed amongst the effects of the Jesuits in Beijing, but perhaps there is mention of it somewhere. It seems most likely, however, as mentioned above (see also Picard, op. cit., p. 852), that specific information about whatever music there was for these songs is now long lost. (For a later setting see Vêpres à la Vierge en Chine.)

There seems to have been little attention paid to the possibility that the music Ricci devised for these songs was Chinese or Chinese-style music. In this regard one should note a tantalizing comment in the general introduction to the songs in Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji (p. 285, lines 5-6; the source is not clear). Here a statement seems to suggest that in Nanjing Ricci had had Lazaro Cattaneo teach Pantoja 彈奏技巧和辨識中國五音 keyboard skills and recognizing the Chinese music system. In Beijing Pantoja had only a few months to teach them. As senior musicians perhaps the eunuchs could have quickly picked up basic keyboard skills, but the most elderly of them apparently had a great deal of trouble trying to gain a basic understanding of Western music principles. In addition, if as mentioned the eunuchs did help create the lyrics for the songs, it seems quite possible that they also helped create some of the music.

Li Zhizao, in his own preface of 1608 (complete version copied below from Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji, p. 287), wrote that, after seeing the keyboard instrument, 皇上奇之，因樂師問曰 the emperor marveled at it, and so his music master made a statement saying "其奏必有本國之曲，願聞之 this performance should have qu of (its or our) own country, then we would be willing to listen to it." 曲 Qu is often translated as "song", and 本 ben as "its own", so perhaps this is the source for claims that the eunuchs demanded Western music with lyrics. However, many qu, at least for the qin, do not have lyrics; and although 本 ben in this context probably means "its own", it can also mean "our own", which would make this a request for a Chinese melody. To this Li Zhizao quotes Ricci as having said, "夫他曲，旅人罔知，惟習道語數曲，今譯其大意，以大朝文字，敬陳於左。第譯其意，而不能隨其本韻者，方音異也", the translation of which is also rather difficult. My tentative translation is, "As for other songs/melodies, this visitor (i. e., I) do not know about this; I am only accustomed to some songs/melodies with philosophical texts. As of now I have translated their general meaning using literary Chinese, as follows. But although I have translated the meaning, in places where I have not been able to make it (the words?) follow the local (original?) rhymes (harmonies?), the local music might seem somewhat strange." Here Ricci may be apologizing that his translation does not rhyme. Apparently in Italian music at that time the musicians, who generally played without written scores, or with scores that were not specific as to rhythm, needed rhyme in order to know how to follow musical rhythms.

In order to explore how Ricci's songs might have sounded if set to Chinese music I have paired his lyrics to an adaptation of my reconstruction of the qin melody Mozi Bei Ge (Mozi Sings with Emotion; see a brief comment and another one on the potential relevance of Mohism to Christianity). The original qin melody was almost certainly being played in Nanjing at the time Ricci lived there. In many places my pairing closely follows the original qin melody. The biggest difficulty was following the traditional Chinese method of pairing qin melodies to lyrics, in which there is generally one Chinese character (i.e., syllable) for each right hand stroke and for each left hand pluck, but none for left hand slides. Here there may be several right hand strokes for one Chinese syllable, but one syllable for each note of a slide. Although this would not be idiomatic for a qin player trying to play and sing a melody according to the original tablature, the word density remains similar to the traditional Chinese methods and one can argue that thus the musical nature of the pairing is not significantly changed. Actual changes to the melody itself were mostly through repetition, augmentation and deletion of phrases, and altering of the rhythms I had worked out for my original reconstruction (qin tablature does not directly indicated note values/rhythm); there are also a few added passages in the style of qin music of that time.

For a complete performance combining my reconstruction of the qin melody Mozi Bei Ge with my setting of Ricci's 8 Songs the 13 sections of the qin melody alternate with the 8 Songs as shown in the first two columns. The third column is a guideline to the actual relationship between the two. The total length is about 30 minutes, with the song quite a bit longer than the original qin melody.

Mozi Bei Ge Section # Ricci Song # Source of song melody compared to qin melody section

1 1 1

2 2 2, part 1; then 5, part 2; then 2, part 2

3 & 4 3 3 then 4

5 & 6 4 5, part 1; then 6

7 5 7

8 6 8 then 9

10 7 10

11-13 8 11, then 12, then 13

closing harmonics

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3. Vincent Cronin, The Wise Man from the West, pp. 169 - 173, has a narration depicting music played and encountered by the Jesuits in China. This includes fanciful descriptions that have the music going forth "across the courtyards and upturned gilded roofs to the Imperial presence," adding (p. 173) that "the Emperor and all Peking were humming madigals." Such comments almost certainly reflect poetic license or wishful thinking; others are clearly incorrect (e.g., p. 170, "With an untempered scale and without semitones no harmony was possible."). Cronin says that his narrative is based on Jesuit accounts, but since the book has no footnotes it is difficult to know the source of or basis for any of these statements, and thus difficult to evaluate this account of the musical encounter. It would be particularly interesting to know the source of statements such as the one on p. 170 saying that Ricci's songs were set to the music of madrigals by Animuccia and Nanino, as discussed above.
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4. The original Preface by 李之藻 Li Zhizao, discussed and partially translated in a previous footnote, is as follows.

萬歷二十八年，歲次庚子，竇具贄物赴京師，獻上，間有西洋樂器雅琴一具，視中州異形，撫之有異音。皇上奇之，因樂師問曰：「其奏必有本國之曲，願聞之。」竇對曰﹕「夫他曲，旅人罔知，惟習道語數曲，今譯其大意，以大朝文字，敬陳於左。第譯其意，而不能隨其本韻者，方音異也。」

During the 28 year of the Wanli reign, a gengzi year (1601 C.E.), Matteo Ricci prepared gifts and went to the capital (Beijing) to offer them up (to the emperor). Among (the gifts) was the Western musical instrument yaqin ("elegant" qin) - one of them, regarded in China as having a strange form; when playing it there were strange sounds. The emperor marveled at it, and so his music master made a statement, saying, " Its performance should have melodies (qu: songs?) of (its or our) own country, then we would be willing to listen to it." Ricci responded, saying, "As for other songs/melodies, this visitor (i. e., I) do not know about this; I am only accustomed to some songs/melodies with philosophical texts. As of now I have translated their general meaning using literary Chinese, as follows. But although I have translated the meaning, in places where I have not been able to make it (the words?) follow the local (original?) rhymes (harmonies?), the local music might seem somewhat strange."
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5. Some of the translations remain tentative. Suggestions for alternate interpretations are most welcome.
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6. Song #1: My Promises are Above (吾願在上 Wu Yuan Zai Shang)
Tentative translation
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7. Song #2: A Shepherd Boy Wandering in the Hills (牧童遊山 Mutong You Shan)
Translation of this song (but not the title) is from Jonathan Spence, op. cit., pp. 198-199. Copied here with permission.
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8. Song #3: The Proper Way to Calculate Longevity (善計壽修 Shan Ji Shouxiu)
Tentative translation
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9. Song #4: The Valiant Art of Virtue (德之勇巧 De zhi Yong Qiao)
Tentative translation
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10. Qin se 琴瑟
Qin se (qin zither and se zither) is a phrase often found in the Shi Jing (Book of Songs). It might be translated as "small and large zither", but at that time it seems to have been a stock phrase for zithers, or perhaps string instruments in general (of which, at that time, zithers are the best [or only?] known examples). In Ricci's time the use of "qin se" evokes the antiquity of these instruments, but does not prove familiarity with the instruments themselves. At that time the se was very rarely used, perhaps only in a court ritual ensemble, or in a few scattered attempts to revive it. By the late Ming dynasty the qin, though by reputation still the instrument of scholars and recluses, not played to "bring pleasure to neighbors", was by some accounts more commonly used to show off one's elegance (ya; for more on this see James Watt's The Qin and the Chinese Literati). If this is true, it would not be surprising for Ricci to be somewhat skeptical of the spiritual nature of the qin. Popular images of the qin are further discussed here in The Qin in Novels and Opera.
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11. Dictionaries translate 神明 shenming as "deities", but Ricci would presumably have intended something like the more Biblical "angelic hosts of heaven".
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12. Song #5: Regret old age without virtue (? 悔老無德 Hui Lao Wu De)
Thanks to 賈抒冰 Jia Shubing for help with this translation.
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13. "臻 zhen (arrive)" follows D'Elia. Li Madou Zhongwen Zhuyi Ji has 王+秦 jin (21636, the name of a piece of jade; character not in computer programs). Zhen seems to make more sense. For the last character D'Elia had 夫 fu instead of 矣 yi.
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14. Song #6: In the heart/mind there is balance (? 胸中庸平 Xiongzhong Yong Ping)
Tentative translation; thanks to 賈抒冰 Jia Shubing for assistance. As for Yongping (庸平 3/xxx;), does it allude to the Doctrine of the Mean (中庸 Zhong Yong)?
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15. 為萬物尊 Wei wanwu zun
D'Elia believes that there is a connection between this phrase and one from the 書經 Shu Jing: （惟天地萬物父母，）惟人萬物之靈 (See Legge, Shoo King, p. 283 [V,I, Art. I³]: "(Heaven and Earth is the parent of all creatures;) and of all creatures man is the most highly endowed."
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16. Song #7: Shouldering two sacks (肩負雙囊 Jian Fu Shuang Nang)
The title and first half of #7 come directly from one of Aesop's Fables, "Two Bags". The translation of the second half is quite tentative - more on this below. Thanks to 賈抒冰 Jia Shubing for assistance on the first draft.
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17. Dragon eyes (龍睛 long jing)
The original "dragon clear weather" (龍晴 long qing) does not make sense; D'Elia makes same change.
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18. (The prophet) Mani ("默泥氏 Mo-ni-shi")
This identification of Monishi (Moni Shi) as the prophet Mani, founder of Manichaeism, is at present tentative. In Chinese the name Mani (c. 216-276; Wiki [中文]) is generally written "摩尼" (like 默泥 pronounced "Moni") but 12855.10 does not give any early references for this transliteration and I don't know its history, what variants there were, or how common these might have been. There were Manichaeans in China from early times (see, e.g., Manichaean Input to Chinese Culture and Art), and it is possible that Ricci had met some. The question, "Are you really 無咎 wujiu?" could then be, "Are you really without sin?", referring to the claim of the Manichaean "elect" to have sinless perfection. (Thanks to several people on the EUCHINA listserve for suggesting Mani, and especially to Ad Dudink, who added [referencing in particular an online .pdf, p.12ff] the specific suggestion concerning Manichaeans and sinlessness, and that "What Ricci is telling here might be found in the anti-Manichaean writings of e.g. Augustinus.") If this understanding of the passage is correct it may also suggest that Ricci had met Chinese who were familiar with the Manichaeans, and he wished to make clear to them that Manichaean beliefs were not the same as Christian beliefs.

D'Elia (op. cit.) identified 默泥氏 Monishi as Parmenides (ca. 520 - 450 BCE), considered by some to be the earliest Greek philosopher. Parmenides taught that, "Reality is one; change is impossible; and existence is timeless, uniform, and unchanging. (And) the world of appearances...is false and deceitful" (Wikipedia). It might have been natural that Ricci would discuss Parmenides with the Chinese, since Parmenides was perhaps the Western philosopher dating most closely from the time of Confucius (551 - 479 BCE). However, I don't know why there would be mention of Parmenides in this poem, as to my knowledge Parmendides is not associated with concepts of forgiveness. In modern references Parmenides' name is phoneticized in various ways (巴門尼德底斯 8942.50; 帕爾門尼 etc.), but Ricci would certainly have had to make up his own rendition.

If staying with the Greeks, the pronunciation "默泥氏 Monishi" actually fits better with the early philosopher Melissus (of Samos, mid 5th c. BCE; see Wiki). For Melissus one can find 墨利索斯 Molisuosi (5615.xxx) as well as 麥里梭 Mailisuo (48695.xxx), 梅里蘇 Meilisu (15223.xxx), etc. However, I also have not yet found anything in Melissus connected to forgiving (or not casting the first stone).

An interesting facet of Ricci's transliteration is his using the character 默 Mo. 49049 默 does not seem to have any entries for early Western philosophers, but 49049#9 默 says it is an alternate form of 墨 (same pronunciation). And although 5615 墨 also does not seem to be used in the names of any Western philosophers, the early Chinese philosopher 墨子 Mozi was known for the doctrine of 兼愛 jian'ai, often translated as "universal love". It might thus seem plausible that Ricci would draw on someone with a name that somehow resonated with that of Mozi. (This, of course, is pure speculation, especially as I have not heard of Ricci mentioning Mozi in any of his writings.)
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19. Song #8: Death reaches everywhere (定命四達 Ding Ling Sida)
English translation (based on the translation in D'Elia, Pasquale. "Musica e Canti Italiani a Pechino [Marzo-Aprile 1601]." Rivista degli Studi Orientali 30 [1955]: 131-45; D'Elia's article translates all eight songs into Italian) is from Menegon, Eugenio. "Deliver Us from Evil: Confession and Salvation in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Chinese Catholicism." In Forgive Us Our Sins: Confession in Late Ming and Early Qing China, edited by Nicolas Standaert and Ad Dudink, pp. 9-101. Sankt Augustin / Nettetal: Steyler Verlag, 2006, p. 11. Copied here with permission.
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20. 圽 mo
5045 圽 (extended character set) says it can be the same as 理 li; or it can be the same as 歾 or 歿 mo (the latter both mean "die").
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1.	吾願在上，一章	My Promises are Above⁶

	誰識人類之情也？	Who can distinguish the circumstances of mankind?
	人也者，乃反樹耳。	Take people, for example: they seem to be the opposite of trees.
	樹之根本在地，而從土受養，	A tree's roots are in the earth, so it receives its nourishment from the ground;
	其幹枝向天而竦。	its trunk and branches respectfully incline towards heaven.
	人之根本向乎天，而自天承育，	People's roots are inclined towards heaven, thus from heaven receiving nurture;
	其幹枝垂下。	but our trunk and limbs extend downwards.

	君子之知，知上帝者，	What civilized people know is God's knowledge.
	君子之學，學上帝者，	What civilized people learn is God's learning,
	因以擇誨眾也。	so one uses this in selecting how to instruct the people.
	上帝之心，惟多憐恤蒼生，	The heart of God only only great sympathy for the common people,
	少許霹靂傷人，	and seldom allows rumbling thunder to harm people.
	當使日月照，而照無私方矣！	When (God) causes the sun and moon to shine, it shines not in private places.
	常使雨雪降，而降無私田兮！	(God) often causes the rain and snow to fall, but it falls not on private fields.

2.	牧童遊山，二章	A Shepherd Boy Wandering in the Hills (see Spence⁷)

	牧童忽有憂，	A shepherd boy fell sad one day,
	即厭此山，	Hating the hillside on which he stood;
	而遠望彼山	He thought a distant hill he saw
	之如美，	More beautiful by far,
	可雪憂焉。	And that going there would wipe away his sorrows.

	至彼山，	So he set off to that distant hill,
	近彼山，	But as he drew near to it
	近不若遠矣。	It looked less good than it had from afar.

	牧童、牧童	O shepherd boy, shepherd boy,
	易居者寧易己乎？	How can you expect to transform yourself By changing your dwelling place?

	汝何往而能離己乎？	If you move away can you leave yourself behind?
	憂樂由心萌，	Sorrow and joy sprout in the heart.
	心平隨處樂，	If the heart is peaceful, you'll be happy everywhere,
	心幻隨處憂，	If the heart is in turmoil, every place brings sorrow.
	微埃入目，	A grain of dust in your eye
	人速疾之，	Brings discomfort speedily;
	而爾寬於串心之錐乎？	How can you then ignore this sharp awl That pierces your heart?

	已外尊己，	If you yearn for things outside yourself
	固不及自得矣，	You will never obtain what you are seeking.
	奚不治本心，	Why not put your own heart in order
	而永安於故山也？	And find peace on your own hillside?

	古今論皆指一耳。	Old and new writers alike give this advice:
	遊外無益，	There's no advantage to roaming outside,
	居內有利矣！	Keep the heart inside, for That brings the profit.

3.	善計壽修，三章	The Proper Way to Calculate Longevity⁸

	善知計壽修否？	Do you properly understand how to calculate longevity, or not?
	不徒數年月多寡，	Do not merely count the number of years and months,
	惟以德行之積，盛量己之長也。	Instead consider the accumulation of virtuous actions, as this is one's best measure of length.
	不肖百紀，執及賢者一日之長哉！	Living less than a century, worthy people grasp the whole length of each day!
	有為者，其身雖未久經世，	Productive ones: even if they have not spent long in society,
	而足稱耆耄矣。	they are equal to those who live into their 60s or 70s

	上帝加我一日，以我改前日之非，	If God gives me one extra day, it is so I can change yesterday's errors,
	而進於德域一步。	And go forward one further step into a state of virtue.
	設令我空費寸尺之寶，因歲之集，	If I waste precious time, then as the years accumulate,
	集己之咎，	This fault itself then accumulates.
	夫誠負上主之慈旨矣。	And this really goes against God's compassionate purpose.
	嗚呼！恐再復禱壽，	Alas! I fear again and again praying for a long life.
	壽不可得之，非我福也。	Long life is not there for the taking, that is not our good fortune.

4.	德之勇巧，四章	The Valiant Art of Virtue⁹

	琴瑟之音雖雅，	The sounds of ancient zithers (qin se¹⁰), although elegant,
	止能盈廣寓，和友朋，	Can only fill a great hall, bringing harmony to friends,
	徑迄牆壁之外，而樂及鄰人。	Or extend beyond the garden walls, bringing pleasure to neighbors.

	不如德行之聲之洋洋，	This is not equal to the grandeur of the sounds of virtuous action,
	其以四海為界乎！	Which have the whole world as a boundary!
	寰宇莫載，	(Actually,) the whole world cannot contain it,
	則猶通天之九重，	And so it even penetrates the nine layers of heaven.
	浮日月星辰之上，	Floating above the sun, moon and stars,
	悅天神而致天主之寵乎！	It pleases the heavenly spirits and gains the esteem of the Lord of Heaven!

	勇哉，大德之成，	How valiant! It is an achievement of great virtue,
	能攻蒼天之金剛石城，	It can have influence in the diamond city of heaven!
	而息至威之怒矣！	And it can appease the wrath of the most majestic!

	巧哉，德之大成，	How artful, the achievement of virtue;
	有聞於天，	Having been heard in heaven,
	能感無形之神明矣！	It can move the formless heavenly hosts. ¹¹

5.	悔老無德，五章	Regretting old age without virtue ¹²

	余春年漸退，有往無復，	My youth has gradually receded: there is going forward but no repeating.
	蹙老暗侵，莫我恕也。	As I approach old age and darkness invades, no one shares my feelings.
	何為乎窄地而營廣廈，	How to go about it, with narrow land build a grand mansion,
	以有數之日，圖無數之謀歟？	Or with a limited number of days, plan an unlimited number of schemes?
	幸獲今日一日，即亟用之勿失。	Enjoy having each and every day, and eagerly use them without fail.
	吁！毋許明日，明日難保；	Alas, one cannot depend on tomorrow: tomorrow is hard to guarantee.
	來日之望，止欺愚乎？	Hopes for future days: they just cheat the foolish.
	愚者罄日立於江涯，俟其涸，	Fools stand all day on the riverbank, waiting for it to dry up,
	而江水汲汲流於海，終弗竭也。	But rivers flow tirelessly to the sea, never ending in exhaustion.
	年也者，具有輶翼，莫怪其急飛也。	Years: they all have light wings, do not wonder at their speedy flight.
	吾不怪年之急飛，而惟悔吾之懈進。	I do not wonder at the years' speedy flight, just regret my own procrastination.
	已夫！老將臻而德未成矣。	Alas! As old age reaches its extreme, virtues can no longer be perfected!¹³

6.	胸中庸平，六章	Inner balance ¹⁴

	胸中有備者，常衡乎靖隱，	Those who in the heart have completeness are often at ease with quiet solitude;
	不以榮自揚揚，不以窮自抑抑矣。	Not using prosperity for self-flattery, or poverty for self-limitation.
	榮時則含懼，而窮際有所望，	Prosperous times contain fears, while poverty has hopes,
	乃知世之勢無常耶！	And so we realize that world conditions are never constant!
	安心受命者，改命為義也。	Those who calmly endure their fate can change their fate properly.
	海嶽巍巍，樹於海角，	As for sea cliffs so lofty, and trees along sea headlands:
	猛風鼓之，波浪伐之，不動也。	Fierce winds batter them, waves chop at them, but they do not move.
	異於我浮梗蕩漾，竟無內主，	How different from my floating on a log in vast waves, really having no inner balance,
	第外之飄流是從耳。	And so in the external drifting currents just following along.
	造物者造我乎宇內，為萬物尊，	The Creator created me in the world, of all creatures the most honorable,¹⁵
	而我屈己於林總，為其僕也。	But I submit myself to the great collection of all, becoming its servant.
	慘兮慘兮！	Misery! Misery!
	孰有抱德勇智者，能不待物棄己，	Who of those who embrace the strength and knowledge of virtue, can avoid dependence on things and forget themselves,
	而己先棄之，斯拔於其上乎？	And having first forgotten themselves, then promote others above themselves?
	曰﹕「吾赤身且來，赤身且去，	Say, "My physical body not only comes, it also goes.
	惟德殉我身之後也，他物誰可之共歟！」	It is only virtue that can be buried with the remnants of my body, who could have something else!"

7.	肩負雙囊，七章	Shouldering two sacks ¹⁶

	夫人也，識己也難乎？欺己也易乎？	For anyone, isn't understanding difficult? Isn't deception easy?
	昔有言，凡人肩負雙囊。	Formerly it was said, everyone on their shoulders carries two sacks.
	以胸囊囊人非，	They use the sack on their chest to carry others' faults,
	以背囊囊己慝兮。	(but) use the sack on their back to carry their own evil deeds.
	目俯下易見他惡，	They look down and it is is easy to see other's evils,
	回首顧後囊，	(But they must) turn their head to look at the sack on their back,
	而覺自醜者希兮！	And so they think their own shameful acts are insignificant!
	觀他短乃龍睛¹⁷，視己失即瞽目兮。	To look at other's shortcomings one uses dragon eyes; to see one's own failings one has blind eyes.
	默泥氏一日濫刺毀人。	(The prophet) Mani¹⁸ one day was excessively lashing out, reviling people.
	或曰，「汝獨無咎乎？	Someone said, "Are you really without sin ('defect')?
	抑思昧吾儕歟？」	Or thinking of muffling us?"
	曰，「有哉！或又重兮，惟今吾且自宥兮！」	He said, "There they are! Perhaps they are also important, only now I also myself forgive."
	嗟嗟！待己如是寬也，誠闇矣！	Alas! Treating oneself thus so leniently, it is certainly short-sighted.
	汝宥己，人則盍宥之？	If you forgive yourself, then should others forgive you?
	余制虐法，人亦以此繩我矣。	If I decide on harsh rules, others also use these to restrain me.
	世寡無過者，過者纖乃賢耳。	Society rarely has no transgressors, transgressors clever as your goodself.
	汝望人恕汝大癰，而可不恕彼小疵乎？	Do you expect them to forgive your big warts, while (you) can avoid forgiving their minor blemishes?

8.	定命四達，八章	Death reaches everywhere (see Menegon¹⁹)

	嗚呼！世之芒芒，	Alas! In the bustle of the world,
	流年速逝，逼生人也。	years go by and quickly reach an end, pressuring on the living.
	月面日易，月易銀容，	The silver face of the moon changes every month.
	春花紅潤，暮不若旦矣。	But the rosy softness of spring flowers withers from morning to evening!

	若雖才，而才不免膚皺，	No matter what your beauty, you cannot avoid wrinkles,
	弗禁鬢白。	nor stop hair from becoming white.
	衰老既詣，	When old age and decrepitude arrive,
	迅招乎凶，	they rapidly summon the lethal night upon you,
	夜來暝目也。	and you close your eyes in death.

	定命四達，不畏王宮，	Death reaches everywhere, does not fear royal palaces,
	不恤窮舍，	does not shirk the houses of the poor.
	貧富愚賢，	Poor and rich, ignorant and cultured,
	概馳幽道，	all are conducted along the tenebrous way.
	土中之坎三尺，	Burial under three feet of dirt,
	候我與王子同圽²⁰兮！	that awaits me as well as the royal prince!

	何用勞勞，而避夏猛炎？	What is the use in making so many efforts to avoid the heat of summer?
	奚用動動，而防秋風不祥乎？	Why take so many pains to avoid the inconveniences of the autumn wind?
	不日而須汝長別妻女親友。	Soon you will have to separate yourself forever from your wife, your relatives, your friends.

	縱有深室，青金明朗，	If you have a beautiful house, decorated with precious things,
	外客或將居之。	maybe someone else will come and live in it.
	豈無所愛？	Is there anything you do not love about it?
	苑囿百樹，	However, none of the numerous trees in your garden,
	非松即楸，	except for the pine and the catalpa,
	皆不殉主喪也。	will survive after the funeral of the master.
	日漸苦，萃財賄，	All the riches you have accumulated with so much effort day after day
	幾聚後人樂侈奢一番，	will be enjoyed by your descendants,
	即散兮！	and squandered at once.

Mozi Bei Ge Section #	Ricci Song #	Source of song melody compared to qin melody section
1	1	1
2	2	2, part 1; then 5, part 2; then 2, part 2
3 & 4	3	3 then 4
5 & 6	4	5, part 1; then 6
7	5	7
8	6	8 then 9
10	7	10
11-13	8	11, then 12, then 13
closing harmonics