The background to the lyrics is that Duke Dan Fu took the people of Zhou from Bin to Mount Qi; this story was related in #4 Qishan Cao. Dan Fu's son Duke Ji (also called King Ji) married Lady Ren, who bore Chang. Chang became Civil King (Wen Wang). After marrying an unnamed lady, Wen Wang and a Lady Xin had a son, who became Wu Wang (Martial King). Wen Wang began the struggle against the Shang and Wu Wang finally defeated them and establisheds the Zhou dynasty.

The only setting of these poems is in Taigu Yiyin (1511). The tablature does not have punctuation or indicate divisions. They direct one first to sing the titles of each poem, with its brief explanation, then the lyrics.

The lyrics are translated below.

 
⁴ Original preface (translation not completed)

Such sections of Da Ya as Great Brilliance, Spreading, and Oak Trees all make clear the virtue of Wen Wang, so that Heaven restored its mandate to Wu Wang. Zhou Gong wrote them to caution (Wu Wang's son) Cheng Wang. Shi Xiang (the music master of Confucius) clothed it as instrumental music in order to play it in the sacrificial temple, recall the ghosts and spirits, and use it as a vessel for initiating writing. Alas! "The Great Lord approaches. Do not be of two minds." Entrust to the hands, and you can get the body and mind. (?)

 
Music and Lyrics⁵
Three sections (not indicated in the tablature), largely following the syllabic structure, but this is broken up at places by ornaments and repeats. The title of each section is also set to music.

(#236) Great Brilliance: King Wen had shining virtue, so Heaven reassigned its mandate to King Wu.
([4+4] x 28 [except that the third is 4+5])

(King Wen was) illustrious down below,
    (while Heaven was) glorious up above.
Heaven is difficult to count on:
    it's not easty to remain a king.
The celestial seat of the Yin heirs was effected
    so they could not hold their lands.

Zhi (country)'s second daughter of the Ren family (i.e. Tairen)
    from (Yin) Shang
came to get married in Zhou,
    So she became a wife in the capital.
Thus with King Ji
    she joined in virtuous deeds.

Tairen became pregnant,
    and gave birth to (the future) King Wen.
As for this King Wen,
    (since he was) careful and reverent,
he illustriously served God on high,
    (and so) harbored many blessings.
His virtue did not go astray,
    so he abosorbed (neighboring) local states.

Heaven examined what was below,
    and had its mandate put into (King Wen's) nest.
During King Wen's early work
    heaven made for him a match,
from the He River's north side,
    on the Wei River's bank.

King Wen admired her,
    the great country had a daughter.
The great country had a child,
    fair as heaven's sister.
Marriage gifts set their luck (i.e., wedding),
    she was welcomed at the Wei river,
by the making of boats into a bridge,
    dazzling in their brightness.

There came a command from heaven
    ordering this King Wen,
in Zhou, his capital,
    "the woman who can help you fulfill your mission is (a lady of) Xin;
her being eldest child (of the Xin royal family) allows this act."
    It was she who bore King Wu.
"Help will be granted you (Zhou people when)
    attacking the Great Shang (dynasty)."

(Yin) Shang's troops massed so that
    (their lances) seemed like a forest.
(So King Wu) harangued (his troops) at Mu Ye,
    (saying, "(We will) indeed rise in timely fashion.
God on high is watching you,
    let no second thoughts come into your hearts."

Mu Ye's (fields) were very broad,
    the wooden war chariots were brilliant,
the teams of horses were powerful,
    as commander was Shang Fu.
At that time (Shang Fu) was powerful as an eagle.
    With him assisting Wu Wang
they attacked Great Shang,
    and by dawn everything was clear (since they had won the battle).

 
(#237) Spreading: King Wen's prosperity originated with the Great King (i.e., Duke Dan Fu)
([4+4] x 21, then [5+5] x 1, then [4+4] x 2, then [5+5] x 3)

Spreading and spreading (like) young melons,
    the (Zhou) people's first coming to life,
came from the lands of the Ju and Qi (rivers in Bin country).
    Old Duke Dan Fu
(had them) build shelters (and) build caves (in the loess cliffs),
    they did not yet have houses.

Of old Duke Dan Fu
    arrived early, galloping on his horse (the song repeats these two lines)
Leading (his people) westward along the riverbank,
    they arrived at the area below Mount Qi.
Then, together with Lady Jiang,
    upon arrival they all lived together.

The Zhou plain was fertile (lit: had dried meat)
    (even its) bitter plants (tasted like) sweet cakes.
(So) here they began, here they planned,
    here they notched (their tortoises (for divination),
(which) said, "Stop"; (and) said, "Now is the time,
    build houses in this place."

So they made homes, so they stopped (to rest),
    so (they lived to) left and right,
so (they made) large plots and small plots,
    so they reclaimed land and opened fields.
From west to east
    Zhou thus managed its affairs.

So he gave orders to the Master of Building,
    (and) orders to the Master of Lands,
so they would build homes.
    Their plumblines were straight,
they tied up boards to contain (the earth),
    (but they first) made a temple that was majestic.

When hauling early they made rattling sounds,
    when shoveling they made crunching sounds,
beating it they made thumping noises,
    shaping the walls they made scraping noises.
In all, 100 cubits were raised,
    and the drum beaters no longer (seemed to) make sounds
    (because the work sounds were greater than those of the accompanying drumbeats.)

So they raised the outer gate,
    and the outer gate was lofty.
So they raised the inner gate,
    and the inner gate was strong.
So they raised a meeting space (on a terrace),
    from which enemies (i.e., the tribes to used to live there) could be driven away.

Although this did not end their hardships,
    they also did not fall from their high reputations.
Oak forests were rooted up,
    roadways were cleared,
and the Kun and Yi tribes rode away,
    and so their numbers declined.

(The people of) Yu and Rui pledged their allegiance,
    (so) King Wen improved their lives.
(Because of King Wen's good work) one said, "I say that I can attract people from distant places;"
    (another said), "I say that I can put things in their proper order;"
(another said), "I say I will travel around working for you;"
    (yet another said), "I say I can correct those who make insults."

 
(#238) Oak Trees: King Wen has the ability to promote good people.
([4+4] x 10)

Luxuriant (are the) oak trees:
    make them into firewood and burn them.
Numerous are the kings:
    on left and right they rush to serve him.

Numerous are the kings,
    left and right they hold up scepters (to him).
They hold up scepters solemnly,
    as eminent men they are befitting.

"Pi" (is the sound of) those Jing river boats,
    vigorous are those who row them.
The Zhou king going forth,
    (has) six battalions accompanying him.

Clear is the Milky Way,
    as it makes its display in the sky.
King of Zhou: "Long life!"
    How could he not make men anew!

Chiselled and carved are his emblems,
    of god and jade is their substance.
Working and working is our king,
    making a net of all the lands.

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Wen Wang Qu 文王曲
13766.xx; 13766.36 Wen Wang Cao refers to #7.
(Return)

2. Tuning and Mode
Taigu Yiyin does not group melodies by tuning or mode.
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3. Image
None yet selected
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4. Original preface
Not yet online.
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5. Original lyrics
The translation above is sometimes awkward, as it was designed to run under the text on my transcription, and so it tries to go word for word. Dr. Tong Kin-Woon gave invaluable assistance.

The original Shi Jing lyrics are as follows:

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