Chinese poem illustration: 周南 芣苢/ Zhou Wind – Semen Coicis by Anonymous
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A lively ballad with the most simplicity among the poems/songs in Book of Songs. It looks a bit boring, but it could mean a lot for a Zhou people when singing this beautiful ballad in the golden field of Zhou Plateau(周原), like a Scarborough man chant “Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” in his hometown.
Semen Coicis could mean a lot to Zhou people , not only limited to essential food. This is reasoned and derived by comparing the whole Book of Songs. By a popular saying, semen coicis is a metaphor of prosperous fertility. Song for harvest, song for the beautiful, peaceful country life, is the sweetest song ever, a song of ideal life for Chinese.
周南 芣苢
佚名
采采芣苢，薄言采之。
采采芣苢，薄言有之。
采采芣苢，薄言掇之。
采采芣苢，薄言捋之。
采采芣苢，薄言袺之。
采采芣苢，薄言襭之。
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