Chinese poem illustration: 邶风 日月/ Bei Wind – Sun Moon by Anonymous
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A beautiful written poem with profound feelings , might misinterpreted for 2000 years. Like lot of poems in Book of Songs, they were attached with background stories by Han scholars, which in turn limited and distorted the interpretation of these poems. Every Shijing poem definitely has its background and creator, but there is no solid history record could be related to Shijing poem, unless the poem provided the proof with its content which coincide with the history record.
This poem expressed the most deep sadness and sorrow to the passed away – his parents, his male and female ancestors, also with strong implication of lords of Shang dynasty and its glory. As such, the poet was very likely a former Shang noble person, a descendant of Shang king, like that of 邶风 简兮. It could be written in the very early West Zhou time when the Shang people just lost their regime. The Sun was paralleled to the past kings and glories of Shang dynasty, which has fallen down when writing the poem(日居月诸).
This poem started the type of Looking to the Moon Thinking of People poetry(望月怀人). The classic Chinese philosophy on relation between the passed away and the alive is discussed, which is essential to understand this poem.
This video is also my personal memorial to Leslie Cheung, Wang Wei and my dad in Qingming festival of 2020.
邶风 日月
佚名
日居月诸，照临下土。
乃如之人兮，逝不古处？
胡能有定？宁不我顾。
日居月诸，下土是冒。
乃如之人兮，逝不相好。
胡能有定？宁不我报。
日居月诸，出自东方。
乃如之人兮，德音无良。
胡能有定？俾也可忘。
日居月诸，东方自出。
父兮母兮，畜我不卒。
胡能有定？报我不述。
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