Chinese poem illustration: 小雅 节南山/ Xiaoya – Sighing for South Mountain by Father Jia
Full video also available at Bilibili: 小雅 节南山 Part1 / 小雅 节南山Part2
Around late term of West Zhou(西周), Father Jia(家父), the poet is furious to those misbehaving governors(尹氏大师) who brought huge disasters to people, thus he wrote this blaming poem to record the guilts and his own feelings. The poem implied a period of ruling without king, which very likely correspond to the King Li(周厉王)’s period, the king been exiled for 14 years.
Misfortunate country creates fortunate poets(国家不幸诗家兴), Father Jia was, so did Qu Yuan(屈原) who was 500 years after. for sure Qu Yuan inherit a lot from this poem.
In the first part, the poet concluded that Senior official(尹氏大师) worsened the disasters of famines and pandemic by pinpoint their duties and their behaviors.
In second part of this poem, the poet concluded the King did not behave properly neither. The poet further describes a meetup with that senior official which further reflecting his ugly and mean personality. With unease and fury, the poet explained why he was writing this poem, which is to record the situation and feelings(诗言志), he even unusually attached his name in the poem: 家父作诵 to stand by his political concerns, his duty and consequence.
Attaching poet name also indicated the poetry is much more advanced compare to those written earlier, it was of more personal interests and feelings rather than common interests. This poem is also one of the very original ancestor of those patriotism poems in later dynasties, normally considered starting from Qu Yuan(屈原).
小雅 节南山
家父
节彼南山，维石岩岩。赫赫师尹，民具尔瞻。
忧心如惔，不敢戏谈。国既卒斩，何用不监！
节彼南山，有实其猗。赫赫师尹，不平谓何。
天方荐瘥，丧乱弘多。民言无嘉，憯莫惩嗟。
尹氏大师，维周之氐；秉国之钧，四方是维。
天子是毗，俾民不迷。不吊昊天，不宜空我师。
弗躬弗亲，庶民弗信。弗问弗仕，勿罔君子。
式夷式已，无小人殆。琐琐姻亚，则无膴仕。
昊天不佣，降此鞠訩。昊天不惠，降此大戾。
君子如届，俾民心阕。君子如夷，恶怒是违。
不吊昊天，乱靡有定。式月斯生，俾民不宁。
忧心如酲，谁秉国成？不自为政，卒劳百姓。
驾彼四牡，四牡项领。我瞻四方，蹙蹙靡所骋。
方茂尔恶，相尔矛矣。既夷既怿，如相酬矣。
昊天不平，我王不宁。不惩其心，覆怨其正。
家父作诵，以究王訩。式讹尔心，以畜万邦。
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