Chinese poem illustration: 小雅 北山/ Xiaoya – North Mountains by Anonymous
Full video also available at Bilibili: 小雅 北山
A few poems in Shijing focus more of private interests rather than public interets. Workplace politics is quite easily understood for today’s people if you have the working experience in a big orgnazition or company. Maybe that is the reason why some of the wordings in it is still quite pupular today. This poem is very likely written in the middle period of West Zhou(西周), when people are used to the peaceful and ruotine life, then natually turned into his own private interests which is always belittled by Zhou people.
Arguments on the significance of North Mountains(北山) and parents(父母) are explored.
小雅 北山
佚名
陟彼北山，言采其杞。
偕偕士子，朝夕从事。
王事靡盬，忧我父母。
溥天之下，莫非王土；
率土之滨，莫非王臣。
大夫不均，我从事独贤。
四牡彭彭，王事傍傍。
嘉我未老，鲜我方将。
旅力方刚，经营四方。
或燕燕居息，或尽瘁事国；
或息偃在床，或不已于行。
或不知叫号，或惨惨劬劳；
或栖迟偃仰，或王事鞅掌。
或湛乐饮酒，或惨惨畏咎；
或出入风议，或靡事不为。
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