Chinese poem illustration: 小雅 车舝/Xiaoya – Carriage Axle Plug by Anonymous
Full video also available at Bilibili: 小雅 车舝
A feeling still shared among today’s people, as long as wedding is still part of our life, it hurts much when a father bid farewell to his daughter, the bride. Very likely this poem is a follower to Bei Wind Swallows(邶风 燕燕), but with more sophisticated writing technique, especially the strong and positive feeling concluded at the end.
A totally new explanation is raised in this video: this poem is about the father’s way back from the wedding rather to the wedding. The recall to the wedding and his little girl was mixed with the progression of his homeward bound journey, from early morning to a sad night camp. At last, wake up on a bright shining morning with south mountains high around, driving swiftly on the broadway(景行行止).
The sentence 高山仰止, 景行行止 became the utmost eulogist to a man with virtue and achievment, like Sima Qian(司马迁). I have been to his tomb and temple, would never forget how this sentence marked on the front gate, facing the Yellow River(黄河) and Mount Hua(华山).
小雅 车舝
佚名
间关车之舝兮，思娈季女逝兮。
匪饥匪渴，德音来括。
虽无好友？式燕且喜。
依彼平林，有集维鷮。
辰彼硕女，令德来教。
式燕且誉，好尔无射。
虽无旨酒？式饮庶几。
虽无嘉肴？式食庶几。
虽无德与女？式歌且舞？
陟彼高冈，析其柞薪。
析其柞薪，其叶湑兮。
鲜我觏尔，我心写兮。
高山仰止，景行行止。
四牡騑騑，六辔如琴。
觏尔新婚，以慰我心。
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