Chinese poem illustration: 大雅 緜/ Daya – Endless Vine by Anonymous
Full video also available at Bilibili: 大雅 緜part1 part2
The 3rd in Daya(大雅), a classic epic poem about one of the key founder of Zhou dynasty: Father Dan(亶父). He is the founder of the Zhou Plateau(周原), which finally became the homeland, the cornerstone of Zhou dynasty. since Father Dan, Zhou(周) was recognized not as a tribe anymore, but a state, a dynasty, the root of Chinese culture. The background story is briefed followed with illustration of 1st till 4th paragraph.
The phase 周原膴膴，堇荼如飴(Bitters taste sweet) is further analysed and comapared toward the Israeli idiom: a land flowing with milk and honey, BTW, I have been to both places. The characters 堇荼 is interpreted as bitter grass normally. It could also refering the mud on the surface, which is used to paint the wall and roof. so堇荼如飴 means the mud on the surface is like maltose.
Part2 illustrate 5th till 9th paragraph. The vidid description of a constraction field, the building of new town, the snapshot of the brilliant new palace not only refelcted the joy and happiness of Zhou poeple, but also an emerging state, a new start.
The weird 9th paragraph is analysed with my own argument that it could be a mismatch bamboo stripe(错简).
大雅 緜
佚名
緜緜瓜瓞。民之初生，自土沮漆。
古公亶父，陶复陶穴，未有家室。
古公亶父，来朝走马。
率西水浒，至于岐下。
爰及姜女，聿来胥宇。
周原膴膴，堇荼如饴。
爰始爰谋，爰契我龟，曰止曰时，筑室于兹。
廼慰廼止，廼左廼右，廼疆廼理，廼宣廼亩。
自西徂东，周爰执事。
乃召司空，乃召司徒，俾立室家。
其绳则直，缩版以载，作庙翼翼。
捄之陾陾，度之薨薨，筑之登登，削屡冯冯。
百堵皆兴，鼛鼓弗胜。
廼立皋门，皋门有伉。
廼立应门，应门将将。
廼立冢土，戎丑攸行。
肆不殄厥愠，亦不陨厥问。
柞棫拔矣，行道兑矣。
混夷駾矣，维其喙矣！
虞芮质厥成，文王蹶厥生。
予曰有疏附，予曰有先后。
予曰有奔奏，予曰有御侮！
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