Chinese poem illustration: 周颂 清庙/ Zhou Song – The Grand Temple by Anonymous
Full video also available at Bilibili: 周颂 清庙
Before 17:33, a short briefing on Song(颂) is conducted. As usual, the first poem in the major four categories of Shijing(诗经四始) is vital not only to Zhou people, but also a key to understand the poems under this category.
The title The Grand Temple(清庙) generally is explained as a quiet temple, while I have a far different idea. The character 清 or its root radical 青 normally refers to the perfect color of a clear sky which resembles the god in ancient China, it also derived the meaning of true spirits and essence(精). In Zuozhuan(春秋左传), The Grand Temple was described as a thatched temple with straw roof(清庙茅屋). With all about, The Grand Temple should be a big, simple and primitive in its structure and materials, but with the most holy image to Zhou people.
The first character 於 should be read as wu1, a sigh word.
周颂 清庙
佚名
於穆清庙，肃雍显相。
济济多士，秉文之德。
对越在天，骏奔走在庙。
不显不承，无射于人斯！
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