-
LI SAO
(The
Lament)
is not only
one of the
most
remarkable
works
of
Ch'ü
Yü
an,
it
ranks
as
one
of
the
greatest
poems
in
Chinese
or
world
poetry.
It
was
probably
written
during
the
period
when
the
poet
had
been
exiled
by
his
king,
and
was
living south of the
Yangtse River.
The
name
LI
SAO
has
been
interpreted
by
some
as
meaning
sorrow,
by
others
as
after
departure.
Some
recent
scholars
have
construed
it
as
in
estrangement,
while
yet
others
think
it
was
the
name
of
a
certain type of music.
This long lyrical poem
describes the search and disillusionment
of a soul in agony, riding on dragons
and serpents from heaven
to
earth.
By
means
of
rich
imagery
and
skilful
similes,
it
expresses love of one's country and the
sadness of separation. It
touches
upon
various
historical
themes
intermingled
with
legends and myths, and depicts,
directly or indirectly, the social
conditions
of
that
time
and
the
complex
destinies
of
the
city
states of ancient
China. The conflict between the individual and
the ruling group is repeatedly
described, while at the same time
the
poet
affirms
his
determination
to
fight
for
justice.
This
passionate desire to save his country,
and this love for the people,
account
for the poem's splendour and immortality.
A prince am I
of ancestry renowned,
Illustrious name my royal sire hath
found.
When Sirius did in
spring its light display,
A
child was born, and Tiger marked the day.
When first upon my face my
lord's eye glanced,
For me
auspicious names he straight advanced,
Denoting that in me Heaven's marks
divine
Should with the
virtues of the earth combine.
With lavished innate qualities indued,
By art and skill my talents
I renewed;
Angelic herbs
and sweet selineas too,
And
orchids late that by the water grew,
I wove for ornament; till creeping
Time,
Like water flowing,
stole away my prime.
Magnolias of the glade I plucked at
dawn,
At eve beside the
stream took winter-thorn.
Without delay the sun and moon sped
fast,
In swift succession
spring and autumn passed;
The fallen flowers lay scattered on the
ground,
The dusk might fall
before my dream was found.
Had I not loved my prime and spurned
the vile,
Why should I not
have changed my former style?
My chariot drawn by steeds of race
divine
I urged; to guide
the king my sole design.
Three ancient kings there were so pure
and true
That round them
every fragrant flower grew;
Cassia and pepper of the mountain-side
With melilotus white in
clusters vied.
Two monarchs
then, who high renown received,
Followed the kingly way, their goal
achieved.
Two princes proud
by lust their reign abused,
Sought easier path, and their own steps
confused.
The faction for
illict pleasure longed;
Dreadful their way where hidden perils
thronged.
Danger against
myself could not appal,
But
feared I lest my sovereign's sceptre fall.
Forward and
back I hastened in my quest,
Followed the former kings, and took no
rest.
The prince my true
integrity defamed,
Gave ear
to slander, high his anger flamed;
Integrity I knew could not avail,
Yet still endured; my lord
I would not fail.
Celestial
spheres my witness be on high,
I strove but for his sacred majesty.
Twas first to me he gave
his plighted word,
But soon
repenting other counsel heard.
For me departure could arouse no pain;
I grieved to see his royal
purpose vain.
Nine fields of orchids at one time I
grew,
For melilot a hundred
acres too,
And fifty acres
for the azalea bright,
The
rumex fragrant and the lichen white.
I longed to see them yielding blossoms
rare,
And thought in season
due the spoil to share.
I
did not grieve to see them die away,
But grieved because midst weeds they
did decay.
Insatiable in lust and greediness
The faction strove, and
tired not of excess;
Themselves condoning, others they'd
decry,
And steep their
hearts in envious jealousy.
Insatiably they seized what
they desired,
It was not
that to which my heart aspired.
As old age unrelenting hurried near,
Lest my fair name should
fail was all my fear.
Dew
from magnolia leaves I drank at dawn,
At eve for food were aster petals
borne;
And loving thus the
simple and the fair,
How
should I for my sallow features care?
With gathered vines I strung valeria
white,
And mixed with blue
wistaria petals bright,
And
melilotus matched with cassia sweet,
With ivy green and tendrils long to
meet.
Life I adapted to the
ancient way,
Leaving the
manners of the present day;
Thus unconforming to the modern age,
The path I followed of a
bygone sage.
Long did I sigh and wipe away my tears,
To see my people bowed by
griefs and fears.
Though I
my gifts enhanced and curbed my pride,
At morn they'd mock me, would at eve
deride;
First cursed that I
angelica should wear,
Then
cursed me for my melilotus fair.
But since my heart did love such
purity,
I'd not regret a
thousand deaths to die.
I marvel at the folly of the king,
So heedless of his people's
suffering.
They envied me
my mothlike eyebrows fine,
And so my name his damsels did malign.
Truly to craft alone their
praise they paid,
The
square in measuring they disobeyed;
The use of common rules they held
debased;
With confidence
their crooked lines they traced.
In sadness plunged and sunk
in deepest gloom,
Alone I
drove on to my dreary doom.
In exile rather would I meet my end,
Than to the baseness of
their ways descend.
Remote
the eagle spurns the common range,
Nor deigns since time began its way to
change;
A circle fits not
with a square design;
Their
different ways could not be merged with mine.
Yet still my heart I
checked and curbed my pride,
Their blame endured and their reproach
beside.
To die for
righteousness alone I sought,
For this was what the ancient sages
taught.
I
failed my former errors to discern;
I tarried long, but now I would return.
My steeds I wheeled back to
their former way,
Lest all
too long down the wrong path I stray.
On orchid-covered bank I loosed my
steed,
And let him gallop
by the flow'ry mead
At
will. Rejected now and in disgrace,
I would retire to cultivate my grace.
With cress leaves green my
simple gown I made,
With
lilies white my rustic garb did braid.
Why should I grieve to go unrecognised,
Since in my heart fragrance
was truly prized?
My
headdress then high-pinnacled I raised,
Lengthened my pendents,
where bright jewels blazed.
Others may smirch their fragrance and
bright hues,
My innocence
is proof against abuse.
Oft
I looked back, gazed to the distance still,
Longed in the wilderness to
roam at will.
Splendid my
ornaments together vied,
With all the fragrance of the flowers
beside;
All men had
pleasures in their various ways,
My pleasure was to cultivate my grace.
I would not change, though
they my body rend;
How
could my heart be wrested from its end?
My handmaid
fair, with countenance demure,
Entreated me allegiance to abjure:
Where pigmies stayed their plumage to
discard.
Why lovest thou
thy grace and purity,
Alone
dost hold thy splendid virtue high?
Lentils and weeds the prince's chamber
fill:
Why holdest thou
aloof with stubborn will?
Thou canst not one by one the crowd
persuade,
And who the
purpose of our heart hath weighed?
Faction and strife the world hath ever
loved;
Heeding me not, why
standest thou removed?