White Pigeon Chapter:
Look at that white pigeon, flying back and forth, cooing non-stop. Its heart is filled with thoughts of the king's grace, so it flies to the court. Look at that white sparrow, symbolizing auspiciousness, with its feathers pure white and bright. It dances in the courtyard, responding to the king's benevolence. The beautiful white doves, some having red feathers and others yellow, rejoice in the king's favor, flapping their wings and soaring. Like the setting sun on the eastern wall, fish swim freely in rivers, lakes, and seas. The king's favor is like sunlight and rain, nourishing all things without seeking anything in return, and even caring for insignificant people like myself. Riding my good horse, practicing driving and galloping. Playing with the king, immersed in joy, forgetting hunger. My heart is calm and peaceful, my aspirations fulfilled. Playing the zither and drums, entertaining myself. Climbing high towers, as if floating in a fairyland. Hoping to be as free and graceful as a dragon and phoenix.
Ji Ji Chapter:
Dancing joyfully, the air filled with fragrance, I miss the good times of the past. Some things are lost, some things can still be done; the past and present are like this never-ending sunset. As time passes day by day, I gradually grow old, like the sun about to set. But right now, it's time to drink up and enjoy life. Who knows what aging and death will bring? My heart is heavy with sorrow and longing. Like fish in a deep pool, lonely, yearning to find a place to call home, like the many fish by the Huangpu River. The king's kindness is hard to come by; all I can do is sing and dance sadly to show my gratitude.
I am all alone, like being trapped in a deep and dirty quagmire. I can endure the filth of the quagmire, but the water is too deep; it would drown me. Look at those pairs of wild geese playing in the fields. I want to shoot them, but then I think of my own children, alone and helpless, so I give up. Drifting like duckweed, swaying in the wind. How can my state of mind even begin to compare? An empty bed, with curtains drawn—who knows I'm all alone? Dressed in luxurious clothes at night, who can tell what's real and what's not? The knife screeches against the sharpening stone; I lie on the bed, feeling helpless. My father's injustice has not been avenged; what's the point of me being alive? Fierce wild beasts roam in packs in the mountains. They want to eat people, regardless of whether they are high officials or commoners.
Jie Shi Chapter:
Facing Jieshi, gazing out at the sea. The sea is crystal clear, and the mountains and islands stand tall. The trees are lush and the grass is thick. The autumn wind rustles through the trees, and the huge waves crash. The sun and moon travel, as if rising from the sea. The stars shine brilliantly, as if emerging from the sea. How fortunate I am! I write this poem to express my aspirations. - "Viewing the Cang Sea"
In November, the north wind howls relentlessly. The weather is cold and bleak; everything is covered in thick frost. The rooster crows in the morning while the wild geese fly south. Birds of prey have all taken cover, and bears are hibernating in their dens. The farming tools are all put away, and the crops have been harvested and piled up in the fields. The inns are all set up, making it convenient for merchants to come and go. It's wonderful; I want to sing to express my feelings! - "December in Winter"
The environment in my hometown is different, particularly cold in the northern Hetao region. The ice blocks in the river float unpredictably, making it hard for boats to pass through. The ground is frozen solid, like stone, with thick, enigmatic woods. The river has dried up, and the ice is thick enough to walk on. Hermits live in poverty and are overlooked, while brave heroes go unappreciated. They constantly sigh and wear long faces. It's truly wonderful; I want to sing to express my emotions! - "Different Soil"
Although the sacred turtle has a long life, there comes a time when it dies. Even the soaring serpent will eventually turn to dust. Even as a remarkable horse ages and lies in the stable, it still dreams of galloping a thousand miles. A heroic spirit, even in old age, will not diminish its ambitions. The span of life isn't solely determined by fate. Keeping a joyful mind and body can extend one's life. It's truly wonderful; I want to sing to express my emotions! - "Though the Turtle Lives Long"
[The Huainan King]
The Huainan King, who claims to be noble, constructed a tower a hundred feet high, as if reaching for the sky. He dug wells in the backyard, with silver railings around the well and ropes drawn from golden pitchers to fetch water. Drinking cold water, he thinks of the young, beautiful, and intelligent people of his youth, wondering where they’ve all ended up. He sings a sorrowful tune, his voice echoing through the sky. I want to cross this river, but there’s no bridge in sight! I truly wish I could become a yellow crane and fly back to my hometown. Returning to my hometown, back to my homeland, wandering through my homeland, feeling utterly drained. Beautiful dances and lovely songs can’t bring me joy. I wander beneath the mulberry trees of my homeland, feeling as if I’m soaring in the sky.
This "Drum and Horn Music," the "drum" refers to a device used for commanding the army according to the records of the "Zhou Li." As for the "horn," some say that Chi You led ghosts to battle against the Yellow Emperor at Zhuolu, and the Yellow Emperor ordered the sounding of the horns. The sound of the horn resembled the roar of a dragon, used to repel the enemy. Later, Emperor Wu of Wei marched north to attack the Wuhuan, crossing the desert. The soldiers missed home, so they weakened the sound of the horn, making it sadder.
The Huqin, originally played in accompaniment with the Hu Jia instrument, gradually began to be used to play transverse flute music. A double-reed Huqin is referred to as Hu music. Zhang Qian was sent on a mission to the Western Regions, where he learned the Hu music playing techniques and brought them back to Chang'an, and only one piece, "Mohe Doule," has been passed down. Li Yannian created twenty-eight new pieces based on Hu music, and the emperor designated it as official military music. Later, the Han Dynasty passed these pieces of music to the frontier generals. During the reign of the Emperor, thousands of generals were able to play these pieces of music. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the twenty-eight pieces were not complete. The pieces that were commonly used included "Yellow Goose," "Longtou," "Leaving the Pass," "Entering the Pass," "Leaving the Frontier," "Entering the Frontier," "Folding Willow," "Yellow Tanzi," "Red Willow," and "Watching the Travelers."
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there was a musician named Sun who excelled at playing traditional tunes, Song Shi was good at clapping and singing, Chen Zuo was good at singing, Lie He was good at playing the flute, Hao Suo was good at playing the zither, and Zhu Sheng was good at playing the pipa. They also created many new pieces. As a result, Fu Xuan noted in his writings: "If a person only values what they hear and ignores what they see, isn't that foolish? If these six people lived in ancient times, their skills would be unmatched, surpassing those of anyone from both ancient and modern times, not just like the mutual understanding between Bo Ya and Ziqi!" From that point forward, the musical pieces reflected the playing styles of Sun and Zhu Sheng.
"Xianghe" is an old song from the Han Dynasty, where string and bamboo instruments are played together, with singers keeping time. Originally a complete set of music, Emperor Ming of Wei split it into two sets, performing them alternately at night. Originally consisting of seventeen songs, Zhu Sheng, Song Shi, Lie He, and others combined them into thirteen.
The "Dan Ge" consists of four songs, a music piece from the Han Dynasty. It does not require string instruments for accompaniment, where musicians sing first, followed by a soloist and then a trio harmonizing. Emperor Wu of Wei particularly liked this music piece. At that time, there was a person named Song Ronghua, with a clear and melodious voice, skilled in singing this music piece, making him the most renowned singer of that time. Since the Jin Dynasty, "Dan Ge" has been lost to history.
Most of the ancient music and lyrics that have survived are street ballads from the Han Dynasty, such as "Jiangnan Can Pick Lotus," "Wu Sheng Fifteen Sons," and "White Head Recitation." Wu songs and various folk tunes originated in Jiangnan, gradually increasing in number since the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
The song "Midnight Song" was created by a woman named Midnight. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, a ghost sang the "Midnight Song" at the home of Prince Langye Ke, suggesting that she likely lived before the Taiyuan reign.
"Feng Jiang Chu" is an ancient song. Ying Qu's "Bai Yi Shi" mentioned "speaking of 'Feng Jiang Chu'," suggesting this song has a long-standing history. "Qianxi Song" was created by General Cheqi Shen Chong.
The two songs, "Azi" and "Huanwen Ge," appeared during the reign of Emperor Mu Shengping. After each performance, they would shout, "Azi, did you hear that?" This is recorded in the "Wuxing Zhi." Later generations passed down these two songs based on this shout.
The story behind "Tuan Shan Ge" is rather intriguing. The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Wang Min, became romantically involved with his sister-in-law's maid, and they shared a close bond. His sister-in-law harshly punished the maid, who was known for her beautiful singing. Wang Min also liked to hold a white folding fan, which inspired this song.
The Song of Regret is a folk song passed down during the Long'an period, as recorded in the Book of Five Elements. The Song of Changshi Variation was created by Left Chancellor Wang Xin of the Situ clan when he was about to fail. These songs were originally sung a cappella, and orchestral accompaniment was later added. Some songs were created based on the sounds of instruments, such as silk, bamboo, metal, and stone. The Three Tones Song of the Wei Dynasty is of this type.
The Cup and Pan Dance is said to be a popular dance called Jinshi Ning Dance during the Taikang period. The dancers hold a cup and a pan in their hands and perform flipping movements. In fact, during the Han Dynasty, there was only the pan dance, and it was not until the Jin Dynasty when cups were added, along with flipping movements.
The Gongmo Dance is what we now refer to as the Jin Dance. According to legend, Xiang Zhuang wanted to dance with a sword to assassinate Emperor Gaozu of Han, but Xiang Bo blocked him with his sleeve and prevented Xiang Zhuang from succeeding, shouting "Gongmo!" In ancient times, "Gong" was a form of address, meaning "do not harm the Han Emperor!" Nowadays, dancers use a cloth to shield themselves, imitating Xiang Bo's sleeve movements. However, there is also a song titled "Gongmo Crossing the River" in Qin Cao, indicating that this tune existed long ago, attributed to Xiang Bo by the people, which may not be accurate.
The White Silk Dance mentions a robe. This silk is produced in the Wu region, so this should be a dance from the Wu region. The Jin Dynasty's Huai Ge mentions: "Bright white silk, paired in sections." People from Wu pronounced "silk" as "zhu," so I think white silk refers to white silk.
Finally, there's a piece titled "Bell Dance Song," a piece titled "Flag Dance Song," and six pieces by the Drum Dance Artist, all performed together at the Yuanhui festival.
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, on the first day of the first month, the emperor received the officials' congratulations in Deyang Palace. At this time, a magical relic flew in from the west, playing in front of the palace, creating splashes of water that morphed into a pair of flounders, jumping and playing in the water, the splashes even obscured the sunlight. After enough play, it turned into a huge dragon that was around eight or nine zhang long, soaring into the sky, rolling and playing in the air, shining brightly; it was truly a spectacle! At that time, there were also two women dancing on ropes pulled up between two pillars several zhang apart, intertwining and passing shoulder to shoulder while maintaining perfect balance. This was indeed exceptional skill! Up until the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the southern regions still showcased spectacular performances such as "Xia Yu Carrying the Cauldron," "Giant Elephant Nursing," "Dancing with the Divine Turtle," "Carrying the Sacred Mountain," "Gui Tree in White Snow," and "Drawing Rivers on the Ground." In the seventh year of Emperor Chengdi's reign during the Xiankang era, the Minister Cai Mo submitted a memorial saying, "At next year's New Year's court assembly, only drum music and bell performances should be allowed, and other song and dance performances should be omitted." However, the Privy Councilor Zhang Cheng and the Yellow Gate Attendant Chen Kui contended, "When the emperor holds ceremonies, it is to educate the world and distinguish between good and bad events, which has been an unchanging principle since ancient times. People from all over the country come to participate in the court assembly; there are sacrificial ceremonies at the tombs, and courtly music is played in the court. These two ceremonies happening simultaneously, with no distinction between mourning and celebration, is a significant issue regarding the country's ceremonial system and must not be taken lightly!"
The emperor issued a decree saying, "Considering the grand scheme of things, ceremonial rites can be adapted based on the actual circumstances. For the court meeting in the first month, all auspicious ceremonial rites should be used. As for those song and dance performances that are only for entertainment, I truly cannot stand them, so I have exempted them. As for other major events, such as the emperor's birthday ceremony, the shouts of 'long live' have already rung out, which is grand enough, so there is no need to omit the bell and drum music." Zhang Cheng and Chen Kui once again memorialized, "Although the grand ceremonies have been simplified, the court meeting is still a festive occasion. However, the memorial ceremonies at the tombs still exist, which still carries a lingering atmosphere of sadness; the rules regarding ceremonial attire also reflect the established rituals, which do not fully embody the meaning of auspiciousness. Therefore, during the Xianning period, the court meeting had the full array of music and dance rituals, following the ancient customs and leaving a model for future generations!"
Finally, the emperor said, "If on New Year's Day, when envoys from all nations come to court, the performance of bell and drum music is omitted in the court hall, then the order and procedure of the court meeting will also be affected. Without the rhythm of chime music in the court hall, the guests will not have corresponding ceremonial movements. Isn't this a deficiency in terms of etiquette! Therefore, we should consider the implications and properly arrange the court meeting affairs."
Gu Zhen wrote in a memorial, "I have heard that a wise monarch established music to celebrate good governance, to nurture the people through benevolence and righteousness, and to deter them from falling into debauchery. Music can be used to worship ancestors in ancestral temples and to educate the people. Music should align with the qi of the Five Elements and coordinate with the Eight Winds to influence all things. The palace music is correct and square, leading people to goodness; the ceremonial music is firm and orderly, making people adhere to etiquette. Various musical instruments, such as string instruments, songs, bells, drums, and metal and stone instruments, are all complete. Therefore, music can communicate with the divine, reach the realm of nurturing all things, guide customs, and attain the utmost harmony."
But now, those music performances in the apocalypse are just for show, a complete violation of etiquette, chaotic, akin to cramming one's head and feet into a bamboo basket—glamorous on the outside, yet harmful to both others and oneself. They are clearly dangerous thorns, yet we are told not to tread upon them, not to mention the lives at stake; how can that not break one’s heart? Moreover, the lords from all over the world come to pay homage, witness the court ceremony, listen to the elegant singing in the Book of Songs, and observe the court's dignity and order. Those performances are utterly disgraceful; they are simply intolerable, contradicting the natural order and harming the overall etiquette.
Now there are barbarians invading the border; defending our borders is the utmost priority. Those soldiers subsist on just seven sheng of food daily, yet they risk their lives and rush to the battlefield, while those musicians receive a generous five dou of rice each day—the difference is staggering! We are sweeping through the Central Plains, pacifying all directions; such displays should not be witnessed by outsiders. The Ministry of Rites must reorganize the ceremonial music, performing the "Shao" music nine times, in order to make the new dynasty more prosperous, celebrate our virtues, and pass them down to future generations. This embodies the principle of 'Yan and the Emperor, flourishing after adversity.' All those corrupting musical forms should be abolished. We must advocate for the virtue of frugality, emulating the beautiful music of the time of King Kang; with a gentle breeze, all things flourish—this is the true path forward. This is my humble opinion; I hope you can adopt it!"
Thus, Gu Zhen commanded the cancellation of "Gao Geng", "Purple Deer", "Qi Xing", "Turtle Eating", along with "King Qi Rolls Clothes", "Zuo Er", and other performances, and reduced the salary of the musicians. Later, he reinstated "Gao Geng" and "Purple Deer" among the performances.
