Song of the Boatman from Yueh

On the day that Lord Xiangcheng, maternal uncle of the King of Chu, was to receive his investiture, he stood by the riverbank in his kingfisher-feather robes with a gem-encrusted sword by his side and white-banded pattens on his feet. The grandees with their bronze bell-hammers and the officers with their batons of command, standing on the opposite bank, shouted: “Who can bring the ruler across?” A grandee of Chu, Zhuang Xin, was passing by and relished his appearance. Taking advantage of the circumstance, he saluted him with a deep bow, and rising, said: “Honored sir, I should like to take your hand; would that be permissible?” Lord Xiangcheng’s face fell angrily and he would not reply. Zhuang Xin quickly washed his hands and addressed him, saying: “Can it be that your Lordship is unaware of the story of Zixi, the Duke of E, how he went for a boating excursion on the spring waves? The boat’s masts were green, its gunwales were garlanded with flowers, the awnings were of kingfisher feathers, and yak-tail pennants flew. His lapels hung down in perfect symmetry. Bells and drums rang out together. At the far end of the oar-ranks, a boatman from Yue leaned on his oar and sang, the words of his song being:

                              濫兮抃草濫¹                    Khgraams khee brons tshuu’k khgraams?
                              予昌枑澤予昌州              La thjang gaah draag la thjang tju?
                              州 州焉乎秦胥胥        Tju khaam’k tju jen khaa dzin sa sa.
                              縵予乎昭澶秦踰              Moons la khaa tjau daans dzin lo,
                              滲惿隨河湖。                  Srhahms dje’k skhloi gaai gaa.

Zixi, Duke of E, said: ‘I cannot understand this Yue song; could someone please try to translate it for me into the language of Chu?’ Thereupon they called for a Yue translator who rendered it in Chu language thus:

                             今夕何夕兮 ，搴中洲流 ，
                             今日何日兮 ，得與王子同舟。
                             蒙羞被好兮 ，不訾詬恥 ，
                             心幾頑而不絕兮 ，得知王子。
                             山有木兮木有枝 ，心 說君兮君不知。

                           Tonight, this night, this sweet and flatt’ring night,
                           My boat rides on the current of the stream!
                           Today, this day, unprecedented day,
                           I row, convey, and join him in my dream!
                           My heart is filled with such yearning,
                           Nothing can stop it from turning!
                           As hills bear trees, and trees their branches bear,
                           My heart leaps for this prince all unaware!

At this, Duke Zixi of E stretched out his long sleeves, walked over and embraced the singer, then drew up an embroidered quilt and covered him with it.—Now Duke Zixi of E was closely related to the King of Chu, being his mother’s brother, an officer of the state, a noble bearing insignia of rank, and he was willing to join in pleasure with a mere boatman from Yue and grant his desire. In what way are you superior to Duke Zixi? And in what way am I inferior to a boatman? If I wish to take your hand, why should that be impermissible?”  

Thereupon Lord Xiangcheng proffered his hand and stepped forward, saying: “When I was younger, my elders often praised me on account of my looks, and I never offended anyone as I have just done. From this day forward, let us address each other in the manner appropriate to adult contemporaries. I will listen respectfully.”²