Airs of Zheng

AnonymousJinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

4.8

Word count: 1.6K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

How well the black robe fits him! When it wears out, I will make him another. I go to his lodging; on my return I give him fine food. How fine the black robe is! When it wears out, I will make him a new one. I go to his lodging; on my return I give him fine food. How broad the black robe is! When it wears out, I will make him another. I go to his lodging; on my return I give him fine food.

Editor's review

The passage from the Odes of Zheng presented here centers on the poem “Black Robe,” with its repeated refrains “how well the black robe fits,” “how fine the black robe is,” and “how broad the black robe is.” Through the everyday actions of altering a robe, visiting his lodging, and giving him fine food, it conveys courtesy and closeness toward a worthy person or someone held in esteem. The structure of repeated stanzas with refrain makes it easy to appreciate the beauty of the Shijing’s circling, returning rhythm, and it is also well suited to observing how early songs and poems expressed feeling through details of daily life. For first-time readers, its short length and plain diction make it a small gateway into the world of the Shijing’s airs of the states; for readers with some grounding, it can serve as a basis for discussing the language style and ritual customs behind the songs of Zheng. When reading, it is advisable to use annotations and read aloud, so as not to misunderstand ancient meanings by modern linguistic instinct.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to the Shijing’s airs of the states who need short introductory material
Literature enthusiasts interested in the Shijing’s technique of repeated stanzas with refrain
Language learners who need material for classroom recitation or copying
Readers of traditional culture who hope to understand ancient feelings through everyday details

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic understanding of the whole Shijing or the complete Odes of Zheng
Researchers who need detailed scholarly textual criticism and collation of editions
Casual readers who only want long stories or modern fiction

Reading tips

First read it through without worrying about full understanding, then check the annotations line by line to confirm the meaning of words and phrases.
Read aloud in groups according to the repeated-stanza structure, and notice how the rhythm changes between the three stanzas with only a few words swapped.
After reading, try retelling in your own words the scenes of altering the robe, visiting the lodging, and giving fine food.
If conditions allow, read other poems from the Odes of Zheng alongside relevant Shijing commentaries.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
缁衣
将仲子
叔于田
大叔于田
清人
羔裘
遵大路
女曰鸡鸣
有女同车
山有扶苏
萚兮
狡童
褰裳
丰
东门之墠
风雨
子衿
扬之水
出其东门
野有蔓草
溱洧

FAQ

What does “Black Robe,” with its repeated altering of the robe and giving of fine food, mainly express?

Through actions such as altering a black robe for the other person, visiting his lodging, and giving him fine food on returning, the poem repeatedly expresses courtesy and closeness toward a worthy person or someone held in esteem. The repeated stanzas with refrain strengthen the lingering depth of feeling; commentators across the ages have differed on the specific referent, so annotations can help with understanding.

Can someone without a foundation in classical Chinese read this?

Yes, but annotations are needed. The words in the poem are not especially obscure; the main difficulties lie in differences between ancient and modern meanings and in ritual and custom background. It is best to choose an annotated edition, first grasp the general meaning of each stanza, and then return to enjoy the rhythm of the repeated stanzas with refrain.

Why are the three stanzas almost identical?

This is the Shijing’s common technique of repeated stanzas with refrain: the three stanzas replace only a few key words, such as “alter,” “make anew,” and “make another.” This structure facilitates repeated singing and refrains, and also advances the emotion through subtle variation; when reading, notice the levels of meaning in the substituted words.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.