Of gold and jewels I have not any need;
For Caps and Coaches I do not care at all.
But I wish I could sit on the rocky banks of the Lake
For ever and ever staring at the Stone Fish.
CIVILIZATION
By Yüan Chieh
To the south-east—three thousand leagues—
The Yüan and Hsiang form into a mighty lake.
Above the lake are deep mountain valleys,
And men dwelling whose hearts are without guile.
Gay like children, they swarm to the tops of the trees;
And run to the water to catch bream and trout.
Their pleasures are the same as those of beasts and birds;
They put no restraint either on body or mind.
Far I have wandered throughout the Nine Lands;
Wherever I went such manners had disappeared.
I find myself standing and wondering, perplexed,
Whether Saints and Sages have really done us good.
A PROTEST IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF CH’IEN FU (A.D. 879)
By Ts’ao Sung (flourished circa A.D. 870-920)
The hills and rivers of the lowland country
You have made your battle-ground.
How do you suppose the people who live there
Will procure “firewood and hay”?[43]
Do not let me hear you talking together
About titles and promotions;
For a single general’s reputation
Is made out of ten thousand corpses.
[43] The necessaries of life.