汲冢周

    矣。人。修矣。好荒。AsongsungbyShiKuang,thecourtmusician,toPrincessJinoftheZhoukingdom.Thewordsgolikethis:Thekingdomisinsuchpeacefulstatethatpeoplecomefromafartovisit.Weareworkingonsomescripturesandyetwehavenotignoredmusic——

    人于公延年

    前

    于公高以待。母除地以望。Wordsreferringtotwodifferentofficialswhohadtodowithcriminaltrials:YuDingGuowasgoodatservingjustice,whileYanYanLianwasalwaystooaptatexecutingpeople——

    朝廷之于定

    前

    之廷尉。天下冤民。于定廷尉。天下自不冤。WhenZhangShiZhiwasthechiefjudgeofthesupremecourt,therewerenopeoplewhowereframed.WhenYuDingGuoheldthesamejob,thewholecountryneverhadanyinjustice——

    宛郡里茨充

    一茨子河。WordsreferringtohowCiChonggavehisfriendarideinhisowncharriotafterhisfriend’shorsedied——

    逢萌哭言

    新乎。新乎。

    WordscriedoutbyFengMeng,whowasprophesyingthatWangMang’sXindynastywouldcometoanend——

    明德皇后引俗

    赭。土。

    Sincewedonothavethemineralthatisusedforgivingyellowcolor,wecoulduseyellowsandinstead.Anidiommeaningthatthereplacementwillnotworkastheoriginalwould——

    京政祁元

    子行。祁元。

    Wordssaidinthecapitalcityabouttwoscholarsofscripture,YangZiXing,whowasgoodatlecturing,andQiShengYuan,whowasgoodatdebating——

    人

    君期。

    IntheGuangDongarea,therewasChenJunQi,whowasgoodatexplicatingpoems——

    更始安里

    使居市。作者不能得。

    WordssaidbypeopleofChangAnabouthowEmperorGengShiwasemployingbadpeople——

    京宋度

    承後

    宋叔平。一史奏。九卿。WordssaidbypeopleinthecapitalcityconcerningSongDu,whoproposedtoimpeachallthehigh-rankingofficialsinthecourt——

    蜀郡童昌

    承後

    日出。天兵戢。AsongsungbychildreninSiChuan,predictingthearrivalofanewgovernornamedHaungChang——

    人彭修歌

    承後

    卒……大戟弩不可。遇令子。AsongsungbypeopleinthesoutheastofChinaaboutGovernorPengXiu,whowasabletopersuadeagangofpiratestoleavehisterritoryalone——

    京唐

    承後

    治身嫌唐仲。

    AsongsunginthecapitalcityabouttheofficialTangZhongLiancouldkeepgovernmentsecrets,andnevertookbribes,andneverhadanythingtodowithconflictsofinterest——

    京磐

    承後

    清白。子石。

    WordssaidinthecapitalcityabouttheofficialZhangQian,whowouldnevertakemoneythatdidnotbelongtohim——

    梧人歌

    承後

    梧君恩大。令死罪囚有後代。德古天施。

    AsongsungbypeopleofCangWupraisingtheirgovernor,ChenLin,whoallowedconjugalvisitsforaprisonerwhohadnosonyet——

    人秦歌

    承後

    冬。有秦。

    QinHuhasnopantstowearinthewinter.Asongsungbyhistown’speopleabouthowhewascleanonhisjob,nevertakinganybribesorgifts——

    儒

    後

    伉伉太常。

    WordssaidbysomescholarsaboutLiuKai,whowasalwaysreferringtoscriptures——

    桓帝人人

    袁崧後

    九卿直言有蕃。

    天下好交荀伯修。

    天下冰楞王秀陵。

    天下忠平魏少英。天下稽古伯祖。

    天下良杜周甫。

    天下英才仲。

    PraisessungbypeopleduringEasternHan’sEmperorHuan’sreign,concerningagroupofintellectualswhoweretalentedandrighteous——

    京李膺蕃

    袁松後

    李元如玉山。仲如千里。Wordssaidinthecapitalcity,praisingLiYingandChenZhongJu,whoweretheleadersofagroupofintellectualstryingtoreformthegovernment——

    南朱公叔

    袁松後

    朱公叔如松柏下。

    WordssaidbypeopleofNanYangconcerningZhuGongShu,whowasconsideredveryrighteous——

    人公沙氏兄弟

    袁松後

    公沙六。天下。

    WordssaidaboutthesixoutstandingsonsofGongShaMu——

    太原介休里

    後

    欲作郭林宗耶。

    WouldyouliketobeGuoLinZong,whowasalwaysconsiderateandpolitetoothers?——

    王昶引

    梁祚魏

    知足不辱。如不知足。失所欲。

    Onceonefeelscontentaboutwhatonehas,thenhumiliationdoesnotarise.Ifonecouldneverfeelcontent,onewouldneverevengetwhatonewishedtohave——

    魏孝文帝菖蒲歌

    後魏典略

    菖蒲。新野。

    AsongsungbyWei’sEmperorXiaoWenpraisingthebeautyofcalamus——

    武成殂後

    三典略

    千置果。中有芙蓉。破券不分明。子他去。

    AsongpredictingthemisfortuneofthelastemperorofQidynasty——

    京丁寇

    都事略寇

    欲得天下。拔眼中。欲得天下好。莫如召寇老。Wordssaidinthecapitalcityabouttwocourtofficials.Ifpeoplewantpeaceintheworld,thenGingWeishouldbegottenridof,ifpeoplewantagoodworld,thentheyneedKouZhuan——

    益州人王曙

    都事略王曙

    蜀守之良。前後王。惠我赤子。

    而流亡。何以之。俾而昌。

    AsongsungbypeopleofSiChuanpraisingtheirgoodgovernorWangShu.ThewordssaidthatWangShugavethemsuchgoodlivesthattheonlywaytopayhimbackwastowishhimlongevityandprosperity——

    京范仲淹

    都事略范仲淹

    朝廷有范君。京事有希文。

    AsongsunginthecapitalcitypraisingthecourtofficialFanZhongYan.ThewordssaidthataslongasFanwasinthecourt,thentherewerenoworries.Aslongashewasinthecapitalcity,nothingwouldgowrongthere——

    中琦范仲淹

    都事略范仲淹

    中有一。西之心骨寒。中有一范。

    西之破。

    Wordssaidinthemilitaryabouttwogenerals,FanZhongYanandHanQi.Aslongastheywereleadingthearmy,thebanditsfromthewestwouldbefrightened——

    州邵世卿歌

    都事略邵

    邵父母。除我二苦。

    AsongsungbypeopleofGuangZhou,praisingthefactthattheirtwoofficials,ShaoYeandChenShiQing,werejustasgoodastheirparentsateliminatinghardshipsfromtheirlives——

    天祚人

    契丹志天祚皇帝上

    五翁翁四百。南面北面瞌睡。自己精神管不得。有甚心情女直。

    AsongsungbypeopleofthecountryQiDan(westofChina),abouthowitsemperorandhisadvisorswerefairlyincompetentingoverningthecountry——

    天祚狂人歌

    契丹志天祚皇帝上

    且亡。

    Asongsungbysomeonewithahumanheadandthebodyofabeast.ThesongsaysthattheQiDannationwilldieout——

    明昌四年京言

    大金志章宗皇帝上

    欲行。西欲。中一路赤垂垂。我醉不醉知不知。AfolksongsunginthecapitalaboutanuprisingorganizedbyPrinceZhenginordertotakeJindynastyEmperorZhang’sthrone.PrinceZhengandhispeoplewerearrestedwhentheywerealldrunkandasleep——

    人虞二氏子

    弘

    作相。世南男作匠。

    ThesonofHuEr(whowasageneralbeforehewasexecuted)becametheemperor’schiefadvisor,whilethesonofYuShiNan(whowastheemperor’schiefadvisor)becameacraftsman——

    氏民王旭

    弘

    永三。氏一。

    WordssaidbypeopleofGuoShicountyabouttheirmayorWangXuconcerninghisself-disciplineandhonesty——

    刺引俗言

    弘

    一箭中麋。毋曰自能。百兔未得。未可遽止。

    Ifoneshootsadeerwithjustonearrow,oneshouldnotboastaboutit.Whenonecannotshootatonehundredrabbits,thenownshouldstarttobeafraidofone’sincompetence——

    人烈

    弘

    羊年。黑鼠月……烈。九山酸泖波血。

    二舛愁。一梅花雪。

    AsongsungbythecontemporariesofMs.Zhang,WuMiaoLingabouttheirregretthatshehadtokillherselfbecauseofhersenseofguiltandherfearthatherfather’slegaltroublemightimplicateherhusbandandhisfamily——

    方珍未台州童

    弘

    青。出海精。

    Achildren’ssongforetellingFangGuoZhenandhisbrothers’uprisingagainstgovernmentoppression.