梁故事

    山出天子。

    Anemperorshallcomefromamountainwiththenameofabird.Achildren’ssongpredictingfromwherethenextemperorwouldoriginate——

    梁武帝童

    梁故事

    天子之居在三。

    TheresidenceofthefutureemperorisatSanYu.Anotherchildren’ssongcorrectlypredictingtheresidenceofthenextemperorinline——

    元末天下唱得歌

    天信

    得耶。弘耶。弘耶。得耶。

    AsongmarkingthecauseofthechangeoferanameforTang’sEmperorXuan——

    州士民

    元天事

    不神明。不必求巫祝。莫犯公。立便有福。

    WordssaidbypeopleofShanZhouabouttheirgovernorLuHuanwhodislikedthelocalrituals.ThewordssaidthatsolongasonedoesnotoffendLuHuan,onewouldhaveagoodfortunewithoutbotheringtopraytodeitiesandordoinganyritualisticsupplication——

    宣和初金民唱臻蓬蓬歌

    宣政

    臻蓬蓬。外花花空。但看明年正二月。城不主人翁。

    AsongsungbytheJinpeoplewhowereallowedtoliveintheSongdynastycapital(Hanpeople).ThesongcorrectlypredictedtheabductionofSong’sEmperorHuiandQinbytheJinarmyinthefollowingyear——

    民蔡京蔡卞

    宣和事

    二蔡一。必定沙。藉家。禁子。

    大小。入地。大蔡小蔡。他命。

    AsongsungbyordinarypeopleduringtheXuanHeeraconcerningtheevildeedsoftheemperor’schiefadvisorZhangChunandhiscloseassociatesCaiJingandCaiBian——

    靖康初民言路

    宣和事

    城。言路。城。言路。Wordssaidamongthegeneralpopulationaboutthecourt’sslowreactiontotheurgentthreatofJin——

    小民蔡京

    太清侍宴附

    蔡京居中人不。乘官家渠底串。WordspeoplesaidaboutCaiJingwhowasdominatingthecourtofSong’sEmperorHui.ThewordssaidthatpeopledonotenvytheluxuriouslifestylethatCaiJinghas,foritisallatthecostofmanypeople’smisfortune——

    金人既退後人

    避戎夜

    不管王。管舒王。不管燕山。管山。不管山。管。不管京。管蔡京。不管河北界。管秀才解。Wordssaidaboutthecourt’sincompetenceindealingwithurgentmattersaftertheJinarmy’stemporaryretreatfromtheSongterritory——

    人及之

    元禁

    由尚。屈膝政。

    AmockerythatpeoplemadeofonecourtofficialwhokneeleddowntoHanTuoZhoutogetapromotion.AtonetimeheevenwentintoHan’shousethroughthedog’slittledoor——

    淳熙太生

    道命

    周公大遭。伊洛名亦被。堪古今。

    如何把非。WordsthattheuniversitystudentsweresayingaboutChenJiawhowasslanderingallthehistoricallyestablishedsaints——

    秦刑唱歌

    辛巳泣

    生潞州人。死春鬼。

    AsongsungbyQinShunwhowasoneoftheguerillasagainstthetakeoverofChinabytheManchurianarmy.AshewasabouttoheexecutedbytheManchurianswhenhesangthathewasborninLuZhouandnowhewoulddieandbecomeaghostinQiChuan——

    翱西哭歌

    西哭

    魂朝往兮何。暮兮水黑。化朱兮有焉食。

    AsongsungbyXieXianginhisritualforcallingthespiritofWenTianXiang,whohadjustdiedduringthefightagainsttheMongoliantakeoverofChina.ThisceremonywasperformedinparttoexpressXie’sadmirationofWenandinpartsothatWen’sspiritwouldgototherightplace——

    朱揆引

    小志曰

    白花面。不若徐妃半。

    Aproverbsayingthatsolongasawomanisbeautiful,wearingmake-upornotdoesnotchangeherbeauty——

    妃元武宗歌

    元氏掖庭

    五兮如。照兮一色。正兮中域。同兮。

    AsongsungbyMadamLuo,oneoftheconcubinesofYuandynasty’sEmperorWu,inpraisingtheemperor’svirtuetobeaslustrousasthebrightmoon.