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| 1. THE FEELING OF FILIAL PIETY MOVED HEAVEN Emperor Shùn of the Yú dynasty was the son of Gŭshŏu (=Blind Old-Man). His nature was most filial. But his father was obstinate and his mother was boorish. His younger brother Xiàng was proud and overbearing. Shùn ploughed on Mount Lì [in Shāndōng province], where the elephants ploughed for him and the birds weeded for him, for his feelings of filial piety were so great [that even the beasts were moved]. Emperor Yáo [of Táng] heard of this; he sent nine of his sons to wait on him and two of his daughters to be his wives and later abdicated the throne in his favor. Verses praise him saying:
Herds of elephants plough in the spring;
一、孝感動天 | 虞舜。瞽搜之子。性至孝。父頑母囂。弟象傲。舜耕於歷山。有象為之耕。有鳥為之耘。其孝感如此。帝堯聞之。事以九男。妻以二女。遂以天下讓焉。系詩頌之。 詩曰 對對耕春象。紛紛耘草禽。嗣堯登帝位。孝感動天下。 1. Xiào Găn Dòng Tiān | Yú Shùn. Gŭshŏu zhi zĭ. Xìng zhì xiào. Fù wén mŭ yín. Dì Xiàng ào. Shùn gēng yú Lì Shān. Yŏu xiàng wèi zhī gēng. Yŏu niăo wèi zhī yún. Qí xiào găn rú cĭ. Dì Yáo wén zhī. Shì yĭ jiŭ nán. Qì yĭ èr nǚ. Suì yĭ tiānxià ràng yān. Xì shī sòng zhī. Shī yuē: Duìduì gēng chūn xiàng. Fēnfēn yún căo qín. Sì Yáo dēng dì wèi. Xiào găn dòng tiānxià. 一、孝感动天 | 虞舜。瞽搜之子。性至孝。父顽母嚣。弟象傲。舜耕于历山。有象为之耕。有鸟为之耘。其孝感如此。帝尧闻之。事以九男。妻以二女。遂以天下让焉。系诗颂之。 诗曰 对对耕春象。纷纷耘草禽。嗣尧登帝位。孝感动天下。 2. HER SON TASTED SOUPS AND MEDICINE | Emperor Wén of the western Hàn was named Héng. He was the third son of [Liú Bāng,] the founder of the dynasty. Before he became emperor he was appointed king of Dài [in Shānxī province]. His mother became Queen-Mother Bó[-jī]. the emperor-to-be respectfully tended her and was not idle. His mother took sick for three years. The emperor did not sleep nor even unfasten the belt of his clothes. And if he had not tasted a medicine, it was not brought to his mother. His benevolence and piety were rumored throughout the kingdom. Verses praise him saying:
Benevolence and piety are rumored through the kingdom;
二、親嘗湯藥 | 西漢文帝。名恆。高祖第三子。初封代王。生母薄太后。帝奉養無怠。母嘗病三年。帝目不交睫。衣不解帶。湯藥非親嘗弗進。仁孝聞於天下。系詩頌之。 詩曰 仁孝聞天下。巍巍冠百王。母后三載病。湯藥必先嚐。 2. Qīn Cháng Tāng Yào | Xīhàn Wén dì. Míng héng. Gāo zŭ dì sān zĭ. Chū fēng Dài wáng. Shēngmŭ bó tàihòu. Dì fèng yàng wú dài.Mŭ cháng bìng sān nián. Dì mù bù jiāo jié. Yī bù jiăo dài. Tāngyào fēi qīn cháng fú jìn. Rénxiào wén yú tiānxià. Xì shī sòng zhī. Shī yuē: Rénxiào wèn tiānxià. Wéiwéi guàn bó wáng. Mŭhòu sānzài bìng. Tāngyào bì xiān cháng. 二、亲尝汤药 | 西汉文帝。名恒。高祖第三子。初封代王。生母薄太后。帝奉养无怠。母尝病三年。帝目不交睫。衣不解带。汤药非亲尝弗进。仁孝闻于天下。系诗颂之。 诗曰 仁孝闻天下。巍巍冠百王。母后三载病。汤药必先尝。 3. SHE BIT HER FINGER AND PAINED HIS HEART | Zēng Shēn of the Zhōu dynasty was called Zĭ-yú (=Disciple of the Master). He was extremely filial to his mother. Shēn once went to the mountains to gather firewood. A guest came to the house, and his mother had no arrangements [to entertain him]. She longed for Shēn , who did not return. Then she bit her finger, drawing blood. Suddenly Shēn felt a pain in his heart. He shouldered the firewood and returned home. Kneeling, he asked his mother what the matter was. His mother said: "A guest came unexpectedly. I bit my finger to alert you." Later, verses praised him, saying:
His mother has just bitten her finger,
三、嚙指心痛 | 周。曾參。字子輿。事母至孝。參曾採薪山中。家有客至。母無措參不還。乃嚙其指。參忽心痛。負薪以歸。跪問其母。母曰。有客忽至。吾嚙指以悟汝耳。後人系詩頌之。 詩曰 母指方纏囓。兒心痛不禁。負薪歸未晚。骨肉至情深。 3. Niè Zhĭ Tòng Xīn | Zhōu. Zēng Shēn. Zì Zĭyú. Shì mŭ zhì xiào. Shēn cháng căi xīn shān zhōng. Jiā yŏu kè zhì. Mŭ wú cuò. Wàng Shēn bù huán. Năi niè qí zhĭ. Shēn hū xīn tòng. Fù xīn yĭ guī. Guì wèn qí gù. Mŭ yuē: Yŏu kè hū zhì. Wú niè zhĭ yĭ wù rŭ ĕr. Hòu rén xì shī sòng zhī. Shī yuē: Mŭ zhĭ fāng cái niè. Ér xīn tòng bù jīn. Fù xīn guī wèi wăn. Gŭròu zhì qíng shēn. 三、 啮指心痛 | 周。曾参。字子舆。事母至孝。参曾采薪山中。家有客至。母无措参不还。乃啮其指。参忽心痛。负薪以归。跪问其母。母曰。有客忽至。吾啮指以悟汝耳。后人系诗颂之。 诗曰 母指方缠嚙。儿心痛不禁。负薪归未晚。骨肉至情深。 4. HE OBEYED HIS MOTHER IN SIMPLE CLOTHES | Mĭn Sŭn of the Zhōu dynasty was called Zĭqiān (=the Master's Inferior). His mother died very early, and his father took another wife, who bore two sons, whom she dressed in raw silk lined with cotton wadding. She was jealous about Sŭn and dressed him in mere rushes. One day his father ordered Sŭn to harness the cart. Sŭn 's body was cold and he dropped the rope. His father looked into the reason, then resolved to divorce his second wife. Sŭn said: "If Mother stays, one child will be poorly dressed. If Mother leaves, three children will be cold." The stepmother heard this, and she repented and changed. Verses praise him, saying:
The Mĭn family has a saintly son,
四、單衣順母 | 周。閔損。字子騫。早喪母。父娶後母。生二子。衣以棉絮。閔損。衣以蘆花。一日。父令損御車。體寒失鞭。父察知其故。欲出後母。損曰。母在一子單。母去三子寒。後母聞之。卒悔改。系詩頌之。 詩曰 閔氏有賢郎。何曾怨後娘。車前留母在。三子免風霜。 4. Dān Yī Shùn Mŭ | Zhōu. Mĭn Sŭn. Zì Zĭqīn. Zăo sàng mŭ. Fù qŭ hòumŭ. Shēng èr zĭ. Yì yĭ mián shù. Dù Sŭn. Yì yĭ lúhuā. Yí rì. Fù lìng Sŭn yù jū. Tĭ hán shī yĭn. Fù chá zhī qí gù. Yù chū hòumŭ. Sŭn yuē: Mŭ zài yì zĭ dān. Mŭ qù sān zĭ hán. Hòumŭ wén zhī. Zúhuĭ găi. Xì shī wéi sòng: Shī yuē: Mĭn shì yŏu xiánláng. Hé zēng yuàn hòuniáng. Jūqián liú mŭ zài. Sān zĭ miăn fēngshuāng. 四、单衣顺母 | 周。闵损。字子骞。早丧母。父娶后母。生二子。衣以棉絮。闵损。衣以芦花。一日。父令损御车。体寒失鞭。父察知其故。欲出后母。损曰。母在一子单。母去三子寒。后母闻之。卒悔改。系诗颂之。 诗曰 闵氏有贤郎。何曾怨后娘。车前留母在。三子免风霜。 5. HE SHOULDERED RICE TO NOURISH HIS PARENTS | Zhòng Yóu of the Zhōu dynasty was called Zĭlù (=Way of the Master). He was of a poor family, and they ate only brambles [Lit: chenopodium]. For his parents he often carried [sacks of] rice more than a hundred lĭ. After his parents died, he traveled south to the state of Chŭ, where he became an official and had a hundred chariots to follow him when he went out and a large store of grain. He sat upon many layers of cloth before rows of tripods [of food]. But he sighed and said: "I would rather be back eating brambles and carrying rice more than a hundred lĭ for my parents, but that is impossible." A verse says of him:
He carried rice to provide good food,
*-Cf. Book of Songs: "Pity my parents who bore me with grievous toil." (āi'āi fùmŭ shēng wŏ qúláo.) 五、負米養親 | 周仲由。字子路。家貧。嘗食黍薯之食。為親負米百里之外。親歿。南遊於楚。從車百乘。積粟萬鍾。累褥而坐。列鼎而食。乃嘆曰。雖欲食黍薯之食。為親負百里之外。不可得也。有詩為頌。 詩曰 負米供甘旨。寧辭百里遙。身榮親已沒。猶念舊劬勞。 5. Fù Mĭ Yàng Qīn | Zhōu Zhòng Yóu. Zì Zĭlù. Jiā pín. Cháng shí líhuò zhi shí. Wèi qīn fù mĭ băi lĭ zhi wài. Qīn mò. Nán yóu yú Chŭ. Cóng chē bó shèng. Jī sù wàn zhōng. Lĕi yīn ér zuò. Liè dĭng ér shí. Năi tàn yuē: Suí yù shí líhuò zhi shí. Wèi qīn fù mĭ bó lĭ zhi wài. Bù kĕ dé yĕ. Yŏu shī wéi sòng: Shī yuē: Fù mĭ gōng gān zhĭ. Nĭng cí bó lĭ yāo. Shēn róng qīn yĭ mò. Yóu niàn jiù qú láo. 五、负米养亲 | 周仲由。字子路。家贫。尝食黍薯之食。为亲负米百里之外。亲殁。南游于楚。从车百乘。积粟万钟。累褥而坐。列鼎而食。乃叹曰。虽欲食黍薯之食。为亲负百里之外。不可得也。有诗为颂。 诗曰 负米供甘旨。宁辞百里遥。身荣亲已没。犹念旧劬劳。 6. HE SOLD HIMSELF TO BURY HIS FATHER | In the Hàn dynasty the family of Dŏng Yŏng was very poor. When his father died, he promised himself as security to borrow money to bury him. Then he went to work [for the lender to pay back the debt]. On the way he met a woman, who asked to become Yŏng's wife, and she went with him to his master's house. The master ordered them to weave 300 bolts of silk, and then they could return [home]. His wife wove for a month and then was finished. They returned as far as the locust tree where they had met, when she bade Yŏng good-bye and vanished. There is a poem praising him, saying:
To bury his father he has to borrow money;
六、賣身葬父 | 漢董永家貧。父死。賣身貸錢而葬。及去償工。途遇一婦。求為永妻。俱至主家。主令織布三百疋。始得歸。婦織一月而成。歸至槐陰會所。遂辭永而去。有詩為頌。 詩曰 葬父貸孔兄。仙姬陌上逢。織布償債主。孝感動蒼穹。 6. Mài Shēn Zàng Fù | Hàn Dŏng Yŏng jiā pín. Fù sĭ. Mài shēn dài qián ér zàng. Jí qù cháng gōng tú yù yī fù. Qiú wéi Yŏng qī. Jū zhì zhŭ jiā. Zhŭ lìng zhī jiān sān băi pī. Shĭ dé guī. Fù zhī yī yuè ér chéng. Guī zhì huái yīn huì suŏ. Suì cí Yŏng ér qù. Yŏu shī wéi sòng. Shī yuē: Zàng fù dài sŭnxiōng. Xiān jī mò shàng féng. Zhī jiān cháng zhài zhŭ. Xiàogăn dòng cāngqiōng. 六、卖身葬父 | 汉董永家贫。父死。卖身贷钱而葬。及去偿工。途遇一妇。求为永妻。俱至主家。主令织布三百匹。始得归。妇织一月而成。归至槐阴会所。遂辞永而去。有诗为颂。 诗曰 葬父贷孔兄。仙姬陌上逢。织布偿债主。孝感动苍穹。 |