— Li Yi I married a merchant bound for Qutang Gorge; Day after day, he breaks the promised rendezvous. Had I known the tide keeps its faith without fail, I’d have wed instead the lad who rides the billows pale.
— Dai Shulun A cool crescent like an eyebrow hangs over the Willow Bay; Hills of Yue reflected in the stream look like a mirror lay. For three days, rain’s fallen with peach petals on Orchid Stream; At midnight, from the shoal leap up all the bream.
— Yu Liangshi How many charming scenes in vernal hill? I forgot to return till night just to enjoy my fill! Scoop water with my hand – the moon rests in the bowl; Toy with flowers – their fragrance clings to my gown. When joy surges, I forget the distance; About to go, I…
— Zhang Chao When the arrowhead leaves rot, we departed at West Bay, But you do not return now the lotus blooms sway. My dreams drift upon the river night after night, They say my beloved’s lingering on Phoenix Mountain’s height.
— Zhang Ji Moon sets, crows cry, frost fills the sky; Facing dim fishing boats neath maples, sad I lie. Beyond the city wall of Gusu, from Temple of Cold Hill Bells break the ship-borne roamer’s dream in midnight still.
— Du Fu Two golden orioles sing amid the emerald willows; A line of white egrets fly into the blue sky. My window frames the thousand-year snow atop western ranges; My door frames mooring ships ready for their thousand-mile voyage to Eastern Wu.
Mencius said: “When the whole world is delighted and ready to submit to him, Shun regarded this universal acclaim as lightly as a blade of grass or a speck of dust. Only Shun could do this.”
Mencius said: “The essence of ren (benevolence) is serving one’s parents;the essence of yi (righteousness) is following one’s elder brothers.The essence of zhi (wisdom) is understanding these two and never abandoning them;the essence of li (ritual propriety) is giving them proper form and refinement;the essence of yue (music/joy) is delighting in these two –and…
Mencius said: “There are three forms of unfilial conduct, and the gravest is having no descendants.Shun married without informing his parents precisely to avoid this greatest unfilial act.Therefore, the noble person considers it as if he had informed them.”