University of Virginia Library

When [Ding] culminated [at night fall],
He began to build the palace at Chu .
Determining its aspects by means of the sun ,
He built the mansion at Chu .
He planted about it hazel and chesnut trees ,
The yi , the tong , the zi , and the varnish-tree ,
Which , when cut down , might afford materials for lutes .

He ascended those old walls ,
And thense surveyed [the site of ] Chu .
He surveyed Chu and Tang ,
With the high hills and lofty elevations about :
He descended and examined the mulberry trees ;
He then divined , and got a fortunate response ;
And thus the issue has been truly good .

When the good rain had fallen ,
He would order his groom ,
By starlight , in the morning , to yoke his carriage ,
And would then stop among the mulberry trees and fields .
But not only thus did he show what he was ; —
Maintaining in his heart a profound devotion to his duties ,
His tall horses and mares amounted to three thousand .