University of Virginia Library

The first birth of [our] people ,
Was from Jiang Yuan .
How did she give birth to [our] people ?
She had presented a pure offering and sacrificed ,
That her childlessness might be taken away .
She then trod on a toe-print made by God , and was moved ,
In the large place where she rested .
She became pregnant ; she dwelt retired ;
She gave birth to , and nourished [a son] ,
Who was Hou-ji .

When she had fulfilled her months ,
Her first-born son [came forth] like a lamb .
There was no bursting , nor rending ,
No injury , no hurt ;—
Showing how wonderful he would be .
Did not God give her the comfort ?
Had He not accepted her pure offering and sacrifice ,
So that thus easily she brought forth her son ?

He was placed in a narrow lane ,
But the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care .
He was placed in a wide forest ,
Where he was met with by the wood-cutters .
He was placed on the cold ice ,
And a bird screened and supported him with its wings .
When the bird went away ,
Hou-ji began to wail .
His cry was long and loud ,
So that his voice filled the whole way .

When he was able to crawl ,
He looked majestic and intelligent .
When he was able to feed himself ,
He fell to planting large beans .
The beans grew luxuriantly ;
His rows of paddy shot up beautifully ;
His hemp and wheat grew strong and close ;
His gourds yielded abundantly .

The husbandry of Hou-ji ,
Proceeded on the plan of helping [the growth] .
Having cleared away the thick grass ,
He sowed the ground with the yellow cereals .
He managed the living grain , till it was ready to burst ;
Then he used it as seed , and it sprang up ;
It grew and came into ear ;
It became strong and good ;
It hung down , every grain complete ;—
And thus he was appointed lord of Tai .

He gave his people the beautiful grains :—
The black millet , and the double-kernelled ;
The tall red , and the white .
They planted extensively the black and the double-kernelled ,
Which were reaped and stacked on the ground .
They planted extensively the tall red and the white ,
Which were carried on their shoulders and backs ,
Home for the sacrifices which he founded .

And how as to our sacrifices [to him] ?
Some hull [the grain] ; some take it from the mortar ;
Some sift it ; some tread it .
It is rattling in the dishes ;
It is distilled , and the steam floats about .
We consult ; we observe the rites of purification ;
We take southernwood and offer it with the fat ;
We sacrifice a ram to the Spirit of the path ;
We offer roast flesh and broiled :—
And thus introduce the coming year .

We load the stands with the offerings ,
The stands both of wood and of earthenware .
As soon as the fragrance ascends ,
God , well pleased , smells the sweet savour .
Fragrant is it , and in its due season !
Hou-ji founded the sacrifice ,
And no one , we presume , has given occasion for blame or regret in regret to it ,
Down to the present day .