Gu Yao Yan 古謡諺 :: :: University of Virginia Library

One should stop from time to time when walking on the streets in order to avoid that official who had very stern principles and rode on a blue and white horse.

時人為丁鴻語

後漢書丁鴻傳

殿中無雙﹑丁孝公。

In the emperor's court, no one was as knowledgeable as Ding Hong was.

臨淮吏人為朱暉歌

後漢書諸暉傳

疆直自遂。南陽朱季。吏畏其威。人懷其惠。

A song praising the good work of Zhu Hui.

京師為胡廣諺

後漢書胡廣傳

萬事不理﹑問伯始。天下中庸﹑有胡公。

Referring to how Hu Guang was knowledgeable and yet also very humble and amiable.

時人為王符語

後漢書王符傳

徒見二千石。不如一縫掖

Referring to the joy of meeting someone whom one admires.

關西為楊震語

後漢書楊震傳

關西孔子﹑楊伯起。

Yang Zhen is the Confucius of the Guan Xi area.

順陽吏民為劉陶歌

後漢書劉陶傳

邑然不樂。思我劉君。何時復來。安此下民。

A song praising the good work Liu Tao had done in lowering the crime rate substantially for Shun Yang.

虞詡引諺

後漢書虞詡傳

關西出將。關東出相。

Good generals came from the Guan Xi area and good secretaries came from the Guan Dong area.

京師為周舉語

後漢書周舉傳

五經縱橫﹑周宣光。

Referring to how knowledgeable of the five major scriptures Zhou Ju was.

京師為光祿茅才謠

後漢書黃琬傳

欲得不能。光祿茂才。

Referring to how some government posts were for sale, preventing some poor people with abilities from serving in those positions.

潁川為荀爽語

後漢書荀淑傳

荀氏八龍。慈明無雙。

Of the eight sons of Xun Shu, Xun Shuang was the most outstanding.

時人為陳氏語

後漢書陳寔傳

公慚卿﹑卿慚長。

Referring to how men of four generations in one Chen household occupied high positions in the central government and how they became arrogant.

京師為李氏語

後漢書李固傳

父不肯立帝。子不肯立王。

Noting that the father and son of one Li household were powerful in terms of their influence on who could become the emperor during Eastern Han dynasty.

京兆民語

後漢書延篤傳

前有趙張三王。後有邊延二君。

People in the capital naming the good mayors in a sequence.

陳蕃引鄙諺

後漢書陳蕃傳

盜不過五女門。

A burglar would not rob a household with over five mistresses as those women would have impoverished the household with their expenditures.

三府為朱震諺

後漢書陳蕃傳

車如雞栖馬如狗。疾惡如風朱伯厚。

Referring to how Zhu Zhen could not tolerate any injustice.

甘陵民謠

後漢書黨錮傳序

天下規矩﹑房伯武。因師獲印﹑周仲進。

The rules in the world seemed to have been set up by Fang Buo Wu. Zhou Zhong Jin became a secretary to the emperor because of having previously been the emperor's teacher.

汝南南陽二郡民謠

後漢書黨錮傳序

汝南太守范孟博。南陽宗資主畫諾。南陽太守岑公孝。
弘農成璡但坐嘯。

Ru Nan official Fan Meng knew many things. Because Nan Yang official Zong Zi was illiterate, he could only grant permissions without knowing what was on the document. Mr. Chen was very filial. Cheng Jin was short tempered.

太學諸生語

後漢書黨錮傳序

天下模楷﹑李元禮。不畏強禦﹑陳仲舉。天下俊秀﹑王叔茂。

The world's role model was Li Yan Li, and Chen Zhong Ju was not afraid to say the bad things some powerful people had done. Wang Shu Mao was very talented.

天下為賈彪語

後漢書賈彪傳

賈氏三虎。偉節最怒。

Of the three sons of the Jia householod, Jia Biao was the most outstanding.

陳琳引謠

後漢書何進傳

掩目捕雀。

Close one's eye and try to catch sparrows: this refers to one's not doing the right thing.

冀州民為皇甫蒿歌

後漢書皇甫蒿傳

天下大亂兮市為墟。母不保子兮妻失夫。賴得皇甫兮復安居。

A song praising the charitable act of Huang Fu Song in relieving the people's starvation.

道士負布歌

後漢書董卓傳

布乎。

Referring to how Dong Zhuo could not take a hint on tips regarding his assassin

獻帝初幽州童謠

後漢書公孫瓚傳

燕南垂。趙北際。中央不合大如礪。唯有此中可避世。

A children's song referring to the arrogant warlord Gong Sun Zan.

蒲亭鄉為仇覽諺

後漢書仇覽傳

父母何在在我庭。化我鳲梟哺所生。

A proverb encouraging people to be filial to parents.

京師為董宣歌

後漢書董宣傳

枹鼓不鳴﹑董少平。

A song praising the world class wrestler Dong Xuan

涼州民為樊曄歌

後漢書樊曄傳

游子常苦貧。力子天所當。寧見乳虎穴。不入冀府寺。
大笑期必死。忿怒或見置。嗟我樊府君。安可再遭值。

A song praising the governor of Liang Zhou, Fan Ye, who executed the law strictly.

天下為四侯語

後漢書宦者單超傳

左回天。具獨坐。徐臥虎。唐兩墯。

Referring to the five eunuchs who were dominating the imperial court.

時人為任安語

後漢書任安傳

欲知仲桓﹑問任安。
居今行古﹑任定祖。

Referring to the supreme scholar Ren An.

京師為楊政語

後漢書楊政傳

說經鏗鏗﹑楊子行。

Referring to Yang Zheng who was outstanding in his interpretation of the scriptures.

京師為戴馮語

後漢書戴馮傳

解經不窮﹑戴侍中。

Referring to Dai Ping who was considered to be the most outstanding in interpreting scriptures in the imperial court.

壽春鄉里為召馴語

後漢書召馴傳

德行恂恂﹑召伯春。

Referring to the highly regarded scholar Zhao Xun who was considered to be virtuous.

時人為周澤語

後漢書周澤傳

生世不諧。作太常妻。一歲三百六十日。三百五十九日齊。
一日不齊醉如泥。既作事。復低迷。

Referring to being thrown in jail, the harsh treatment Zhou Ze's wife got after asking what ailments were bothering Zhou Ze, who had very petty rules during his constantly on-going vegetarian retreat for the purpose of eliminating his ailments.

時人為許慎語

後漢書許慎傳

五經無雙﹑許叔重。

Referring to Xu Shen to whom no one was a parallel in terms of knowing the five major Confucian scriptures.

京師為黃香號

後漢書黃香傳

天下無雙。江夏黃童。

Referring to Huang Xiang who not only strictly followed filial piety but also was very incomparably learned.

豫章鄉里為雷義陳重語

後漢書陳重傳

膠漆自謂堅。不如雷與陳。

Referring to the friendship between Lei Yi and Chen Zhong. It was so close that no other friendship could be as close.

梁沛間為范冉歌

後漢書范冉傳

甑中生塵﹑范史雲。釜中生魚﹑范萊蕪。

Referring to a former civil servant, Fan Ran, who was framed and forced to escape to a countryside where he was so poor as to have only dust in his canisters and nothing to cook in his pots.

益都為任文公語

後漢書任文公傳

任文公﹑智無雙。

Referring to the unparalleled wisdom of Ren Wen Gong.

光武述時人語

後漢書郭憲傳

關東觥觥﹑郭子橫。

Referring to the Guo Xian's straight talk in which he was not even afraid of upholding his contending stance in front of the emperor.

平原人為王君公語

後漢書逢萌傳

避世牆東﹑王君公。

Referring to the hermit Wang Jun Gong.

京師為井丹語

後漢書井丹傳

五經紛綸﹑井大春。

Referring to Jing Dan's skill in discussing the Five Scriptures.

梁鴻五噫歌

後漢書梁鴻傳

陟彼北芒兮﹑噫。顧覽帝京兮﹑噫。宮室崔嵬兮﹑噫。
人之劬勞兮﹑噫。遼遼未央兮﹑噫。

A song sung by Laing Hong expressing his discontent towards the emperor's policies which were tormenting the people.

時人為戴遵語

後漢書戴良傳

關東大豪﹑戴子高。

Referring to the generous millionaire Dai Zun.

班昭女誡引鄙諺

後漢書曹世叔妻班昭傳

生男如狼。猶恐其尪。生女如鼠。猶恐其虎。

One should like one's son as aggressive as wolves and should even be afraid that he would be too wimpy. One should want one's daughter to be constantly scared as a mouse and even be afraid that she would be as harsh as tigers.

益州民為尹就諺

後漢書南蠻傳

虜來尚可。尹來殺我。

When the barbaric tribal people came, we could put up with it, yet when General Yin Jiu was dispatched by the government, he came to slaughter us.

哀牢行者歌

後漢書哀牢夷傳

漢德廣。開不賓。度博南。越蘭津。度蘭倉。為它人。

A song sung by people who were sent forth to the frontiers involuntarily to develop new colonies out of a very harsh environment.

京師為鮑永鮑恢語

後漢書異文

貴威斂手避二鮑。

One should try not to do bad things in order to avoid getting caught by Pao Cheng and Pao Hui.

京師為鮑宣鮑永鮑昱歌

後漢書逸文

鮑氏驄。三人司隸再入公。馬雖疲。行步工。

Referring to the three officials Pao Xuan, Pao Yong, and Pao Yi who all rode on blue and white horses. Though their horses were skinny, they walked as though they were really strong.

汲縣長老為崔瑗歌

後漢書逸文

上天降神明。錫我仁慈父。臨民布德澤。恩惠施以序。
穿溝廣灌溉。決渠作甘雨。

A song praising the way Cui Xuan created arable lands out of salty land and established a good irrigation system.

弘農人為吳祐謠

後漢書逸文

君不我憂。人何以休。不行界署。焉知人處。

Referring to the good local official, Wu You, who was managing everything well.

桓靈時人為選舉語二則

後漢書逸文

舉秀才。不知書。察孝廉。父別居。寒素清白濁如泥。
高第良將怯如雞。古人欲達勤誦經。今世圖官免治生。

Referring to how the system of filling government posts by references was failing, since the people hired were all incompetent.

長安中為郎舍謠

後漢書獻帝紀

頭白皓然。食不充糧。裹衣褰裳。當還故鄉。
聖主愍念。悉用補郎。舍是布衣。被服玄黃。

Referring to the emperor's awarding some senior intellectuals in the court with funds allowing them to retire to their homelands.

京師為袁成諺

後漢書袁紹傳

事不諧。問文開。

People should ask Yuan Cheng about how to get along with another person well.

時人為呂布語

後漢書呂布傳

人中有呂布。馬中有赤菟。

Of all the military personnel, Lu Bu was the most outstanding, of all the horses, his horse Chu Tu was the best.

羊陳元引諺

後漢書仇覽傳注引謝承書曰

孤犢觸乳。驕子罵母。

Spoiled children tend to scold their mothers.

時人為葛龔語

後漢書葛龔傳

作奏雖工。宜去葛龔。

Although Ge Gong's writing was good, he should be taken off the list of writers.

更始時南陽童謠

續漢書五行志一

諧不諧。在赤眉。得不得。在河北。

With those bandits who had their eyebrows painted red, there would not be peace. The social order was recovered by the first emperor of Eastern Han, who originated the task from He Pei.

王莽末天水童謠

續漢書五行志一

出吳門。望緹群。見一蹇人。言欲上天。令天可上。
地上安得民。

Referring to the impractical ambitions of one warlord Huai Xiao. The children's song went like this: if one could rise to heaven, there would not be any people on earth.

順帝末京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

直如弦。死道邊。曲如鉤。反封侯。

Referring to how Li Gu was executed after making decent suggestions to the empress as to who should succeed the throne.

桓帝初天下童謠

續漢書五行志一

小麥青青大麥枯。誰當穫者婦與姑。丈人何在西擊胡。
吏買馬。君具車。請為諸君鼓嚨胡。

A children's song about how men were drafted to go to war with the invading neighboring tribes on the Chinese borders, leaving only women to do the farming.

桓帝初京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

城上烏。尾畢逋。一年生九雛。公為吏。子為徒。一徒死。
百乘車。車班班。入河間。河間奼女工數錢。
以錢為室金作堂。石上慊慊舂黃梁。
梁下有懸鼓。我欲擊之丞卿怒。

This is a children's song describing how officials were corrupted and how the royal family were wasting money with construction, and how there were no channels through which officials with integrity could make complaints to the emperor.

又桓帝初京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

游平賣印自有平。不辟賢豪及大姓。

A children's song referring to how changes occurred after General Do Wu came to power and was fair in the hiring of officials since he disregarded the social and financial background of applicants.

桓帝末京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

矛田一頃中有井。四方纖纖不可整。嚼復嚼。
今年尚可後年鐃。

A children's song referring to the current political situation in which there were good officials and good regulations. However, after General Dou Wu was executed, things began to decline.

又桓帝末京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

白蓋小車何延延。河間來合諧。河間來合諧。

A children's song referring to the political situation after Emperor Huan died and Emperor Ning took over. How some people gained power and others lost both power and their lives because of this change.

靈帝末京都童謠

續漢書五行志一

侯非侯。王非王。千乘萬騎上北芒。

A children's song referring to how some powerful people who were not emperors, yet were just as powerful as emperors, were followed by an entourage of officials.

靈帝中平中京都歌

續漢書五行志一

承樂世﹑董逃。遊四郭﹑董逃。蒙天恩﹑董逃。
帶金紫﹑董逃。行謝恩﹑董逃。整車騎﹑董逃。
垂欲發﹑董逃。與中辭﹑董逃。出西門﹑董逃。
瞻宮殿﹑董逃。望京城﹑董逃。日夜絕﹑董逃。
心摧傷﹑董逃。

A folk song sung in the capital area during Emperor Ning's reign implying the life process of the man, Dong Zhuo. The song details events from his seizure of power to his demise.

獻帝初京師都童謠

續漢書五行志一

千里草。何青青。十日卜。不得生。

A children's song referring to the same person as in 0293.

建安初荊州童謠

續漢書五行志一

八九年間始欲衰。至十三年無孑遺。

A children's song referring to the warlord Liu Biao who dominated Jing Zhou for eight to nine years and then suffered a complete decline in thirteen years.

劉聖公賓客醉歌

續漢書逸文

朝烹兩都尉。遊徼後來。用調羹味。

A song sung by the drunk guests at Liu Sheng Gong's banquet. The song was teasing one of the guests, You Xi, who tied up and beat hundreds of these drunk guests.

京兆為李變謠

續漢書逸文

我府君。道教舉。恩如春。威如虎。剛不吐。弱不茹。
愛如母。訓如父。

A folk song in the capital area praising the then mayor Li Xie for his good work for the people.

隴水歌

續漢書郡國志

隴頭流水。分離四下。念我行役。飄然曠野。
登高遠望。涕零變墮。

A song sung by Eastern Chinese people who were dispatched to western China for forced labor and could not help sing this song and shed tears when they climbed up a hill looking to the east.