Han shih wai chuan :: :: University of Virginia Library

Han shih wai chuan

Han Ying's Illustrations of the didactic application of the Classic of songs

Han, Ying

[title page]

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

TABLE OF UNUSUAL ORTHOGRAPHIES

FINDING LIST

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES

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183

25[1]

Borrowing the blue color of the indigo plant, a [dyed] thread
is bluer than indigo.[2] Borrowing the yellow color of earth, a [dyed]
thread is yellower than earth. If even the blue of indigo and the
yellow of earth can be borrowed, cannot the substance of jên
and i certainly be borrowed?

In the Eastern Sea there are fish called the tieh,[3] which go about
sharing their [single] eyes. Unless they are two together, they
cannot get anywhere. In the north there are animals called lou,
one of which eats while the other keeps watch.[4] Unless they are
two together, they cannot eat their fill. In the south there are
birds called chien, which fly by combining their [single] wings.
Unless they are two together they cannot get up [off the ground].
In the west[5] there are animals called chüeh, whose front legs are
those of a rat and whose hind legs are those of a rabbit. When it
gets sweet grass, it always takes it in its mouth and gives it to
the ch`ung-ch`ung-chü-hsü;[6] not that by instinct it loves the
ch`ung-ch`ung-chü-hsü, but that it may avail itself of its legs.[7]

Now if even birds, beasts, and fishes depend on one another,[8]
how much the more lamentable that the ruler of [a state of] ten

184

thousand chariots[9] should be the only one not to know enough to
avail himself of the company[10] of the empire's heroes and worthies
and associate himself with them. Truly it is said, clarity supported
by clarity will rise up to Heaven; obscurity supported by
clarity will attract the right men; but it is pure luck if two blind
men supporting each other do not injure [themselves against]
a wall or a tree, or fall into a well or a hole. The Ode says,[11]

There is a man unobservant of the right,
Whose goings[12] will be according to his inward[13] filthiness.

This [speaks of][14] going in obscurity.

[1]

The exotic animals of this paragraph are also mentioned in *Erh ya B.10b, LSCC
15.15b, and SY 6.1b.

[2]

The figure seems to be a common one: Shih chi 60.10a: [OMITTED]
[OMITTED] (This, however, is in a section from the hand of Ch`u Shao-sun.)
It would better suit the present argument if the [OMITTED] following [OMITTED] could be
omitted, so that the line could be rendered "Indigo is possessed of blue and a thread
borrows its blue from indigo. Earth is possessed of yellow and a thread borrows its
yellow from earth."

[3]

For [OMITTED] D has [OMITTED]. Wang Yin-chih (Ching-i shu wên [OMITTED] 33b-34a)
thinks this latter is a mistake for [OMITTED], an alternative form of [OMITTED]. (Chao 138.)

[4]

Chih-yao 8.24a has [OMITTED] for [OMITTED]: "One eats while the other waits." (Chao.)

[5]

LSCC, Huai-nan tzŭ 12.4b, and SY all say it is an animal from the north. (Chao
139-40.)

[6]

[OMITTED]. SY makes it two animals, the ch`ung-ch`ung and the chü-hsü. Chao
(141-2) thinks the evidence is in favor of this, and opines that they were similar
creatures, each of which was dependent on the chüeh for its food.

[7]

Read [OMITTED] for [OMITTED] after SY.

[8]

Chih-yao has [OMITTED] for [OMITTED], probably from the [OMITTED] in the next phrase.

[9]

Chih-yao writes [OMITTED] after [OMITTED]: "How much the more the ruler, etc." The phrase
after [OMITTED] is certainly long, and the text may be faulty, but punctuating after [OMITTED]
spoils the parallelism between [OMITTED] . . . [OMITTED] . . .

[10]

Read [OMITTED] with Chih-yao for [OMITTED].

[11]

Shih 525 No. 257/12.

[12]

[OMITTED] for Mao shih [OMITTED]. Ch`ên Ch`iao-ts`ung (I-shuo k`ao 13.16b) suggests that [OMITTED] is the correct reading here. Since the traditional gloss on the Mao shih reading is [OMITTED], it is as likely that [OMITTED] is a corruption of [OMITTED].

[13]

Read [OMITTED] with CHy, D for [OMITTED] or [OMITTED] as in B, C. (Chao.)

[14]

Chao suggests adding [OMITTED].