Han shih wai chuan Han Ying's Illustrations of the didactic application of the Classic of songs |
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 | CHAPTER VIII Han shih wai chuan |  |
34[1]
Duke Chuang of Ch`i was out hunting, when a mantis lifted its
legs to seize the wheel [of his chariot]. He asked his driver, "What
insect is this?"
The driver said, "This is a mantis. Its characteristic as an
insect is that it knows how to advance but not how to retreat.
Without calculating its own strength it lightly advances against
its opponent."
Duke Chuang said, "If it were a man it would be the bravest
soldier in the empire." Whereupon he backed up his chariot to
avoid [crushing] it, and brave soldiers turned to him.
The Ode says,[2]
And his wisdom and virtue daily advanced.
Huai-nan tzŭ 18.18b is nearly identical. That these two stories (cf. HSWC 8/33)
succeed one another in both texts indicates definite filiation. In Huai-nan tzŭ they are
more intimately connected with each other, being parts of a consecutive argument, and
being referred to in the summary following, circumstances suggesting that Han Ying
made use of Huai-nan tzŭ.
| CHAPTER VIII Han shih wai chuan | |