"In
the Wilds There is a Dead Doe"
The following poem is from the Shih Ching. It is the
the 23rd poem appearing in Mao's ordering of the Shih Ching,
but is often numbered 63rd in English versions of that anthology.
In
the wilds there is a dead doe;
With
white rushes we cover her. 1
There
was a lady longing for the spring;
A
fair knight seduced her.
In
the woods there is a clump of oaks,
And
in the wilds a dead deer
With
white rushes well bound;
There
was a lady fair as jade. 2
"Heigh,
not so hasty, not so rough;
Heigh,
do not touch my handkerchief. 3
Take
care, or the dog will bark."
1. If Chinese
peasants would find a deer in the woods that has died, they
would cover it with rushes as a sign of respect. --Arthur
Waley, The Book of Songs: The Ancient Chinese Classic
of Poetry. 60.
2. Jade was considered the most valuable and
precious stone in China, somewhat akin to the way Europeans
think of diamonds or gold. It was thought to have the power
to elongate life, and at one Chinese burial site, the body
of a nobleman was founded wearing armor composed entirely
of small pieces of jade, a costume probably designed not
only to illustrate his great wealth, but also to preserve
his corpse from decay.
3. The garment translated as "handkerchief"
was normally worn at the girdle, i.e., wrapped around the
waist.
Questions:
1. What scene from the world of nature is
being juxtaposed with an event in human courtship?
2. How is the lady like or unlike the dead
doe wrapped in white rushes?
3. What is the lady concerned about? Why is
she afraid the dog will bark? What is the knight like as
a lover, given her words?
