Rhapsody & Parallel Prose · LT401

Grand Han Rhapsodies

Monumental descriptive rhapsodies celebrating imperial capitals, hunts, and palaces.

13works

2dynasties

6authors

Zhou

1046–256 BCE4 works
  1. Rhapsody on the WindSong YuThe wind arises from the tips of green duckweed, spreads through ravines and valleys, gathers force, roars through mountain gorges, and then arrives at the Lantai terrace.
  2. Rhapsody on Master Dengtu the LecherSong YuOf all the beauties in the world, none rivals Chu; in Chu none rivals my town; in my town none rivals my eastern neighbor's daughter. An inch added she would be too tall, an inch subtracted too short; powdered she would be too fair, rouged too red.
  3. Rhapsody on the Divine MaidenSong YuHer countenance lush and dignified in beauty, enveloped in the lustrous warmth of jade. Her radiant eyes shine wide and clear, the consummate grace of a gentle maiden. Stepping slowly through misty silks, long sleeves fluttering in graceful rhythm.
  4. Rhapsody on GaotangSong YuIn past days our former King toured Gaotang; growing tired he slept by day, dreaming of a woman who said: 'I am the maiden of Mount Wu, a guest at Gaotang. Hearing you visit here, I offer pillow and mat.' The King favored her. Departing, she said: 'I dwell upon the sunny heights of Mount Wu; at dawn I am the morning cloud, at dusk the drifting rain. Morning after morning, evening after evening, beneath the Yangtai terrace.'

Han

202 BCE – 220 CE9 works
  1. Rhapsody Mourning Qu YuanJia YiPhoenixes hide in concealment while horned owls soar triumphant. Vulgar fools attain noble honors while flatterers achieve their aims; sages are dragged backward while rectitude is upended.
  2. Rhapsody on the OwlJia YiHeaven and Earth are the great furnace, Nature the master smith; Yin and Yang the burning charcoal, and all myriad creatures the molten bronze. Assembling, dispersing, waning, waxing—where is there any rigid constant!
  3. Rhapsody of Master VoidSima XiangruChu sent Master Void on an embassy to Qi, where the King of Qi mobilized all kingdom hunters in his honor. Master Void boasted of his hunt to Master Nowhere, with Lord Nonexistent present.
  4. Rhapsody on the Imperial Shanglin ParkSima XiangruVast and majestic the Eight Rivers diverge in multifaceted beauty. Its five palaces and outlying lodges span mountains and valleys, with lofty colonnades and tiered pavilions.
  5. Rhapsody on the Long Gate PalaceSima XiangruSuddenly drifting into slumber and dream, in spirit my Lord seemed beside me. Startling awake in trembling fright, the endless night stretched boundless without limit.
  6. Rhapsody on the Feathered Hunt · ExcerptYang XiongThereupon the Son of Heaven rode a chariot carved of jade, drawn by four azure dragons and flanked by white deer, raising canopies of feathers and unfurling cloud-banners. Moving like a god, shaking Heaven and Earth.
  7. Two Capitals · Western Capital Rhapsody · ExcerptBan GuThe Western Capital of Han lay in Yongzhou, truly named Chang'an. To its left rose the formidable hazards of Xiaohan and Taolin Pass; to its right the steep escarpments of Long and Shu. The Great River flowed along its south, the Yellow River circled its north. This is truly the thousand-li impregnable fortress, the Celestial Empire's Land of Abundance.
  8. Two Capitals · Eastern Capital Rhapsody · ExcerptBan GuThe Eastern Capital of Luoyi sits at the harmony of Heaven and Earth, the intersection of Yin and Yang. Built by the Duke of Zhou, revived by Emperor Guangwu. Cultivating rituals and music to govern the realm, exalting moral transformation to bring peace to the people.
  9. Two Metropolises · Eastern Metropolis Rhapsody · ExcerptZhang HengSeeing that Sima Xiangru and Yang Xiong had not fully exhausted the glory of the Eastern Capital, Zhang Heng composed the Rhapsodies on the Two Metropolises. Great is the virtue of the Han, rituals and music shine bright, all nations live in tranquility and all life thrives in peace.