Chariots on the March

"Chu Ju"

Preface: "Chu Ju" is a poem that consoles generals and officers returning from military campaigns.

I harness my war chariot and go to the pastoral lands. From the place of the Son of Heaven, I was commanded to come here.

I summon the charioteers and order them to load the supplies. The affairs of the state are fraught with danger; the situation is truly urgent.

I harness my war chariot and go to the outskirts of the city. I raise this tortoise-and-serpent banner and set up that yak-tail standard.

How can the banners of birds of prey and tortoise-and-serpent not flutter in the wind? My heart is full of sorrow and unease; my attendants are also weary and distressed.

The King of Zhou commanded Nan Zhong to go and build a fortress in the northern regions. The war chariots move with a rumbling sound; the banners flutter brightly.

The Son of Heaven commanded me to build a fortress in the north. The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong will pacify and sweep away the Xianyun tribe.

When I first set out on the campaign, the millet and sorghum were in bloom; now as I return, rain and snow cover the roads.

The affairs of the state are fraught with danger; there is no leisure to rest. Do I not long to go home? I fear these urgent dispatches.

The grass insects chirp and cry; the grasshoppers leap without cease. Before I saw my lord, my heart was full of sorrow and unease.

Now that I have seen my lord, my heart is set at ease. The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong is about to campaign against the Western Rong.

The days of spring grow long; the grasses and trees flourish and grow. The orioles sing with a sweet sound; the women gathering artemisia are many.

We capture prisoners and interrogate them; now we are about to return in triumph. The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong has pacified and brought peace to the Xianyun tribe.

"Chu Ju" has six stanzas, each stanza with eight lines.