Da Dong

“The Great East”

Preface: The poem “The Great East” satirizes political chaos. The eastern vassal states were burdened with labor services and suffered from the depletion of their resources. The grandee of Tan composed this poem to recount the hardships of the state.

Baskets full of food are placed in vessels; the curved thornwood ladles are long and long. The great roads are level as a whetstone, straight as an arrow shot forth. These are the paths trodden by noble lords, and also what the common people gaze upon. I look back with longing, and my tears fall unceasingly.

In the eastern small and great states, the shuttles on the looms are all empty. Tattered and torn hempen sandals are used to tread on the frost. Those frivolous young gentlemen walk upon those great roads, coming and going without rest, filling my heart with sorrow.

The cold spring water gushes from the side; do not soak the cut firewood. Sleepless with worry, I sigh and awaken, pitying us who toil. This cut firewood can still be carried in a cart. Pitying us who toil, we too deserve some rest.

The sons and younger brothers of the eastern states labor without recompense; the sons and younger brothers of the western Zhou wear bright and splendid clothes. Even the sons and younger brothers of the Zhou boatmen wear bearskin and leopard-fur cloaks; the sons and younger brothers of petty households all take up various offices.

Some have fine wine, while others cannot even get weak wine; some wear long jade pendants, while others lack even ordinary ones. There is the Milky Way in the sky, casting down its light. The Weaving Maiden stands apart, moving seven times in a day.

Though she moves seven times in a day, she cannot weave fabric. The bright Oxherd star cannot be used to draw a carriage. In the east there is the Morning Star, in the west the Evening Star. The curved Net Star is set in the sky in vain.

In the south is the Winnowing Fan star, but it cannot be used to winnow chaff. In the north is the Dipper star, but it cannot be used to ladle wine. In the south is the Winnowing Fan star, yet it sticks out its tongue. In the north is the Dipper star, yet it lifts its handle to the west.

“The Great East” has seven stanzas, each of eight lines.