Book 18: 《微子》 Wei Zi
《微子》 Passage 18.9
Legge Translation (1861)
The grand music master, Zhi, went to Qi.Gan, the master of the band at the second meal, went to Chu. Liao, the band master at the third meal, went to Cai. Que, the band master at the fourth meal, went to Qin.
Fang-shu, the drum master, withdrew to the north of the river.
Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han.
Yang, the assistant music master, and Xiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea.
Word by word
- 大師 tài shī
Grand Music Master, chief court musician
- 大 grand, senior in rank (in a court title)
- 師 master, head of a musical office
Read tài, as in 太師; the Grand Music Master heads the court musicians. Translators split between literal titles (Grand Music Master) and generic ones (Music Director, Senior Music Master).
- 摯 zhì
Zhi, personal name
- 適 shì
to go to, depart for
- 齊 qí
Qi (name of a state)
- 亞飯 yà fàn
conductor of the second course, a musical office
- 亞 second, next in rank or order
- 飯 a meal; a course served at a ceremonial meal
- 干 gān
Gan, personal name
- 適 shì
to go to, depart for
- 楚 chǔ
Chu (name of a state)
- 三飯 sān fàn
conductor of the third course, a musical office
- 三 three
- 飯 a meal; a course served at a ceremonial meal
- 繚 liáo
Liao, personal name
- 適 shì
to go to, depart for
Roberts elides the verb here, relying on the earlier 'betook himself to'.
- 蔡 cài
Cai (name of a state)
- 四飯 sì fàn
conductor of the fourth course, a musical office
- 四 four
- 飯 a meal; a course served at a ceremonial meal
- 缺 quē
Que, personal name
Chin spells the name 'Jue' rather than 'Que'.
- 適 shì
to go to, depart for
Roberts elides the verb here, relying on the earlier 'betook himself to'.
- 秦 qín
Qin (name of a state)
- 鼓 gǔ
drummer, one who plays the (large) drum
- 方叔 fāng shū
Fangshu, personal name
- 方 Fang, first syllable of the personal name Fangshu
- 叔 Shu, second syllable of the personal name Fangshu
Roberts spells the name 'Fang Shi' rather than 'Fang Shu'.
- 入於 rù yú
entered, went to (a place)
- 入 to enter, go into
- 於 at, in, to (locative preposition marking destination)
- 河 hé
the (Yellow) River
- 播鼗 bō táo
hand-drum player, one who plays the small rattle-drum
- 播 to shake, sound (a hand-drum)
- 鼗 small hand-drum with pellet strikers, rattle-drum
- 武 wǔ
Wu, personal name
- 入於 rù yú
entered, went to (a place)
- 入 to enter, go into
- 於 at, in, to (locative preposition marking destination)
- 漢 hàn
the Han River
- 少師 shào shī
Junior Music Master, deputy court musician
- 少 junior, lesser in rank
- 師 master, head of a musical office
Read shào, junior, as in 少傅; the assistant to the Grand Music Master. Lau and Chin render it as deputy rather than as a separate title.
- 陽 yáng
Yang, personal name
- 擊磬 jī qìng
chime-stone player, one who strikes the stone chimes
- 擊 to strike; one who strikes (an instrument)
- 磬 stone chime, a musical instrument of hanging stones
- 襄 xiāng
Xiang, personal name
- 入於 rù yú
entered, went to (a place)
- 入 to enter, go into
- 於 at, in, to (locative preposition marking destination)
- 海 hǎi
the sea
Slingerland and Watson render this as 'coast' rather than 'sea'.
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