燒餅歌 The Song of the Shaobing
In this post i will offer the first English translation (to my knowledge) translate what has become a somewhat notorious prophetic text: The Song of the Shaobing, sometimes translated as "the burnt biscuit poem"
The text is a dialogue between the first Ming Emperor- Taizu 明太祖 (Hongwu Emperor 洪武, reigned 1368 to 1398) and Liu Bowen 劉伯溫, a famous Chinese sage.The Emperor asks Liu Bowen to deliver him a prophesy of the future of his dynasty, and indeed of China as a whole. What follows is a set of apparently cryptic poems that predict future political events and the names of the personages involved.
Although apparently cryptic, the editions of the poem have glosses that decypher the names of the personages involved. Much of the encoding is done through breaking apart Chinese characters. For example, the surname Wei 魏 can be decomposed into the words 八千女鬼- "8000 lady ghosts"- which is how a man surnamed Wei is named in the poem. Some of these decompositions are fairly obvious, but others are not. As large sections of the poem are written in this manner, it is unsurprising that no complete translation has been made so far.
Much of the poem is dedicated to events of the Qing dynasty- the successor to the Ming. Much is made of the fact that the Qing were Manchus- and thus Barbarians from a Han Chinese perspective. In any case the poem predicts, that with the fall of the Qing, disasters of positively apocalyptic proportions would occur; however at the end of them a new ruler would come to rule china, and usher in an era of peace.
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Something must be said about The origins of the Song of the Shaobing itself. To my knowledge, the earliest dated printed text is actually rather late - the 27th year of the Republic, or 1938. published in a compendium called 中國二千年之預言 "Seven Chinese prophesies for Two thousand years" https://books.google.com/books?id=dPokAAAAMAAJ&dq=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E9%A0%90%E8%A8%80&pg=PP101#v=onepage&q&f=false
The collection is prefaced by the following note as a sort of certificate of authenticity: [it is also translated into chinese on the facing page]
Starting in 1849, China was enduring a "Century of humiliation" where, amongst other things the Forbidden City was sacked by foreign troops. The much detested Qing dynasty fell in 1912-- ending the 3000 odd years of imperial rule. As the text was published, China was in the process of a civil war. Given this context, the fall of the barbarian Qing- foretold in the last golden age of China- would seem comforting; the apocalyptic pronouncements of the final part might have seemed plausible, and the arrival of the sage ruler positively intoxicating. Indeed, the note stating that the texts came from a sacked imperial palace only adds to to the text's authority:With the collapse of the Imperial system, the people of China can now access- and hence control- their own destiny.
I understand Modern commentaries of the text still exist, but I have yet the time to read them. If I do come round to doing so, I will add their comments to this translation.
The Source text taken from https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E7%87%92%E9%A4%85%E6%AD%8C corrections taken from 中國二千年前之預言七種https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=dPokAAAAMAAJ&dq=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E9%A0%90%E8%A8%80&pg=PP101#v=onepage&q=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E9%A0%90%E8%A8%80&f=false.,
there is another edition of this book https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZWW905Pl4IC&dq=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E9%A0%90%E8%A8%80&pg=PP101#v=onepage&q=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E9%A0%90%E8%A8%80&f=false , erroneously dated to 1867, due to "maeon's' note.
The wikitext version has no interpretation ; this is supplied by the book. Liu Bowen is referred to as Liu Ji throughout this text
Parts whose translations are doubtful are covered in gray
Parts that are written in half-width characters are represented as text in parentheses in the translation; my own glosses are headed with 'ed'.
UPDATES:
11 April 2023: Changed 'not yet across' instead of 'already across'. 'not yet across' was an error
20 October 2023: added numerous comments based on this contemporary interpretation of the text by GrandMaster JinBohi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P3kV7rpZAM&t, as well as corrected some errors that have crept in. These comments are added in blue in indented paragraphs. Master JinBodhi was of the opinion that the Min emperors had access to the text, but failed to understand it owing to its obscurity.
*** *** ***
明太祖一日身居內殿，食燒餅，方咬一口，內監忽報國師劉基進見，太祖以碗覆之，始召基。入禮畢，帝問曰：「先生深明數理，可知碗中是何物件？」
One Day, Emperor Taizu of Ming was in the inner palace, eating a Shaobing. Before he could take a bite, an official suddenl reported that Imperial Preceptor Liu Ji had come for an audience. Taizu covered the bowl [which contained the shaobing] and summoned Ji. After [Ji] paid his respects, the emperor asked “Sir, you are possessed of a deep knowledge of computations; can you tell me what is in this bowl?”
基乃掐指輪算，對曰：「半似日兮半似月，曾被金龍咬一缺，此食物也。」開視，果然。
Ji then worked his fingers to perform a calculation, and replied
“Half like the moon, half like the sun--
The Golden Dragon has bit it, for one.
-- it must be an article of food.”
The emperor opened [the bowl] and it was so.
帝即問：「以天下、後世之事，若何？」
The emperor then asked “What about All under heaven, and the future?”
基曰：「茫茫天數，我主萬子萬孫，何必問哉。」
Ji said “Vague, vague are the numbers of heaven; My lord has a myriad children and a myriad grandchildren, why do you ask me?”
帝曰：「雖然自古興亡原有一定，況天下非一人之天下，惟有德者能享之，言之何妨？試略言之。」
The emperor said, “Even from times of old, flourishing and demise were fixed; Whether or not all under heaven was governed by a single man, that depended on whether that person had virtue.[1] What harm is there in speaking of that? Why not give it a try?
基曰：「洩漏天機，臣罪非輕，陛下恕臣萬死，方敢冒奏。」
Ji said, “Your Minister, by venturing to broach the secrets of Heaven, commits no small sin; If your majesty would pardon my sin [worthy of] a myriad deaths, then I might dare to speak of it”
帝即賜以免死金牌，基謝恩畢，奏曰：「我朝大明一統世界，南方終滅北方興，雖然太子是嫡裔，文星高拱日防西。」
The Emperor then gave him A Golden Warrant for Forgiveness from Death. After Ji gave his thanks, and Liu said*
[updated 20 October 2023: changed from 'the emperor said' to 'Liu said' --my mistake (ed)]
"Our dynasty, the great Ming controls the whole world;
Once the South has been extinguished, the North shall flourish;
Even though the Crown prince is the descendant of your wife, [20/10/2023: changed 'son' to 'descendant']
The literary Star shines with the sun, protecting the West”
[ed:Master JinBodhi interprets the first two lines represent the Emperor moving the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. The second pair of lines refers to Zhu Yuanzhang naming as his successor his grandchild, rather than one of his numerous still-living children. The grandson became the Jianwen Emperor-- establishing literature Emperor. The master interprets the word I translated as 'protecting' 防 as 'declining' , and takes this as a reference to the fact that the Jianwen emperor reigned a short while before being deposed]
帝曰：「朕今都城築堅守密，何防之有？」
The emperor said “My city is strongly and securely fortified—might any danger come of it?
基曰：「臣見都城雖屬鞏固，防守嚴密。似覺無虞，只恐燕子飛來。」指太祖第四子燕王篡奪
Ji said
“Your capital’s walls may be strong and solid. They are guarded securely, you might think there’s nothing to worry about. You only need to worry if a Swallow [Yan] comes” (This refers to Taizu’s fourth son, Prince Yan’s usurpation.)
隨作歌三首，曰：
[he then] dashed off three poems, thus:
「此城御駕盡親征，一院山河永樂平。燕王國號永樂。
禿頂人來文墨苑指姚廣孝，英雄一半盡還鄉。千忠會」
The emperor of this city leads his army personally,
In a single court, the mountains and rivers are eternally joyful and pacified (Prince Yan’s Imperial name was Eternally joyful—Yongle.
A bald man shall come into the garden of literature (this refers to Yao Guangxiao) [Yao was a Buddhist monk and statesman of the Ming—hence the baldness—Ed.]
Half of all the heroes return to their villages (The meeting of the thousand loyal ones)
Master Jinbodhi translates this passage as such 'When the empire has no cavalry to depend on and the imperial cavalry has to lead millitary expedition personally/the territory will find peace in Yongle". The first line describes the limits on the size of armies by the princes, and more generally the execution of all capable generals by Zhu yuanzhang. Prince Yan-- later the Yongle Emperor, led his troops personally to overcome the attempts on his life by the Jianwen emperor. Yao Guangxiao was the confidant of the Yongle emperor, who helped his raise to power. The last line refers to the mass resignation of previous emperor's officials.
「北方胡虜殘生命[2]，御駕親征得太平。失算功臣不敢諫，舊[3]靈遮掩主驚魂。」
A Wretched Catiff of the North shall birth a prodigy
He shall be close to the emperor [who] will get great peace,
A number Worthy Ministers will be lost; [they?] dared not admonish
The old spirits shall cover the Lord, frightening his soul
Master Jinbodhi translates the passage thus 'the North Mongols harmed civilians/the imperial cavalry leads military expeditions personally and brings peace/Meritable officials dare not give admonition/the living soul covers up the lord's frightened soul ". The first sentence refers to the constant raids of the Mongols on the ming which were personally led by the Yongle Emperor. (taking 殘生命 as 'depredate life') on one of these expeditions the Yongle Emperor died. His retainers had to disguise his death- hence 'the living soul cover up' etc.
「國壓瑞雲七載長，胡人不敢害賢良。
相送金龍復故舊英宗北狩得還 ，靈明日月振邊疆。[4]」
The Country shall press down on the marvellous clouds for seven years,
The barbarians shall dare not harm the Sages man
They will send each other golden dragons as was in times of old (Emperor Yingzong's "Northern Hunt")
A numinously brilliant moon and sun shall shake on the borderlands
Master Jinbodhi translates the passage thus 'The empire suppresses the auspicious clouds for 7 years/the mongols dare not harm the wise and virtuous one /so they send the golden dragon home/when the cloud disperses the sun and moon will shine brightly on the frontier" He takes it as a reference to the Tumu crisis, or as it is euphemistically known "The Northern Hunt" . the Emperor Yingzong (who reigned as the Zhengong epmperor) was captured by the Mongols and Oriats at the battle of Tumu Fortress. The Emperor was made a prisoner of war, but his captors did not harm him, and released him several years later. Yingzong's brother, who was proclaimed Emperor in the meanwhile, had Yingzong imprisoned on return. Yingzong eventually managed to overthrow his brother and reigned again, as the Tianshun emperor, seven years later
帝曰：「此時天下若何？」
The emperor said “What will happen at this time?”
基曰：「天下大亂矣。」
Ji said “Great turbulence all under heaven!”
帝曰：「朕之天下有誰亂者？」
The emperor said “Who causes this chaos?
基曰：「天下飢寒有怪異，棟樑龍德乘嬰兒。禁宮闊大任橫走，長大金龍太平時。
Ji said:
All under heaven there will be famine, cold, and anomalies
The ridgpole’s dragon virtue shall ascend [to] a child
The forbidden city is vast—offices suddenly walk away
The grown up dragon shall bring a time of peace.
老練金精尤[5]壯旺，相傳昆玉繼龍堂。英宗復辟
閹人[6]任用保社稷，八千女鬼亂朝綱。指魏忠賢」
The aged dragon refines his golden essense and be strong and prosperous
He will transmit the Jade of kunlun to continue his dragon hall. (Emperor Yingzhong’s second term)
When Eunuchs are used to protect the altars of earth and grain,
Eight thousand Lady ghosts shall disturb the country’s stability (this is Wei Zhongxiang)
[ed: Wei’s 魏 surname can be broken apart to form the characters 八千女鬼- "8000 lady ghosts"]
Master Jinbodhi takes this to also refer to the numerous concubines who brought chaos to the later Ming: Consort Wan - about whom see below; Consort Zheng of the Wanli Emperor (she distracted him from imperial rule and attempted to assassinate a rival to her son for the crown prince; she also was implicated in the death of the Taichang Emperor, who succeeded the WanLi emperor, and Madame Ke, who along with Wei Zhongxiang- himself half a man for he was an Eunuch- controlled the Tianqi Emperor
帝曰：「八千女鬼亂，朕天下若何？」
The Emperor said “Eight thousand lady ghosts disturbing us! What is to become of my country ?”
基曰：「忠良殺害崩如山，無事水邊成異潭。
救得蛟龍真骨肉，可憐父子順難當。」
Ji said “The good and worthy will be killed and harmed, collapsing like mountains
An unremarkable waterside [place] will become a strange pond
The true flesh and bone of the jiao dragon can be saved,
Just that the harmony between father and son will be hard to maintain.
Master Jinbodhi translates the passage thus "Killing the loyal and kind people is like a landslide/and brings turbulence to calm waters/one saves the Jiao-dragon's children/Its' a pity that father and son have such difficult times in office" ; The second line refers to Consort Wan and the Chenghua Emperor. The Chenghua emperor's favourite was Consort Wan. Consort Wan was his nanny whom the Chenghua Emperor married on taking the throne. Consort Wan had no surviving children, but killed any of the emperor's children by other concubines/wives. One child was saved by loyal officials. He succeeded his father as the Hongzhi emperor
subsequent
帝曰：「莫非父子互爭國乎？」
The emperor said “Don’t tell me that father and son will struggle over the country!”
基曰：「非也！樹上挂曲尺，指明朝朱姓 遇順則正[7]，至此天下未已。」
Ji said “Not so! On the tree hangs a crooked ruler, (This refers to the Ming Dynasty’s surname of Zhu)
If it meets “following” it will become straight
When it comes to this, All under heaven will be [not?] at an end.
[Ed: The first emperor of the Qing to rule over China proper- by deposing the Ming- was the Sunzhi 順治 Emperor , whose name means "Following Rulership"]
Master Jinbodhi translates this quatrain as "A body hangs dangerously on the tree/ it all stops when Shun comes along/The world does not end at this point". Master Jinbodhi notes for the word crooked 曲 is a homophone for 'body 軀 and 尺 ruler is a homophone for 恥 shame. This was the fate of Chongzhen who hanged himself (see below). Shun also refers to Li Zicheng, who called himself the king of Xinshun 新順王 and Zhang Xianzhong, who called his reign the Dashun. 大順.
帝曰：「何為未已？」
The emperor said “Why will it end?”
基曰：Ji said:
「萬子萬孫層疊層，萬曆子孫祖宗山上貝衣行。崇禎
公侯不復朝金闕，十八孩兒難上難。」
A myriad children, a myriad grandchildren all in a pile (The offspring of Wanli)
The ancestor travels up the hill, wearing ‘shell clothing’; (Chongzhen)
The dukes and marquises do not return to the golden watchtower
The eighteen children face difficulty after difficulty.
Master Jinbodhi translates this quatrain as "There are tens of thousands of children and gandchildren/ the honourable and auspicious join his ancestors/the nobles and ministers never again meet in the golden court/ 18 children have challenges upon challenges" The first line refers to the last 3 emperors of the Ming were descendants of Wanli- his sons and grandsons. The second line refers to the name of Chongzhen, literally "honorable and auspicious". The first character Chong 崇 is comprised of "Ancestor“ 宗 and mountain 山. The second character, 禎 is comprised of 'clothes' 衣, (simplified into radicals as 衤), up 上 and Shell 貝
卦曰：「木下一了頭，目上一刀一戊丁李自成亂。天下重文不重武，英雄豪傑總無春[8]。
the hexagram says “Under wood, One ‘already’ head;
Atop an eye, one Knife, one Wu Ding (This is Li Zicheng’s rebellion)
All under heaven treasures the civil & not the martial,
The outstanding people will not see spring
Ed: "Under wood one 'already head/Atop an eye, one Knife, one Wu Ding" is a decomposition of Li Zicheng's name.
戊子己丑亂如麻，到處人民不在家。偶遇飢荒草寇發，平安鎮守好桂花。吳三桂」
In the Wuzi and jichou years chaos like hemp,
All about no person will be at home
They will encounter famine, robbers spring up like grass
To pacify things, select the cassia flower (Wu Sangui )
Ed: Wu Sangui's name includes the word for 'cassia'
帝曰：「偶遭飢荒，平常小醜，天下已乎。」
The emperor said “To encounter a famine is normally a small shame—but for all under heaven!”
基曰：「西方賊擁亂到前，無個忠良敢諫言。喜見子孫恥見日，衰頹氣運早昇天。
Ji said “from the west, thieves shall rush to the fore,
Not a single person of worth or loyalty will dare to speak,
Delighted to see children ashamed to look at the sun,
But their unfortunate fate causes them to ascend to the heavens soon.
月缺兩二吉在中，奸人機發走西東。黃河涉過鬧金闕，奔走梅花上九重。崇禎 崩於煤山」
The moon is deficient; two “auspicious” is within
Evil people will spring up and travel from west to east,
Crossing the yellow river to trouble the Golden Watchtower.
They shall run over the plum blossoms, ascending the ninefold [The emperor Zhongzhen died on Coal Hill. ](Ed: “Plum” is a homophone for “coal”)
帝曰：「莫非梅花山作亂乎？從今命人看守，何如？」
The emperor said “Don’t tell me that there will be trouble on Plum Blossom hill? From now onwards I shall order people to guard it. What do you think?
基曰：「非也。遷南遷北定太平，輔佐帝主有牛星。運至六百半[9]，夢奇有字得心驚。」
Ji said: “Not so!
Travel south, travel north, to pacify [the country]
The emperor will be assisted by the star of the Ox
Just after Six Hundred and a half,
In dreams there will be a word that will give your heart a fright
帝曰：「有六百年之國祚，朕心足矣，尚望有半乎。天機卿難言明，何不留下錦囊一封，藏在庫內，世世相傳勿遺也，急時有難則開視之可乎？」
The emperor said “Soverigens for Six hundred years! My heart is at ease-- and on top of that, a half. The mechanisms of heaven are hard to describe, so why not write [these prophecies] down in a sealed brocade bag, and store it in the treasure house as an heirloom. Whenever there may be troubles, [future generations] can inspect it
基曰：「臣亦有此意。」
Ji said “Your servant has also had that same idea.”
遂又歌曰：
He then sang a song thus:
「九尺紅羅三尺刀，勸君任意自遊遨。
閹人尊貴不修武，惟有胡人二八秋。
“Nine feet of red brocade, a three-foot knife,
I encourage your discretion to be broad and expansive.
The eunuchs respect treasure, and do not cultivate martial skill,
Fear the barbarians [have a] two-eight autumn”
臣封櫃內，俟後開時自驗。」
Seal this in the casket—when the later ages open it, its meaning will be obvious”
「桂花開放好英雄，拆缺長城盡孝忠。吳三桂出關請病
周家天下有重復，摘盡李花枉勞功。
The cassia flower opens, a good hero [comes]
Broken and wanting [in the] long city, [although?] utmost of filiality and loyalty [this refers to Wu Suangui opening the pass to invite the soldiers in]
The family of Zhou once again rules heaven, [ed: Wu Sangui set up the latter Zhou dynasty]
But the Plum flowers will be picked over; labour in vain.
黃牛背上鴨頭綠，安享國家珍與粟。
雲蓋中秋迷去路，胡人依舊胡人毒。
The yellow Cow’s back will have Duck’s head green, [Ed: a reference to the yalu river?]
Enjoying the country’s treasures and grain,
Clouds cover the mid-autumn, losing the way,
The Barbarians will again rely on their old barbarous poison
反覆從來折桂枝，三桂歸順後，反叛，滅之水浸月宮主上立清字。
禾米一木併將去，二十三人八方居。」
Backwards and forwards they shall break the cassia branch, （[Wu] Sangui after capitulating, rebelled and was destroyed）
Water shall soak the lunar palace, Lord sits atop ([decomposition of ] the word Qing)
Rice and its plant, a single wood will then go,
Two ten Three Men, will stay in eight houses.
帝曰：「二十三人亂，朕天下八方安居否？」
The emperor said “23 men causing trouble? Will my empire be safe to stay in any of the 8 directions?”
基曰：「臣罪該萬死，不敢隱瞞，至此大明天下亡之久矣。」
Ji said “Your servant has done a crime worthy of a thousand deaths—I dare not conceal it from you: By this point the Great Ming is long gone”
帝大驚，即問：「此人生長何方？若何衣冠？稱何國號？治天下何如？」
The emperor was shocked, and asked “Where did this person come from? What does he wear? What does he call his country? How does he rule it?”
基曰：「是胡人二八秋[10]，二八胡人二八憂。二八牛郎二八月，二八姮娥配土牛。」
Ji said “These are barbarians; 28 autumns;
28 barbarians, 28 sadnesses,
28 cowherds, 28 moons
28 Chang-Es to accompany the earthen cow”
帝曰：「自古胡人無百年之國運，乃此竟有二百餘年之運耶？」
The Emperor said “From the ancient times the barbarians have not held on to the country for more than a century—how can it be that they have this fortune for two hundred years!”
基曰：Ji said
「雨水草頭真主出，（滿洲）赤頭童子皆流血，
倒置三元總纔說。須是川水頁台闕[11]（順治），
十八年間水火奪。庸人不用水火臣（康熙），
此中自己用漢人。卦分氣數少三數（在位六十一年），親上加親又配親。」
From rainwater with grass on top, the true emperor comes (Manchuria)
The red-headed boys all shall bleed,
Until placed until the Three Primes in total shall be said,
Surely it will be River water, page-terrace watchtower. (Sunzhi)
Eighteen years shall fire and water fight,
The people of the mean do not need to use the Fire-water Servant (Kangxi)
From then on he shall use Han people,
The hexagram’s Qi numbers are less than three numbers (he was emperor for 61 years)[there are 64 hexagrams; 64-3=61 -- ed]
Relation atop relation, matched to relation.
帝曰：「胡人至此，用人水奪火滅，親上加親，莫非駙馬作亂乎？」
The Emperor said “If The barbarians were, to this point, deployed people like fire and water extinguishing one another, as well as relations atop relations—do you mean that their princes were causing chaos?”
基曰：「非也。胡人英雄，水火既濟，安享太平，有位有勢，時值昇平，稱為盛世，氣數未減，還有後繼。
Ji said “This is not so: The Barbarians are heroic. Water and fire make [the hexagram] "Already across”, a sign of peaceful reign. They have the position; they have the power. These times are ones of peace and growth. It will be called a prosperous era. Their Qi is not reduced; they will have descendants”
<note: a previous version had 'not yet across' instead of 'already across'. That was an error>
寶劍重磨又重磨，抄家滅族可奈何。
閹人社稷藏邪鬼，孝弟忠奸誅戮多。
“The precious sword is ground and ground again; [i.e. sharpened-- ed]
Families executed; clans extinguished—it is hard to avoid
The eunuchs altars of soil and grain contain evil ghosts
Filial, Brotherly, Loyal, treacherous— many executed.
李花結子正逢春，牛鳴二八倒插丁。
六十周甲多一甲，螺角倒吹也無聲。
The Pear tree yields seeds – then does spring arrive
The cow bellows; twenty eight reversed with a nail inserted
The period of Sixty Jia with another Jia,
The Conch trumpet [even if] blown inverted gives no sound.
點畫佳人絲自分，一止當年嗣失真。(雍正)
泥雞啼呌空無口，樹產靈枝枝缺魂。
Dotted and painted beauties will separate silk by themselves,
At that very year, the descendants shall lose the truth. (Yongzhen)
The Mud Chicken cries, void without a mouth
The tree springs forth numinous branches; each branch lacks a soul
朝臣乞來月無光，叩首各人口渺茫。（乾隆）
一見生中相稱賀，逍遙周甲樂飢荒。(在位六十年)」
The imperial ministers beg for the moon not to give brilliance
They kowtow ; everyone’s mouths are indistinct (Qianlong)
Once they see the birth, the ministers congratulate,
Carefree, for a whole Jia-period; joy, famine. (Qianlong held the throne for 60 years)
帝曰：「胡人到此敗亡否？」
The emperor said “Will the barbarians collapse at this point”
基曰：「未也，雖然治久生亂，值此困苦，民懷異心，然氣數未盡也。
Ji said: “Not so. Their long rule may have caused chaos, and, enduring these hardships the people harbor thoughts of another [dynasty], but this [dynasty’s] Qi has yet to be used up.”
廿歲力士雙開口，人又一心度短長。（嘉慶）
時俺寺僧八千眾，火龍渡河熱難當。
A strongman of twenty doubly opens his mouth
A person, with one heart, long and short (Jiaqing)
At this time at the temple, a crowd of 8000 monks,
The fire dragon crosses the river; its heat is hard to bear.
叩首之時頭小兀，姮娥雖有月無光。(道光)
太極殿前卦對卦（咸豐），添香禳斗鬧朝堂。
At the time of kowtowing, there will be a small wu
Chang’e may have a moon but it has no light (Daoguang)
In the Taiji Hall, hexagram meets hexagram (Xianfeng [Ed: so called because both characters in his name are also hexagrams.] )
Increase incense [to] pray to the Dipper; chaos in the imperial hall.
金羊水猴飢荒歲，犬吠豬鳴淚兩行。
洞邊去水台用水，方能復正舊朝綱。(同治)
Metal goat; Fire ape there will be famine
Dog bark; Pig grunts, tears fall in paired rows.
By the cave, remove water; the platform uses water
Then there might be some renewal of the old country’s solidity (Tongzhi)
火燒鼠牛猶自可，虎入泥窩無處藏。
草頭家上十口女，又抱孩兒作主張。（光緒）
Fire burns the rat; alone the ox is alright
Tiger enters the muddy cave, there being nowhere to hide
Grass headed family, atop ten mouth woman,
Again hugging the child, being the Lord. (Guangxu)
二四八旗難蔽日，遼陽思念舊家鄉。[12]
Two, four, eight flags—it is hard to cover the sun
Thinking of his family home in Liaoyang
東拜斗、西拜旗，南逐鹿、北逐獅。
The east prays to the dipper; the west prays to the flag
The South follows the Deer, the North follows the Lion
分南分北分東西，偶逢異人在楚歸。
Split south, split north, split in the east and west
Encountering an unusual person, returning in Chu
馬行萬里尋安歇，殘害中女四木雞。
The horse travels a myriad li, seeking a palace to [quench] his thirst
Destroying and harming central women, four wood chicken.
六一人不識，山水倒相逢。
[Of] six, one person [is] not recognised
Mountain and water meet, inverted.
黃龍早喪赤城中。豬羊雞犬九家空，
飢荒災害皆並至，一似風登民物同。
The yellow dragon dies early in the scarlet city
Pig, Goat, Chicken dog—the nine families are empty
Famine and disaster at this point arrive.
Just like the wind; climbing over both people and things alike
得見金龍民心開，刀兵水火一齊來。
文錢斗米無人糴，父死無人兄弟抬。
When the golden dragon comes, the people’s hearts open
Knives, soldiers, fire and water all come at once
Rice [sold for a] coin a bushel—nobody will buy
The father dies, the brothers bicker.
金龍絆馬半亂甲[13]，二十八星問士人。
蓬頭女子蓬頭嫁，揖讓新君讓舊君。」
The golden dragon stumbles [over] a horse; half chaotic Jia
the 28 stars ask the scholar
A fluffy蓬 headed girl-child marries fluffy-headed
Greeting both new and and old husband
帝曰：「胡人至此敗亡否？」
The emperor asked ‘Will the barbarians be finished at this point?”
基曰：
「手執鋼刀九十九，殺盡胡人方罷休。
炮響火煙迷去路，遷南遷北六三秋。
Ji Said: “Hands holding knives of steel, there are ninety-nine
Killing off all the barbarians—hardly can any escape
Canons thunder; lost amidst fire and smoke,
Moving north and south for six-three autumns.
可憐難渡雁門關，摘盡李花滅尽胡。
黃牛山上有一洞，可投拾萬八千眾。
Alas, they cannot pass Swangoose gate pass
All the pear blossoms plucked; all the barbarians extinguished
In yellow cow mountain there’s a cave
18,000 people can hide in it
先到之人得安穩，後到之人半路送。
難恕有罪無不罪，天下算來民盡瘁。
The people who first come to it will be safe and peaceful
Those who come late—they will be sent away halfway
Be they sinners or not,
All the people under heaven will be completely exhausted.
火風鼎，兩火初興定太平；
火山旅，銀河織女讓牛星。
Fire and wind make [the hexagram] Cauldron; Two fires flourish at the start, then there will be peace
Fire and mountain make [the hexagram] Wanderer, The Weaver girl of the silver river yields to the cow star.
火德星君來下界，金殿樓臺盡丙丁。
一個鬍子大將軍，按劍馳馬察情形。
除暴去患人多愛，永享九州金滿籯。」
The fire virtue stellar worthy descends to the world
The golden hall, towers, platforms all Bing and Ding
A bearded great general, holding a sword, on a great horse, checks the situation.
Ridding of violence; removing affliction, much beloved of the people
For ever the nine provinces will have their chests filled with gold.
帝曰：「胡人此時尚在否？」
The emperor says “Are the barbarians still around now?”
基曰：
「胡人至此亡之久矣。
四大八方有文星，品物咸亨一樣形。
琴瑟和諧成古道，左中興帝右中興。
Ji said “No, they are long gone by this point.”
“In all directions there will be the star of literature
All things shall be auspicious , and of the like form
The Qin and Se shall be in harmony, just as in days of old
In the left, the Emperor flourishes; in the right there is flourishing.
五百年間出聖君，周流天下賢良輔。
氣運南方出將臣。聖人能化亂淵源，八面夷人進貢臨。
‘Within 500 years there will be a sage lord,
Who shall flood all under heaven with his sagacity.
From the south there will come a general, [who will serve as his] minister
A sage who can transform the very roots of chaos,
The Barbarians from all eight directions bring in tribute.
宮女勤針望夜月，乾坤有象重黃金。
北方胡虜害生靈，更會南軍誅戮行。
匹馬單騎安外國，
Palace ladies will move the needle, looking at the moon,
There will be a sign in heaven and earth; gold emphasised
In the north, a catiff shall harm the living spirits,
Then the southern general shall destroy him.
Riding on a single horse, pacifying other the outside of the country,
眾君揖讓留三星。上元復轉氣運開，
大修文武聖主裁。上下三元無倒置，衣冠文物一齊來。
The massed worthies shall pay their greetings; leaving three stars.
The upper prime shall see a turning, the Qi luck will open,
Great cultivation of civil and martial;
Upper, Lower; the three primes shall see no inversion
Clothes, caps, and objects shall all come together
七元無錯又三元，大開文風考對聯。
猴子沐盤雞逃架，犬吠豬鳴太平年。文武全才一戊丁，
After seven primes- this is true- and another three primes
A great opening of the literary fashion: couplets will be examined
The monkey’s bathing dish; the chicken jumps on the frame.
The dog barks; the pig squeals—years of peace
Civil and military shall be filled with talents—One Wu. Ding
流離散亂皆逃民。愛民如子親兄弟，
創立新君修舊京。千言萬語知虛實，留與蒼生作證盟。」
Departing from scattering and chaos all the people will escape
Loving the people as his own sons, kin, brothers
The new, creator lord shall repair the old capital.
Of the thousands of words and phrases [he shall] know if they are true or not
Left to the common people as proof.
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