Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/173

 His writings, especially his essays, are often of the very highest order, leaving nothing to be desired either in originality or in style. But it is more than all for his pure and noble character, his calm and dignified patriot- ism, that the Chinese still keep his memory green. The years after his death, for a shrine which had just been put up in honour of the dead teacher by the people of Ch'ao-chou Fu :

" He rode on the dragon to the white cloud domain; He grasped with his hand the glory of the sky ; Robed with the effulgence of the stars, The wind bore him delicately to the throne of God. He swept away the chaff and husks of his generation. He roamed over the limits of the earth. He clothed all nature with his bright rays, The third in the triumvirate of genius ? His rivals panted after him in vain, Dazed by the brilliancy of the light. He cursed Budaha ; he offended his prince ; He journeyed far away to the distant south;

He passed the grave of Shun, and wept over the daughters of Yao. The water-god went before him and stilled the waves. He drove out the fierce monster as it were a lamb. But above, in heaven, there was no music, and God was sad, And summoned him to his place beside the Throne. And now, with these poor offerings, I salute him; With red lichees and yellow plantain fruit. Alas ! that he did not linger awhile on earth, But passed so soon, with streaming hair, into the great unknown*

Han Yii wrote a large quantity of verse, frequently playful, on an immense variety of subjects, and under his touch the commonplace was often transmuted into wit. Among other pieces there is one on his teeth, which seemed to drop out at regular intervals, so that he

1 The other two were Li Po and Tu Fu.

�� �