Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/212

 200 CHINESE LITERATURE

prematurely cut off. Thy pure intelligence, hope of the family, survives not to continue the traditions ot his house. Unfathomable are the appointments of what men call Heaven : inscrutable are the workings of the unseen : unknowable are the mysteries of eternal truth : unrecognisable those who are destined to attain to old age ! " Henceforth my grey hairs will grow white, my strength fail. Physically and mentally hurrying on to decay, how long before I shall follow thee ? If there is knowledge after death, this separation will be but for a little while. If there is not knowledge after death, so will this sorrow be but for a little while, and then no more sorrow for ever."

" O ye blue heavens, when shall my sorrow have end ? Henceforth the world has no charms. I will get me a few acres on the banks of the Ying, and there await the end, teaching my son and thy son, if haply they may grow up, my daughter and thy daughter, until their day of marriage comes. Alas ! though words fail, love endureth. Dost thou hear, or dost thou not hear ? Woe is me : Heaven bless thee ! "

Of all Han Yii's writings in prose or in verse, there was not one which caused anything like the sensation produced by his memorial to the Emperor on the sub- ject of Buddha's bone. The fact was, Buddhism was making vast strides in popular esteem, and but for some such bold stand as was made on this occasion by a leading man, the prestige of Confucianism would have received a staggering blow. Here is an extract from this fiery document, which sent its author into exile and nearly cost him his life :

" Your servant has now heard that instructions have been issued to the priestly community to proceed to

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