Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/63

 or Falling into Trouble, the first section of which ex- tends to nearly 400 lines. Beginning from the birth of the writer, it describes his cultivation of virtue and his earnest endeavour to translate precept into practice. Discouraged by failure, he visits the grave of the Em- peror Shun (chapter ii.), and gives himself up to prayer, until at length a phoenix-car and dragons appear, and carry him in search of his ideal away beyond the domain of mortality, the chariot of the Sun moving slowly to light him longer on the way, the Moon leading and the Winds bringing up the rear, up to the very palace of God. Unable to gain admission here, he seeks out a famous magician, who counsels him to stand firm and to continue his search ; whereupon, surrounded by gorgeous clouds and dazzling rainbows, and amid the music of tinkling ornaments attached to his car, he starts from the Milky Way, and passing the Western Pole, reaches the sources of the Yellow River. Before long he is once again in sight of his native land, but without having discovered the object of his search.

Overwhelmed by further disappointments, and sinking still more deeply into disfavour, so that he cared no longer to live, he went forth to the banks of the Mi-lo river. There he met a fisherman who accosted him, saying, " Are you not his Excellency the Minister ? What has brought you to this pass?" "The world," replied Ch'u Yuan, " is foul, and I alone am clean. There they are all drunk, while I alone am sober. So I am dismissed." " Ah ! " said the fisherman, " the true sage does not quarrel with his environment, but adapts himself to it. If, as you say, the world is foul, why not leap into the tide and make it clean ? If all men are drunk, why not drink with them and teach them to avoid

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