Page:Gems of Chinese literature (1922).djvu/132

 there was much unrest in the empire. The last Emperors of the House of Hsia (d. 1763 ) and of the House of Yin (d. 1122 ) toiled violently up the steps of the eight-thousand-feet mountain of Grains; but though long gazing southwards, they never could see Drunk-Land. The Martial King (d. 1116 ) satisfied his ambition in his generation. He ordered his Grand Astrologer to establish a Department of Wine, with its proper officials; and he extended his territory for 7,000 li, until it just reached Drunk-Land. The result was that for forty years punishments were unknown, down to the reigns of king Cruel (878 ) and king Grim (781 ). By the time of the Ch‘ins (255 ) and the Hans (206 ), the Middle Kingdom was in a state of confusion and collapse, and communications with Drunk-Land were cut off. However, certain enlightened friends of mine often slipped across on the sly. The poets Yüan Chi, T‘ao Ch‘ien, and others, to the number of ten or a dozen, went off to Drunk-Land, disappeared there and never came back; they died there and were buried in its earth. They are known in the Middle Kingdom as the Wine Immortals. Ah me! How different are the customs of the people of Drunk-Land from those of the country of the mother of Fu Hsi (3rd millennium ) of old! How pure and peaceful they are! Well, I have been there myself, and therefore I have written this record.

