Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MAN-WIND AND THE WOMAN-WIND, by SUNG YU


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MAN-WIND AND THE WOMAN-WIND, by                    
First Line: Hsiang, king of ch'u, was feasting in the orchid-tower palace
Last Line: "such is the woman-wind of the common people."
Subject(s): China - Early Period (to 200 B.c.); Wind


HSIANG, king of Ch'u, was feasting in the Orchid-tower Palace,
with Sung Yu and Ching Ch'ai to wait upon him. A gust of wind
blew in and the king bared his breast to meet it, saying: "How
pleasant a thing is this wind which I share with the common people."
Sung Yu answered: "This is the Great King's wind. The common
people cannot share it." The king said: "Wind is a spirit of Heaven
and Earth. It comes wide spread and does not choose between noble
and base or between high and low. How can you say 'This is the king's
wind'?" Sung answered: "I have heard it taught that in the crooked
lemon-tree birds make their nests and to empty spaces winds fly.
But the wind-spirit that comes to different things is not the same."
The king said: "Where is the wind born?" and Sung answered: "The
wind is born in the ground. It rises in the extremities of the green
p'ing-flower. It pours into the river-valleys and rages at the mouth of
the pass. It follows the rolling flanks of Mount T'ai and dances beneath
the pine-trees and cypresses. In gusty bouts it whirls. It rushes in fiery
anger. It rumbles low with a noise like thunder, tearing down rocks and
trees, smiting forests and grasses.
"But at last abating, it spreads abroad, seeks empty places and crosses
the threshold of rooms. And so growing gentler and clearer, it changes
and is dispersed and dies.
"It is this cool clear Man-Wind that, freeing itself, falls and rises till it
climbs the high walls of the Castle and enters the gardens of the Inner
Palace. It bends the flowers and leaves with its breath. It wanders among
the osmanthus and pepper-trees. It lingers over the fretted face of the
pond, to steal the soul of the hibiscus. It touches the willow leaves and
scatters the fragrant herbs. Then it pauses in the courtyard and turning to
the North goes up to the Jade Hall, shakes the hanging curtains and lightly
passes into the inner room.
"And so it becomes the Great King's wind.
"Now such a wind is fresh and sweet to breathe and its gentle murmuring
cures the diseases of men, blows away the stupor of wine, sharpens sight
and hearing and refreshes the body.
This is what is called the Great King's wind."
The king said: "You have well described it. Now tell me of the common
people's wind." Sung said: "The common people's wind rises from narrow
lanes and streets, carrying clouds of dust. Rushing to empty spaces it attacks
the gateway, scatters the dust-heap, sends the cinders flying, pokes among
foul and rotting things, till at last it enters the tiled windows and reaches the
rooms of the cottage. Now this wind is heavy and turgid, oppressing man's
heart. It brings fever to his body, ulcers to his lips and dimness to his eyes.
It shakes him with coughing; it kills him before his time.
"Such is the Woman-wind of the common people."





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