Jiu Ge
Jiu Ge, or Nine Songs, (Chinese: 九歌; pinyin: Jiǔ Gē; lit.
[3] In common with other Chuci works, the authorship of these 11 poems has been attributed to the poet Qu Yuan, who lived over two-thousand years ago.
[5] The reason for the discrepancy between the 9 verses referred to in the title and the fact that there are actually 11 is uncertain, although an important question, which has had several possible explanations put forth.
More specifically, David Hawkes points out that "nine songs" is referenced in the seminal Chu Ci work, Li Sao, referring to the nine (twice times nine?)
The English translations are following those of David Hawkes,[10] although he uses Roman numerals for the traditional song order.
The God of Clouds (Yunzhong Jun) was worshipped in the hope of rain and good weather for crops.
In the Daoist case of the Three Worms, Siming, as Director of Destinies, has the bureaucratic function of human lifespan allocation.
As an asterism, or apparent stellar constellation, Siming is associated both with the Wenchang Wang star pattern, near the Big Dipper, in (Aquarius (Chinese astronomy)), and with a supposed celestial bureaucrat official of fate.
The astronomical Siming (actually part of asterism 虛, "Emptiness") consists of the Deified Judge of Life star group.
Qu Yuan is the protagonist and author of much of the Chu ci opus: whether or not he wrote the Jiu ge pieces while he was in exile is an open question.
Certainly the work appears underlain by earlier tradition, as well as possible editing during the reign of Han Wudi.
Shan Gui (山鬼), literally "Mountain Spirit" is here actually a goddess who is "lovesick" and pining for her lord.
Taiyi also known as: Tai Yi, Great Unity, and so on, is a familiar deity from the Chinese Daoist/shamanic tradition.
[15] The titles of the individual poems which follow are loosely based on David Hawkes: The first Jiu ge poetic piece is a dedication to a deity ("Dong huang tai yi").
The fifth and sixth Jiu ge poetic pieces involve a deity singular or plural: the Chinese is not clear as to whether the "lesser" and "greater" in the titles refers to a distinction between the two Siming (Master of Fate) poems or if it refers to a distinction between two Siming, Masters of Fate ("Xiang jun" and "Xiang fu-ren").
The seventh Jiu ge poetic piece addresses involves the deity "Dong jun".
[b] She is possibly to be identified with the Wushan Mountain goddess, Yaoji, and this "lovesick fairy queen" of the mount is presumably "waiting for King Xiang of Chu".
Included are references to arms and weapons, ancient states or areas, and the mixed use of chariots in warfare.
[26] Over 100 years later Arthur Waley (1889–1966) accredited it as "an extremely good piece of work, if one considers the time when it was made and the meagreness of the material to which Pfizmaier had access.
