Sacred Books of the East Vol. 40: Taoism Vol. 2

The Perfect Tâo, with movement wise, Unseen, Its work did naturally. St. 2. Its power the elements{fr. 1} all felt; The incipient germs of things{fr. 2} appeared. Shepherd and Lord established were, And in their hands the ivory bonds{fr. 3}. The Tîs must blush before the Hwangs{fr. 4}; The Wangs must blush before the Tîs{fr. 4}. More distant grew Tâo's highest gifts, And simple ways more rare became. St. 3. The still placidity was gone, And all the old harmonious ways. Men talents prized, and varnished wit; The laws displayed proved but a net. {fn. 1. 'The five essences;' meaning, I think, the subtle power and operation of the five elements.} {fn. 2. So Williams, under Wei ({img 31600}). See also the Khang-hsî Thesaurus under the phrase {img 31601}.} {fn. 3. 'Bonds' with written characters on them superseded the 'knotted cords' of the primitive age. That the material of the bonds should be, as here represented, slips of ivory, would seem to anticipate the progress of society.} {fn. 4. The Hwangs ({img 31602}) preceded the Tîs in the Tâoistic genesis of history; and as being more simple were Tâoistically superior to them; so it was with the Tîs and the Wangs or Kings.} {p. 317} Wine-cups and stands the board adorned, And shields and spears the country filled. The close-meshed nets the fishes scared: And numerous bows the birds alarmed. St. 4. Then did the True Man{fr. 1} get his birth,