Notes
1. WITH this Book there commence the documents of the
Shû that may be regarded, as I have said in the Introduction, as
contemporaneous with the events which they describe. It is the first of the
'Speeches,' which form one class of the documents of the classic. The text does not say who the king mentioned in it
was, but the prevalent tradition has always been that he was Khî, the son and
successor of Yü. Its place between the Tribute of Yü and the next Book
belonging to the reign of Thâi Khang, Khî's son, corroborates this view. Kan is taken as the name of a place in the
southern
border of the principality of Hû, with the lord of which Khî fought: The name
of Hû itself still remains in the district so called of the department Hsî-an,
in Shen-hsî. The king, about to engage in battle with a rebellious
vassal, assembles his generals and troops, and addresses them. He declares
obscurely the grounds of the expedition which he had undertaken, and concludes
by stimulating the soldiers to the display of courage and observance of order
by promises of reward and threats of punishment.
2.
The crimes of the lord of Hû are here very obscurely stated. With regard to the
second of them, we know that Hsiâ commenced its year with the first month of
spring, Shang a month earlier, and Kau about mid-winter. It was understood that
every dynasty should fix a new month for the beginning of the year, and the
dynasty of Khin actually carried its first month back into our November. If the
lord of Hû claimed to begin the year with another month than that which Yü had
fixed, be was refusing submission to the new dynasty. No doubt, the object of
the expedition was to put down a dangerous rival.
3.
The chariots were the principal part of an ancient Chinese army; it is long
before we read of cavalry. A war-chariot generally carried three. The driver
was in the centre; on his left was an archer, and a spearman occupied the place
on his right. They all wore mail.
4.
The chariots were the principal part of an ancient Chinese army; it is long
before we read of cavalry. A war-chariot generally carried three. The driver
was in the centre; on his left was an archer, and a spearman occupied the place
on his right. They all wore mail.
5.
The chariots were the principal part of an ancient Chinese army; it is long
before we read of cavalry. A war-chariot generally carried three. The driver
was in the centre; on his left was an archer, and a spearman occupied the place
on his right. They all wore mail.