Chinese poem illustration: 郑风 将仲子/Zheng Wind – Lord Jiang the Second
Above video could be watched at Bilibili: 郑风 将仲子
Maoshi(毛诗:https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AF%9B%E8%A9%A9) related this poem to a very famous history story while later generations treat this poem as a love poem. I do agree with Maoshi for two major reasons. This poem is about political interests which a love poem would never touch with. Second, the character 爱(岂敢爱之) today mainly means the love between male and female while in the time of Shijing, it never related to the modern love stereotype words. In the few ocasions in Shijing, it is the careness between lord and his people or an adorbale article.
This poem also revealed the changeover of the manner and style of Wind poems, it has nothing to do with the Wind(the local custom or tradition) but an political affair. If you are impressed with this poem, read the Zuozhuan story(春秋左传：郑伯克段于鄢) which is the real story behind.
郑风 将仲子
佚名(郑庄公)
将仲子兮，无逾我里，无折我树杞。
岂敢爱之？畏我父母。
仲可怀也，父母之言亦可畏也。
将仲子兮，无逾我墙，无折我树桑。
岂敢爱之？畏我诸兄。
仲可怀也，诸兄之言亦可畏也。
将仲子兮，无逾我园，无折我树檀。
岂敢爱之？畏人之多言。
仲可怀也，人之多言亦可畏也。
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