英譯: |
In the land of Tao-chou
Many of the people are dwarfs;
The tallest of them never grow to more than three feet.
They were sold in the market as dwarf slaves and yearly
sent to Court;
Described as "an offering of natural products from the land
of Tao-chou"
A strange "offering of natural products"; I never heard of
one yet
That parted men from those they loved, never to meet again!
Old men—weeping for their grandsons; mothers for their
children!
One day-Yang Ch'ēng came to govern the land;
He refused to send up dwarf slaves in spite of incessant
mandates.
He replied to the Emperor "Your servant finds in the Six
Canonical Books
'In offering products, one must offer what is there, and not
what isn't there'
On the waters and lands of Tao-chou, among all the things
that live
I only find dwarfish people; no dwarfish slaves".
The Emperor's heart was deeply moved and he sealed and
sent a scroll
"The yearly tribute of dwarfish slaves is henceforth
annulled."
The people of Tao-chou,
Old ones and young ones, how great their joy!
Father with son and brother with brother henceforward
kept together;
From that day for ever more they lived as free men.
The people of Tao-chou
Still enjoy this gift.
And even now when they speak of the Governor
Tears start to their eyes.
And lest their children and their children's children should
forget the Governor's name,
When boys are born the syllable "Yang" is often used in
their forename.
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