1. Examining into antiquity, the Tî Yâo[1] was styled Fang-hsün[2]. He was reverential, intelligent, accomplished, and thoughtful,—naturally and without effort. He was sincerely courteous, and capable of complaisance. The bright was felt through the four quarters, and reached to above and beneath.
He made the able and virtuous distinguished, and thence proceeded to the love of the nine classes of his kindred, who became harmonious. He regulated and polished the people, who all became brightly intelligent. He united and harmonized the myriad states; and so the black-haired people were transformed. The result was 2. He commanded the Hsîs and Hos[3], in reverent accordance with the wide heavens, to calculate and delineate the sun, the moon, the stars, and the zodiacal spaces, and so to deliver respectfully the seasons to be observed by the people.
He separately commanded the second brother Hsî to reside at Yü-î[4], in what was called the Bright Valley, and respectfully to receive as a guest the rising sun, and to adjust and arrange the labours of the spring. ‘The day is of the medium length, and the star is in Niâo;—you may thus exactly determine mid-spring. The people are dispersed, and birds and beasts breed and copulate.’
He further commanded the third brother. Hsî to reside at Nan-kiâo [5], to adjust and arrange the transformations of the summer, and respectfully-to observe the exact limit. ‘The day is at its longest, and the star is in Hwo;—you may thus exactly determine mid-summer. The people are more dispersed; and birds and beasts have their feathers and hair thin, and change their coats.’
He separately commanded the second brother Ho to reside at the west, in what was called the Dark Valley, and respectfully to convoy the setting sun, and to adjust and arrange the completing labours of the autumn. ‘The night is of the medium length, and the star is In Hsü;—you may thus exactly determine mid-autumn. The people feel at ease, and birds and beasts have, their coats in good condition.’
He further commanded the third brother Ho to reside in the northern region, in what was called the Sombre Capital, and to adjust and examine the changes of the winter. ‘The day is at its shortest, and the star is in Mâo;—you may thus exactly determine mid-winter. The people, keep in their houses, and the coats of birds and beasts are downy and thick.’
The Tî said, ‘Ah! you, Hsîs and Hos, a round year consists of three hundred, sixty, and six days. Do you, by means of the intercalary month, fix the four seasons, and complete the year. The various officers being regulated, in accordance with this, all the works will be fully performed.’
3. The Tî said, ‘Who will search out a man according to the times, whom I can raise and employ?’ Fang-khî said, ‘Heir-son Kû[6] is highly intelligent.’ The Tî said, ‘Alas; he is insincere and quarrelsome:—can he do?’
The Tî said, ‘Who will search out a man’. equal to the exigency of my affairs?’ Hwan-tâu[7] said, ‘Oh! the merits of the Minister of Works have just been displayed on a wide scale.’ The Tî, said, ‘Alas! when all is quiet, he talks; but when, employed, his actions turn out differently. he is respectful in appearance. See! the floods assail the heavens!’
The Tî said, ‘Ho! The Four Mountains[8], destructive in their overflow are the waters of the inundation. In their vast extent they embrace the hills and overtop the great heights, threatening the heavens with their floods, so that the lower people groan and murmur ‘Is there a capable man to whom I can assign the correction ?’ All said, ‘Ah! is there not Khwăn[9]