The Epic of China’s Agrarian Civilization — A Brief Analysis of The Classic of Poetry · The Seventh Month, Stanza 8

Stanza 8:

On days of the second, they hew the ice – clang, clang!

二之日鑿冰沖沖,

On days of the third, they store it in the icy cellar.

三之日納於凌陰。

On days of the fourth, in early spring,

四之日其蚤,

 They offer lamb and chives in sacrifice.

獻羔祭韭。

In the ninth month, frost descends austere;

九月肅霜,

In the tenth, they cleanse the threshing square.

十月滌場。

They line the wine in solemn array;

朋酒斯饗，

They slay the lamb for the sacred day, ascending the lord’s hall.

曰殺羔羊, 躋彼公堂。

They raise the vessel of wine: Wishing for boundless longevity.

稱彼兕觥：萬壽無疆。

“On days of the second,” meaning “the days of the second month,” refers to the days of the second month in the Xia dynasty calendar, which correspond to the twelfth month in the Zhou dynasty calendar. “鑿冰沖沖 (záo bīng chōng chōng)” means “chipping ice with loud  clang-clang sounds.” Storing ice was for preserving the meat of slaughtered animals during the first month, to be used for spring sacrifices. “凌陰 (líng yīn)” refers to an isolated underground ice pit. “蚤(zǎo )” means “early,” that is, the early spring sacrifices. “獻羔祭韭 (xiàn gāo jì jiǔ)” is to use lamb and garlic chives as offerings to sacrifice to the Sui deity, who governs the fate of the year and is in charge of the four seasons. Generally, spring sacrifices were held in the second month of the Zhou dynasty calendar. Therefore, it says “on days of the fourth.” “羔 (gāo)” is a lamb, the most precious kind of food. “韭 (jiǔ)” is garlic chives, which is a vegetable that strengthens the Yang energy. Its pronunciation resembles “久 (jiǔ),” meaning “long-lasting,” thus it is highly auspicious. As a Yang energy vegetable, it is the most suitable offering for the spring sacrifice.

韭 garlic chives

“肅霜 (sù shuāng)” means the solemn, killing frost is about to arrive. Wang Guowei says in Guantang Jilin (《觀堂集林》):

“ ‘In the ninth month, frost descends austere’ means that only in the ninth month the air is high, clear, and bright-white; by the tenth month all things have withered without remainder.”

This explanation is closer to the original meaning.

“滌場 (dí chǎng)” means cleaning and sweeping the threshing ground. “朋酒 (péng jiǔ)” means a row of sacrificial wine vessels. “斯饗 (sī xiǎng)” means to offer wine in worship of the spirits. “殺羔羊 (shā gāo yáng)” is to slaughter lambs as accompaniments to the wine. “躋 (jī)” means “to ascend.” “兕觥 (sì gōng)” is a type of ancient wine vessel.

兕觥 ancient wine vessel

This chapter speaks exclusively of sacrificial rites. The modern translation is:

“In the days of the twelfth month, they chip ice in the river with loud clang-clang sounds; throughout the first month, the ice is stored in an isolated ice pit for preserving food. At the beginning of the second month, the spring sacrifice begins, setting out lamb and garlic chives as offerings. In the ninth month, the autumn air is high and clear, and frost is about to descend. In the tenth month, the threshing ground is cleaned. They set out the ordered wine vessels, slaughter lambs as sacrificial offerings, and present them to the ancestors and spirits. Ascending the communal ancestral hall, they raise the great Si Gong wine cup and offer blessings that our clansmen and our state may enjoy boundless longevity.”

This stanza actually describes several types of sacrifices: one is the Spring Sacrifice, the other the La Sacrifice (臘祭). Both are closely related to agricultural grain production. The Spring Sacrifice is to pray for favorable weather throughout the year and belongs to supplicating Heaven. The La Sacrifice is to pray for agricultural abundance and belongs to giving thanks to Heaven.

To be continued.