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Canto XIII
Canto XIII
Kung [1] walked
by the dynastic temple
and into the cedar grove,
and then out by the lower river,
And with him Khieu [2], Tchi 2
and Tian 2 the low speaking
And “we are unknown,” [3] said Kung,
“You will take up charioteering?
“Then you will become known,
“Or perhaps I should take up charioteering, or archery? [4]
“Or the practice of public speaking?”
And Tseu-lou 2 said, “I would put the defences in order,” [5] And Khieu said, “If I were lord of a province
“I would put it in better order than this is.” [6]
And Tchi said, “I would prefer a small mountain temple,
“With order in the observances,
with a suitable performance of the ritual,” [7] And Tian said, with his hand on the strings of his lute
The low sounds continuing
after his hand left the strings,
And the sound went up like smoke, under the leaves,
And he looked after the sound:
“The old swimming hole,
“And the boys flopping off the planks,
“Or sitting in the underbrush playing mandolins.” [8]
And Kung smiled upon all of them equally.
And Thseng-sie 2 desired to know:
“Which had answered correctly?”
And Kung said, “They have all answered correctly,
“That is to say, each in his nature.”
And Kung raised his cane against Yuan Jang [9],
Yuan Jang being his elder,
For Yuan Jang sat by the roadside pretending to
be receiving wisdom. [10]
And Kung said
“You old fool, come out of it,
“Get up and do something useful.”
And Kung said
“Respect a child’s faculties
“From the moment it inhales the clear air,
“But a man of fifty who knows nothing
Is worthy of no respect.”[11]
And “When the prince has gathered about him
“All the savants and artists, his riches will be fully employed.”
And Kung said, and wrote on the bo leaves: [12]
If a man have not order within him
He can not spread order about him;
And if a man have not order within him
His family will not act with due order;
And if the prince have not order within him
He can not put order in his dominions. [13]
And Kung gave the words “order”
and “brotherly deference”
And said nothing of the “life after death.” [14]
And he said
“Anyone can run to excesses,
“It is easy to shoot past the mark,
“It is hard to stand firm in the middle.”
And they said: If a man commit murder
Should his father protect him, and hide him?
And Kung said:
He should hide him. [15]
And Kung gave his daughter to Kong-Tchang [16]
Although Kong-Tchang was in prison.
And he gave his niece to Nan-Young [17]
although Nan-Young was out of office.
And Kung said “Wan [18] ruled with moderation,
“In his day the State was well kept,
“And even I can remember
“A day when the historians left blanks in their writings,
“I mean, for things they didn’t know,
“But that time seems to be passing. [19]
And Kung said, “Without character you will
“be unable to play on that instrument
“Or to execute the music fit for the Odes. [20]
“The blossoms of the apricot [21]
“blow from the east to the west,
“And I have tried to keep them from falling.”
[1] Kung is K’ung-fu-tze, i.e. Confucius.
[2] Confucius’ disciples.
[3] “I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.”
(‘Confucian Analects’, Chapter IV). See also Chapter XI: “From day to day you are
saying, ‘We are not known.’ If some ruler were to know you, what would you like to
do?”
[4] “What shall I practice? Shall I practice charioteering, or shall I practice archery? I
will practice charioteering.” (‘Analects’, Chapter IX)
[5] “… The Master smiled at him.” (‘Analects’, Chapter XI)
[6] He means “Teaching the people the principles of propriety, and music”. (The same
as above)
[7] “I should like, … , to act as a small assistant.” (The same chapter)
[8] “…The Master heaved a sigh and said, ‘I give my approval to Tien.’” (The same chapter)
[9] One of Confucius’ disciples. See ‘Analects’, Chapter XIV.
[10] He was ‘… squatting on his heels, and so waited the approach of the Master’.
(Same as above)
[11] “A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not
be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself
heard of, then indeed he will not be worth respect.” (‘Analects’, Chapter IX)
[12] According to Buddhist tradition, the pipal (species Ficus religiosa) under which
the Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment (bodhi) at Bodh Gaya (near Gaya,
west- central Bihar state, India).
[13] “When a prince’s personal conduct is correct, his government is effective …”
(‘Analects’, Chapter XIII)
[14]. “While you do not know life, how can you know about death?” (‘Analects’,
Chapter XI)
[15] “The father conceals the misconduct of the son, and the son conceals the
misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this.” (‘Analects’, Chapter
XIII)
[16] One of Confucius’ disciples. “He had not been guilty of any crime. Accordingly,
he gave him his own daughter to wife.” (‘Analects’, Chapter V)
[17] Another of Confucius’ disciples. “If the country were well governed he would
not be out of office, and if it were in governed, he would escape punishment and
disgrace.” (The same Chapter)
[18] Epithet given to ministers, princes, and kings; meaning ‘the accomplished’. Look
at ‘Analects’, Chapter XIV.
[19] “Now, alas! There are no such things.” (‘Analects’, Chapter XV)
[20] “It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused. It is by the Rules of Propriety that the
character is established. It is from Music that the finish is received.” (‘Analects’,
Chapter VIII)
[21] Most probably the Eastern Philosophy and Confucius’ thoughts. These final three
lines are by Pound himself!
ANALYSIS
As a shaper of modern literature, Pound succeeded in publishing highly acclaimed English versions of early Chinese poetry, Cathay (1915); and translated ancient
Chinese poetry (The Classic Anthology, 1954). Another place that shows his great
interest in ancient China is in his Cantos.
Pound’s concept of translation as a vehicle of self-realization for English poetry
seems to lead away from the otherness of the originals. In another sense, however, the
“bad translation” effect which he carries to greater length in the Cantos’ technique
of integrating quotations directly from other language has the effect of acknowledging
the Otherness of the originals, demonstrating to us what English cannot do, and
what we need to learn.
Apparently the poet is trying to show us, in his own unique Anglo-Saxon style, what
we’ve been missing in our Modern Western World: ‘Eastern Points of View’! When
he quotes Confucius’ sayings, Pound is always deliberately cutting and re-arranging
the pieces to come to his own conclusions.
Pound recommended that a poet translate in order to learn to enrich his capacities in
the “vehicle” language, English in Pound’s case. “The poet should read widely,” he
advised, “especially in languages he does not understand.”
When looking at Canto XIII from this point of view, one can find that these Eastern
philosophies are given in the Poundian sequence to highlight their meanings to him.
As an example, when he begins from the charioteering and archery in the first lines,
going through war and warship, and resting in the arms of music and fun when
accompanying the youth in a swimming hole, Pound might be thinking of showing a
process which the people have had in the East, becoming somehow calmer and
happier at last!
Again he must be emphasising the Western Pragmatism when showing us what Kung
told his elder disciple: “Get up and do something useful”.
Speaking of savants and artists together with princes is a hint to their urgent need for
advice, another Pound-like maxim! Another example is when he tells the reader about
the importance of order, at the same time when one can see Confucius becoming more
Buddhist.
Pound tries not to restrict himself in the normal order of gathering essential evidence
to come up with an idea; as he jumps from the benefits of being moderate straight to
the saying who can be a possibly ideal husband!
Imagism is likewise always present when Pound paints the different scenes not
necessarily interconnected, unless in the poets mind. When Pound regrets the past, he
is again indirectly inserting his ideas about the history being badly in need of filling
the gaps.
The finale is another surprise when the poet counts himself among the prophets,
tenderly torturing himself to bring the West what it has always lacked: the East and
the new facets to the Modern Western Man!
Nima Tahsili
Date Posted: 1/17/2009
Number of Views: 219
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