Satirical Admonition (讽谏诗) by Wei Meng · Chinese Poem Audio and Explanation

Meaning

Solemn and reverent were my ancestors, whose state began at Shiwei. Clad in patterned robes and crimson bands, with teams of four and dragon banners, they campaigned with vermilion bows, soothing the far borders, uniting the vassal lands and upholding great Shang. O radiant Han, to the four quarters you made war; none you reached but turned loyal, and all realms were at peace. Then you charged your brother, to establish a marquisate in Chu; you made me, your humble servant, mentor to assist the throne.

我祖严谨恭肃，封国始于豕韦。身着黼衣朱绂，驾四马树龙旂。持彤弓出征，安抚边荒。统领诸邦，辅翼大商。赫赫大汉，四方来征。无处不归心，万国得安宁。乃封其弟，于楚建国。使我小臣，辅佐傅相之职。

Appreciation

Wei Meng, a man of Pengcheng, was for generations a great Confucian of Zou and Lu; in the sixth year of Gaozu he became tutor to Liu Jiao, King Yuan of Chu, and served in turn Yuan, his son King Yi, and his grandson Liu Wu. In the time of Emperor Jing, Liu Wu grew ever more dissolute; Meng, as the august tutor of the royal house, remonstrated often and was not heeded, so he made the Satirical Admonition, recounting the Wei clan's merit 'from Shiwei onward' in aiding Shang and Han, to warn Wu not to forget the duty of a hereditary minister nor disgrace the fief. Wu would not mend, and Meng left his post and moved his family to Zou, where he died. This is the earliest extant literati four-character admonitory poem, marking the maturity of the Han royal-house remonstrance literature. The poem is four-character, modelled on the 'Ya' and 'Song,' classical and elegant. It opens with 'awesome, my ancestors' to trace the clan's origin and merit, displaying the patterned robes, dragon banners, and vermilion bows of ritual dignity, first setting the high mark of a loyal minister's merit; the latter half turns to praise Han's virtue and then to the present charge of 'found a marquisate in Chu' and 'make me your mentor,' admonishing without bluntness, resentful yet not angry, blending history, praise, and counsel—truly the rightful teaching of the Shi.

【白话串讲】韦孟是楚王刘戊的老师，楚王骄横，韦孟写诗劝谏：“肃肃我祖，国自豕韦”——追述祖德。“彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒”——劝他效法先祖，不要胡作非为。这是中国最早的讽刺劝谏诗之一。【意象与手法】诗用四言，句摹《雅》《颂》，典重温雅【情感与主旨】韦孟，彭城人，世为邹鲁大儒，高祖六年为楚元王刘交傅，历辅元王及其子夷王、孙刘戊【名句点睛】常考其'四言雅正'的体式特征及'借古讽今（以族史谏王）'的手法。可联系《诗经》雅颂与韦孟另一《在邹诗》对读

Background

Wei Meng, a man of Pengcheng, was for generations a great Confucian of Zou and Lu; in the sixth year of Gaozu he became tutor to Liu Jiao, King Yuan of Chu, and served in turn Yuan, his son King Yi, and his grandson Liu Wu. In the time of Emperor Jing, Liu Wu grew ever more dissolute; Meng, as the august tutor of the royal house, remonstrated often and was not heeded, so he made the Satirical Admonition, recounting the Wei clan's merit 'from Shiwei onward' in aiding Shang and Han, to warn Wu not to forget the duty of a hereditary minister nor disgrace the fief. Wu would not mend, and Meng left his post and moved his family to Zou, where he died. This is the earliest extant literati four-character admonitory poem, marking the maturity of the Han royal-house remonstrance literature.

《讽谏诗》为西汉韦孟所作，是讽谏楚元王孙的告诫诗。韦孟（生卒年不详），西汉初彭城人，曾任楚元王、夷王、王戊三代师傅。此诗为四言长诗，此节选部分：肃肃我祖，国自豕韦；黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂；彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒；总齐群邦，以翼大商；于赫有汉，四方是征；靡适不怀，万国逌平；乃命厥弟，建侯于楚。全诗历叙祖先功德而讽谏楚王，是西汉四言诗的代表作。

Art

The poem is four-character, modelled on the 'Ya' and 'Song,' classical and elegant. It opens with 'awesome, my ancestors' to trace the clan's origin and merit, displaying the patterned robes, dragon banners, and vermilion bows of ritual dignity, first setting the high mark of a loyal minister's merit; the latter half turns to 'O radiant Han' to praise the Han, then settles on 'found a marquisate in Chu' and 'make me your mentor' as the present charge. Using glory to set off decline, it admonishes without bluntness, resentful yet not angry, fusing historical narrative, praise, and counsel—truly the rightful teaching of the Shi.

《讽谏诗》艺术上以四言的典重与讽谏的含蓄见长。此节选十句，层层写来：前四句写祖德——“肃肃我祖，国自豕韦”写祖上封国，“黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂”写服饰仪仗；中四句写祖功——“彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒”写征伐抚宁，“总齐群邦，以翼大商”写总齐群邦；后四句写汉德——“于赫有汉，四方是征”写汉之赫赫，“靡适不怀，万国逌平”写万国皆平，“乃命厥弟，建侯于楚”写封楚之始。全诗以历叙祖先功德写讽谏之意，四言典重，正是韦孟讽谏诗的笔法。

Allusions

'Shiwei' refers to the ancient state of Shiwei, a Peng-surname polity, said to be the origin of Wei Meng's ancestors, destroyed by Tang of Shang and later made a lord; 'patterned robes and crimson bands,' 'four steeds and dragon banners,' and 'vermilion bows' are all ritual vessels and emblems of lords and ministers, showing the ancestors' abundant honours; 'great Shang' and 'radiant Han' point to the inherited merit of aiding Shang and Han. The allusions all come from clan history and the Shi and the Rites, used to build the ethical ground of 'a hereditary minister must be loyal,' so the admonition rests on rite and law, not private grievance.

《讽谏诗》用典在“豕韦”“彤弓”“龙旂”“四方是征”。“豕韦”写商代诸侯豕韦氏，写其祖上封国；“彤弓”用天子赐彤弓之典，写征伐之权；“龙旂”写画龙之旗；“四方是征”写征伐四方。全诗以这些典故历叙祖先功德，用典典重而讽谏含蓄，正是西汉四言讽谏诗的笔法。

Commentary

The 'History of Han' records Wei Meng 'was tutor to King Yuan, then to his son Yi and grandson Wu,' and that he 'admonished Wu'; Liu Xie said 'early Han four-character, Wei Meng first sang.' Ming scholar Xu Xueyi called it 'canonical and elegant, catching the method of the two Ya.' Moderns see this poem as inheriting Shi four-character above and opening Wei-Jin occasional and admonitory verse below, a key work where Han literati poetry beyond the folk yuefu opened a separate elegant line.

《讽谏诗》是韦孟的代表作，也是西汉四言诗中的名篇。此诗历叙祖先功德而讽谏楚王，向为论者称道。论者多赏其四言的典重——“肃肃我祖，国自豕韦”写祖德肃肃，四言典雅；“于赫有汉，四方是征”写汉德赫赫，更见其颂。此诗以历叙祖德写讽谏之意，正是西汉四言讽谏诗的代表作，为后世讽谏诗之祖。

Prosody

Form Han literati four-character poem (Ya/Song style)四言古诗

Rhyme Wei, banners, wilds, Shang, war, peace, Chu, assist—ancient rhymes in accord《讽谏诗》为西汉四言长诗，此节选十句，押韵。此诗用韵：韦、旂（微部）、荒、商（阳部）、征、平（耕部）、楚（鱼部），随段换韵，音节典重。

Tone pattern Not traceable (four-character archaic, follows the Shi)西汉四言诗以音节典重、气格古雅见长。此节选历叙祖德汉德，音节典重而庄肃。全诗以四言贯底，声调与讽谏告诫的内容相合，是西汉四言诗写讽谏的一路。

Reading note All four-character, classical and elegant, opens Han literati four-character admonition《讽谏诗》为西汉韦孟所作，是讽谏楚元王孙的告诫诗。此节选以“肃肃我祖，国自豕韦”历叙祖德，以“彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒”写祖功，以“于赫有汉，四方是征”写汉德，以“乃命厥弟，建侯于楚”写封楚之始。历叙祖德而讽谏之意含蓄，四言典重，为后世讽谏诗之祖。

Line by line

肃肃我祖，国自豕韦。黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂。

Solemn and reverent was our ancestor; his state began at Shiwei. In robe of patterned silk and red girdle, with four stallions and dragon banners.

庄严肃穆的我的祖先，封国始于豕韦氏。穿着黼黻之衣系着朱绂，四匹雄马拉车，车上立着龙旗。

Solemn was my ancestor; his fief began at Shiwei. In his patterned robe and red sash, driving four horses beneath dragon banners.

前四句写祖德与仪仗，是全诗叙祖德的起点。“肃肃我祖，国自豕韦”写祖上封国——“肃肃我祖”写庄严肃穆的祖先，“国自豕韦”写封国始于豕韦氏——祖先肃肃，封国始于豕韦；“黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂”写服饰仪仗——“黼衣朱绂”写黼黻之衣、朱绂之带，“四牡龙旂”写四匹雄马、龙旗——黼衣朱绂、四牡龙旂。四句写祖德与仪仗：祖先肃肃，国自豕韦；黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂。以“肃肃我祖”写祖先之德，以“国自豕韦”写封国之源，以“黼衣朱绂，四牡龙旂”写其仪仗之盛，正是韦孟叙祖德、以盛德立讽谏之本的笔法。

The admonitory poem opens on the ancestor. Solemn was my ancestor; his fief began at Shiwei, in patterned robe and red sash, four stallions and dragon banners. The whole point of the ancestral catalog is the splendor: the descendant who is about to be admonished once stood for this. To have described the ancestor's dignity would be a eulogy; the solemn ancestor with his robes and banners is the dignity to which the living must answer.

彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒。总齐群邦，以翼大商。

With the red-tipped bow he set out on campaign, soothing and settling the distant wilds; he unified and ordered the many states, to uphold the great Shang.

持彤弓而征伐，安抚平定远方。总领齐整群邦，以辅翼大商。

Armed with the red-tipped bow he campaigned, pacifying the distant marches; he ruled and ordered the feudal states, upholding the great Shang.

中四句写祖功，是全诗叙祖德的深化。“彤弓斯征，抚宁遐荒”写征伐抚宁——“彤弓斯征”写持天子所赐之彤弓而征伐，“抚宁遐荒”写安抚平定远方——彤弓而征，抚宁遐荒；“总齐群邦，以翼大商”写总齐群邦——“总齐群邦”写总领齐整群邦，“以翼大商”写辅翼大商——总齐群邦，辅翼大商。四句写祖功：彤弓斯征、抚宁遐荒，总齐群邦、以翼大商。以“彤弓斯征”写其征伐之权，以“抚宁遐荒”写其安定之功，以“总齐群邦，以翼大商”写其辅国之功，正是韦孟历叙祖功、以为讽谏之资的笔法——祖先之德若此，后人当法。

The ancestor's achievement. Armed with the red-tipped bow (the king's gift authorizing war), he campaigned, pacifying the distant marches; he ruled and ordered the feudal states, upholding the great Shang. The martial catalog establishes the house's military founding. To have listed the ancestor's deeds would be genealogy; the royal bow and the upheld Shang are the deeds.

于赫有汉，四方是征。靡适不怀，万国逌平。

O illustrious is the Han, its arms reaching the four quarters; wherever it went, all submitted, the myriad states were at peace.

多么显赫的大汉，征伐四方。无往而不归怀，万国平和。

Glorious is the Han, campaigning to the four directions; wherever it went, all submitted, and the myriad states were at peace.

此四句写汉德，是全诗叙汉之赫的深化。“于赫有汉，四方是征”写汉之赫赫——“于赫”写多么显赫，“有汉”写大汉，“四方是征”写征伐四方——多么显赫的大汉，征伐四方；“靡适不怀，万国逌平”写万国皆平——“靡适不怀”写无往而不归怀，“万国逌平”写万国平和——无往不怀，万国逌平。四句写汉德：于赫有汉、四方是征，靡适不怀、万国逌平。以“于赫有汉”写汉德之赫，以“四方是征”“万国逌平”写其威德之广，正是韦孟写汉德、为讽谏楚王作对照的笔法——汉德赫赫，楚王当思效之。

The present dynasty. Glorious is the Han, campaigning to the four directions; wherever it went, all submitted, and the myriad states were at peace. The shift from Shang ancestor to Han present sets up the warning: under such an emperor, a楚 lord has every reason for loyalty. To have praised the Han's power would be a boast; the glorious Han to which all states submit is the boast.

乃命厥弟，建侯于楚。

Then he commanded his younger brother to be enfeoffed as lord in Chu.

于是命令他的弟弟，在楚地建立诸侯。

Then he commanded his younger brother to be established as a lord in Chu.

末二句写封楚之始，是全诗转入讽谏的枢纽。“乃命厥弟”写命令其弟——“乃命”写于是命令，“厥弟”写其弟；“建侯于楚”写在楚地建侯——“建侯”写建立诸侯，“于楚”写在楚地。两句写封楚之始：乃命厥弟，建侯于楚。以“乃命厥弟，建侯于楚”写楚之受封，正是韦孟由叙祖德转入讽谏楚王的枢纽——楚之封，承祖先之德而来，楚王当思祖德而自励。

The pivot. Then he commanded his younger brother to be established as lord in Chu. The line that brings the ancestral catalog to the present crisis: this is why the Chu fief exists, and why its ruler is bound by its founders. To have said the house was granted Chu would be history; the command that enfeoffed the brother in Chu is the history's claim.

Study

Word focus

肃肃 Reverent, solemn; describes the ancestors' virtue, setting the elegant and grave tone. “肃肃我祖”之“肃肃”，写庄严肃穆，是全诗写祖德的关键词。“肃肃”写庄严肃穆——庄严肃穆的我的祖先。这一词写祖先之德：不是寻常之祖，而是肃肃；不是可忽之德，而是庄严之德。以“肃肃”写祖先，正是韦孟四言诗写祖德典重的笔法——祖德肃肃，足为后法。

黼衣朱绂 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “黼衣朱绂”之“黼衣朱绂”，写黼黻之衣、朱绂之带，是全诗写祖先仪仗的关键词。“黼衣”写绣有黼黻之衣，“朱绂”写朱色绶带——黼衣朱绂。这一词写祖先服饰之盛：不是寻常之衣，而是黼衣朱绂；不是无仪之服，而是命服之盛。以“黼衣朱绂”写仪仗，正是韦孟四言诗写祖德之盛的笔法——命服之盛，见其尊贵。

彤弓 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “彤弓斯征”之“彤弓”，用天子赐彤弓之典，写征伐之权，是全诗写祖功的关键词。“彤弓”写天子所赐的红色之弓——持彤弓而征伐。这一词写征伐之权：不是寻常之弓，而是彤弓；不是私有之器，而是天子所赐之权。以“彤弓斯征”写征伐，正是韦孟四言诗写祖功的笔法——彤弓所赐，征伐之权。

于赫 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “于赫有汉”之“于赫”，写出《诗经》“于赫汤孙”，写多么显赫，是全诗写汉德的关键词。“于赫”写多么显赫——多么显赫的大汉。这一词以“于赫”写汉德之盛：不是寻常之颂，而是于赫；不是可轻之德，而是赫赫之德。以“于赫有汉”写汉德，正是韦孟四言诗写汉德、为讽谏立本之笔法——汉德赫赫，楚当法之。

讽谏诗