卷九

時人為丁午語
宋書武帝紀
勿跋扈。付丁【午】。

Ding Wu was someone who was physically strong. He was the ultimate hit man of his time. These words are just saying that one should watch out not to be too demanding and manipulating or else Ding Wu might be brought to set one straight.

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讀曲歌
宋書樂志
死罪劉領軍。誤殺劉第四。

A song referring to how Prince Yi Kang was executed because of general Liu’s wrongdoing.

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元嘉中謠言
宋書符瑞志
錢唐當出天子。

A rumor about how there would be an emperor who would be enthroned at Qian Tang, which was in fact a mistake for Chan Tang (a Zen meditation hall).

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永光初謠言
宋書符瑞志
湘州出天子。

A rumor stating how there would be an emperor coming out of Xiang Zhou.

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民間為謝靈運謠
宋書五行志一
四人挈衣裙。三人捉作席。

A folk song referring to how Xie Ling Yun was not too prudent inchoosing those with whom he associated. Eventually death came upon him.

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晉時吳中為庾義王洽謠
宋書五行志二
寧食下湖荇。不食上湖蓴。庾吳沒命喪。復殺王領軍。

A folk song that foretold the death of Yu Yi and Wang Qia.

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晉桓玄篡時民謠語
宋書五行志二
征鐘落地桓迸走。

Folk tale referring to Huan Xuan’s taking over the throne as an subordinate to his emperor.

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京邑為何勗孟靈休語
宋書徐湛之傳
安成食。臨汝師。

The most extravagant regarding food is He Xu, and the most extravagant regarding clothing is Meng Ling Xiu.

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顏延之引諺
宋書顏延之傳
富則盛。貧則病。

A wealthy person is necessarily prosperous, a poor person is necessarily having hardships.

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臧質引童謠
宋書臧質傳
虜馬飲江水。佛狸死卯年。

Zang Zhi refers to a children’s song in his letter to his enemy Tuo Ba Xi, saying the reason they are in a standoff with each other, without any breakthrough for either side, is that the time for a final resolution has not come.

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魏童謠
宋書臧質傳
軺車北來如穿雉。不意虜馬引江水。

虜主北歸石濟死。虜欲渡江天不徙。

A children’s song elaborating on the event in the last item, saying that Tuo Ba Xi would not succeed in his military strike against Zang Zhi. This song really angered Tuo Ba Xi.

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時人為顏竣謝莊語
宋書顏竣傳
顏郡嗔而與人官。謝莊笑而不與人官。

Words about Yan Jun and Xie Zhuang, who held the same post in the defense department successively. The former may have harsh looks on his face yet he managed to get many people jobs, the latter seemed very amiable and was good looking, yet he could not get jobs for people.

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南豫州軍士為王玄謨宗越語
宋書王玄謨傳
寧作五年徒。莫逢王玄謨。玄謨猶自可。宗越更殺我。

Words said by soldiers of the Nan Yu area concerning their two superiors. Wang Xuan Muo was harsh but still bearable, Zong Yue was worse in that he could really hurt.

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民間為奚顯度謠
宋書戴明寶傳
寧得建康壓額。不能受奚度拍。

勿反顧。付奚度。

Songs sung concerning the extreme capacity for cruelty that Xi Du, who was a warden in a labor camp, had for convicts.

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虜中謠言
宋書索虜傳
滅虜者吳也。

Rumor about the victory of one warlord over another.

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京師為東安鬥場二寺僧語
宋書天竺國傳
鬥場禪師窟。東安談義林。

The Duo Chang temple was filled with Zen masters, whereas in Dong An temple, the monastic talked about doctrines.

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晉世杯槃歌
南齊書樂志
舞杯槃。何翩翩。舉坐翻復壽萬年。

齊世昌。四海安樂齊太平。

人命長。當結久。千秋萬歲皆老壽。

A song that contains words criticizing the intellectuals of the Jin dynasty for indulging in food and drinks rather than attending to the affairs of the nation.

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吳黃龍中童謠
南齊書樂志
行白者。君追汝。句驪馬。

A song referring to the strike of one warlord against another.

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宋泰使中童謠
南齊書符祥瑞志
東城出天子。A children’s song indicating from where the next emperor would originate. Inevitably some prince was mistaken as that potential emperor and was killed.

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宋元徽中童謠
南齊書五行志
襄陽白銅蹄。郎殺荊州兒。

A children’s song predicting the slaying of one warlord’s son by another warlord. It came to be true

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永明初百姓歌
南齊書五行志
白馬向城啼。欲得城邊草。【】陶郎來。

A folk song predicting the uprising of a warlord.

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永明中虜中童謠
南齊書五行志
黑水流北。赤火入齊。

A children’s song describing the popularity of a miracle cure of all diseases with the flame of fire.

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永元元年童謠
南齊書五行志
洋洋千里流。流翣東城頭。烏馬烏皮褲。三更相告訴。

腳跛不得起。誤殺老姥子。

A children’s song about the uprising of one warlord and the slaying of another.

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永元中童謠
南齊書五行志
野豬雖嗃嗃。馬子空閭渠。不知龍與虎。飲食江南墟。七九六十三。廣莫人無餘。烏集傳舍頭。今汝得寬休。

但看三八後。摧折景陽樓。

A children’s song about the wars between four different warlords in a twenty-four year period.

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時人為桓康語
南齊書桓康傳
欲侜張。 問桓康。

If one wants to lie, one ought to get tips on lying from Huan Kang.

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荀伯玉聞青衣小兒語
南齊書荀伯玉傳
草中肅。 九五相追逐。

Words Xun Buo Yu heard that two little boys in blue outfits said about him. The words foretold his being banished to an uncultivated area.

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時人為荀伯玉語
南齊書荀伯玉傳
十敕五令。 不如荀伯玉命。

Ten amnesties and five orders were less useful than one single command from Xun Buo Yu. These words indicate how powerful Xun Buo Yu was for some time.

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時人為王延之王僧虔語
南齊書王延之傳
二王持平。 不送不迎。

Wang Yan Zhi and Wang Seng Qian were not holding any jobs and not trying to bribe or flatter their way into getting jobs, either.

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時人為蕭晃語
南齊書長沙威王晃傳
煥煥﹑蕭四繖。

Words describing the majestic appearance of Prince Xiao Huang’s army against a warlord.

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顧憲之引俗諺
南齊書顧憲之傳
會稽打鼓送卹。 吳與步擔林令史。

Gu Xian Zhi referred to an old proverb relating to the reforms needed to be done by his emperor.

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時人為劉繪語
南齊書劉繪傳
劉繪貼宅。 別開一門。

Words referring to the supreme eloquence of Liu Hui in both tone and style.

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卞彬應引諺
南齊書卞彬傳
朝生暮孫。

A proverb referring to the speedy proliferation of fleas.

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時人為張氏語
梁書張氏傳
充融卷稷。 是為四張。

There are four great scholars in the Zhang family alone.

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王足引北方童謠
梁書康絢傳
荊山為上格。 浮山為下格。 潼沱為激溝。 併灌鉅野澤。

Wang Zu referred to a children’s song from the north concerning the necessity of building a dam.

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荊州民為始興王憺歌
梁書始興忠武王憺傳
始興王。 民之爹。 赴人急。 如水火。 何時復來哺乳我。

A song sung by people of Jing Zhuo in their praise for Pince Shi Xing regarding his outstading performance as their ruler and his compassion for ensuring people’s welfare.

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時人為張融陸杲語
梁書陸杲傳
無對日下。 惟舅與甥。Words praising two outstanding artists who were an uncle and a nephew to each other.

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鄱陽民為陸襄歌
梁書陸襄傳
鮮于平後善惡分。 民無枉死。 賴有陸君。

A song sung by people of Buo Yang praising Lu Xiang for his righteous and fair rule.

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鄱陽民又為陸襄歌
梁書陸襄傳
陸君箴政。 無怨家。 鬥即罷。讎共車。

Another song sung by the people of Buo Yang about how competent Lu Xiang was in serving as an arbitrator and setting the scores between two foes, who made up and could even ride home in the same vehicle.

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豫州民為夏侯兄弟歌
梁書夏侯亶傳
我之有州。頻仍夏侯。 前兄後弟。 布政優優。

A song sung by people of Yu Zhuo concerning the two good governers who were brothers to each other. They served Yu Zhuo successively.

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洛陽童謠
梁書陳慶之傳
名師大將莫自牢。 千兵萬馬避白袍。

A children’s song sung in Luo Yang praising the eternally victorious army under General Chen Qing Zhi.

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時人為王謝二姓語
梁書王筠傳
謝有覽舉。 王有養炬。

Words about four talented scholars: Wang Yun and Wang Tai who were cousins to each other and Xie Lan and Xie Ju who were brothers to each other.

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省中為賀琛語
梁 書賀琛傳
上殿不下﹑有賀雅。

Words about He Chen, who was favored by the emperor and was summoned for long visits with the emperor all the time.

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時人為何子朗語
梁書何思澄傳
東海三何。 子朗最多。

Among the three talented scholars in Tong Hai, He Zi Lang was the most outstanding.

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時人又為何子朗語
梁書何思澄傳
人中爽爽﹑何子朗。More words praising He Zi Lang.

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山陰民為丘仲孚謠
梁書丘仲孚傳
二傅沈劉。 不如一丘。

All the previous governers of Shan Yin were not as good as Qiou Zhong Fu.

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普通中童謠
梁書侯景傳
青絲白馬壽陽來。

A children’s song foretelling the victory of a warlord, Huo Jing.

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楊白花歌
梁書逸文
陽春二三月。 楊柳齊怍花。春風一夜入閨闥。

楊花飄蕩落南家。含情出戶腳無力。 拾得楊花淚沾臆。

秋去春來雙燕子。 願銜楊花入窠裹。

A song Empress Hu of Wei dynasty ordered to be sung by her servants. The song expresses her intense love and feelings for a handsome and strong young man, Young Bai Hua.

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時人為張氏語
陳書張種傳
宋稱敷演。梁則卷充。 虛學尚。 種有其風。

Words about outstanding scholars from the Zhang family through the Song and Liang dynasties.