Ju Song facts for kids
Ju Song (pronounced "Joo Soong") is an old Chinese poem. Its full Chinese name is simplified Chinese: 橘颂; traditional Chinese: 橘頌; pinyin: Jú sòng, which means "In Praise of an Orange." This poem is found in a very old collection of Chinese poems called the Chu Ci, or The Songs of Chu. It's part of a section in that book called Nine Pieces (Jiu Zhang).
The poem was translated into English by a scholar named David Hawkes. He called it "In Praise of the Orange-Tree." In the poem, the orange tree is used as a symbol for good human qualities, like being strong and steady. This is because these special orange trees were known to grow naturally in the ancient land of Chu, which was a part of China. The type of orange tree mentioned in the poem is now often called a mandarin orange tree.
What the Orange Tree Means
The word ju (橘), which means "orange" in Chinese, sounds a bit like the word zhù (祝). This word means "to wish" or "to pray for." For example, zhù fú (祝福) means "to wish for good luck." Because of this, the orange became a symbol of good luck and good wishes.
In ancient times, emperors would sometimes give oranges to their officials. This made people think of the emperor as being like an orange tree. Just as the tree gives oranges, the emperor would give gifts or blessings to his people.
How the Poem Sounds
"Ju Song" is written in a special way that David Hawkes called "7-plus" meter. This means that most lines in the poem have seven main sounds or syllables. At the end of each line, there's an extra word, which is like an exclamation. This word is xī (兮), and it adds a special rhythm to the poem.
Where the Poem Fits In
"Ju Song" is one of nine poems in the Jiu Zhang section of the Chu Ci. However, it's quite different from the other poems in that group. It's a bit of a mystery why it was included with them!
The Poem's Message
The poem seems to praise a young man, perhaps a prince. It does this by comparing him to an orange tree. David Hawkes described the poem as "charming" because of this comparison.
We don't know who wrote "Ju Song." Many poems in the Chu Ci are often said to be by a famous poet named Qu Yuan. But for "Ju Song," it's probably not him, because the style of writing seems more advanced than his usual work.
The very last line of the poem mentions "Bo Yi." This is a reference to two brothers from ancient Chinese history. They were very loyal to the old Shang Dynasty. When a new dynasty, the Zhou, took over, the brothers refused to eat any food grown in the land. They saw it as belonging to the new rulers, whom they didn't support. They chose to starve instead of giving in. This story shows their strong loyalty and principles.
