ABSTRACT
It was early evening, and most people had gone home aŌer a day’s work. The streets were quiet and behind an open window someone was singing:
The moon comes forth in her brightness / How lovely is that beauƟful lady! // O to have my deep longings for her relieved! / How anxious is my toiled heart! //
(trans. James Legge)
He went on to sing two more refrains and then paused to look at the moon aŌer Įnishing singing. Ding … he heard a sound of a bell with a wooden clapper. “Excuse me, I was walking home aŌer my assignment today of collecƟng songs, and overheard your song and couldn’t help but think it is really good. Can I write it down and present it to the emperor?” “Well, let me dwell on that for a moment, … ok, sure!” This is probably how the folk song dŚĞDŽŽŶŽŵĞƐ&ŽƌƚŚ from the ^ŚţũţŶŐ was Įrst found during the Zhou Dynasty, more than 2,500 years ago, and then passed down to us.
