Chapter 1 Part 3

Well, I've been trying to do Part 2 for DAYS now. Ancient Chinese is strange - a phrase can have more than one meaning depending on the context. And as I don't know what the 'context' of the story is I cannot translate the second part of the Prologue-y rhyming couplet poem :P as yet. All I can say is that the missing part summarises the rest of the book. So here's Part 3 instead.

A note about names. Firstly I am using the Mandarin Chinese form of names transliterated using the Hanyu Pinyin system eg 'Huang Feihu' instead of ‘Flying Tiger Huang’. Some of the names are translated into English when possible or needed, for example 'Wen Taishi' becomes 'Grand Minister Wen'.

Next, a typical ‘low-class’ Chinese name has the surname written first followed by the name, which can consist of one or two characters. This is the convention I shall use when naming the characters eg 'Huang Feihu'. In some instances eg for Kings' names the surname and name may not be used. Rather, titles are used instead eg ‘King Zhou of Shang’ instead of ‘Yin Shouwang’. Also, in the very distant past, even the Chinese had no surnames, only names, which had one or two characters eg ‘Qi’ or ‘Cheng Tang’.

Last, the members of a ruling Dynasty had a surname that differed from the name they ruled under, eg the members of the Shang Dynasty (State) were surnamed ‘Yin’ and those of the Zhou Dynasty (State) were surnamed ‘Ji’.

Why ‘Kings’ and ‘States’ rather than ‘Emperors’ and ‘Dynasties’? Well, the latter system did not come about until 221 BC, during the Qin Dynasty. Prior to that there was no China but a loose confederation of states ruled by Barons and Dukes (see below).

Enjoy!

Part 3

Cheng Tang, surnamed Zi, was a King who ruled after the Yellow Emperor. His ancestor was Qi. Qi’s mother was the second concubine of Ku, one of the Lords From On High. Qi’s mother’s prayed to the heavens and was answered with his birth, which was auspicious. Qi ruled the people well, and was appointed Lord of the Shang. Thirteen generations later, Taiyi, (Shang) Cheng Tang, was born.

Jie, King of the Xia Dynasty, had a reign characterised by his neglect of his Kingly duties and his banishment of the wise and listening to of bad counsel. It was felt that Jie’s time had come, and so the land was passed to Cheng Tang, Lord of the Shang. King Jie’s deeds drove Cheng Tang to a tearful remonstration with him, which only served to infuriate King Jie, who subsequently imprisoned Cheng Tang in the Palace of the Xia. Cheng Tang was subsequently pardoned and released.
Returning to the Land of the Shang, Cheng Tang came across a group of people in the countryside who were spreading a net on the ground and who spoke to him, saying: ‘From heaven they will fall, from the earth they will appear, from everywhere they will come, and they will be trapped by our net.’
Cheng Tang glanced at them, and replied: ‘He whom I wish to go left will go left, he whom I wish to go right will go right. If I want him to be exalted, he will be exalted, and if I want him to be demoted, he shall be demoted. But it is those whom I will not command who will come into my net.’ When Han Nan heard this, he exclaimed: ‘Goodness has arrived with Cheng Tang!’ and he, alongside forty other states, yielded to Cheng Tang.

The people became tired of King Jie’s misdeeds, and together they rose in arms with Cheng Tang against him, defeating him and exiling him to the south. Cheng Tang declined the throne, offering it to the Barons who had helped him, but instead the Barons chose Cheng Tang as the Son of Heaven. Thus Cheng Tang became King. He established a Dynasty, the Shang Dynasty, and a capital.

All King Cheng Tang did pleased his people, and from near and far they came to pay him homage. When King Cheng Tang prayed in the mulberry woods, it rained after seven years. His distribution of alms also saved many. All swore to protect him, saying that he was a man of goodness, that he would save and protect them all.

King Cheng Tang was on the throne for thirteen years before he passed away at the grand age of 100. His descendents continued to rule as the Shang Dynasty for the next 640 years, in this order: Cheng Tang, Da Jia, Wo Ding, Tai Geng, Xiao Jia, Yong Ji, Tai Wu, Zhong Ding, Wai Ren, He Jia, Zu Yi, Zu Xing, Wo Jia, Zu Ding, Nan Geng, Yang Jia, Pan Geng, Xiao Xing, Xiao Yi, Wu Ding, Zu Geng, Zu Jia, Lin Xing, Geng Ding, Wu Yi, Tai Ding, Di Yi, Shou Xing.