古谣谚 卷八

宣帝讌歌

晋书宣帝纪

天地开辟。

日月重光。

遭遇际会。

毕力遐方。

將扫群秽。

还过故乡。

肃清万里。

总齐八荒。

告成归老。

待罪舞阳。

A song sung by emperor Xuan to express his mixed feelings for his contribution.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

魏正始中民谣

晋书宣帝纪

何邓丁。

乱京城。

A folk song referring to how three subordinates supported by the emperor’s mother were messing up the capital city.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

愍帝末童谣

晋书愍帝纪

天子何在豆田中。

Why is the emperor standing in the middle of bean fields? Referring to how one hermit was executed because of this song as his surname has the same pronunciation as the word for leaves of bean bushes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

太安之际童谣

晋书元帝纪

五马浮渡江。

一马化为龙。

A children’s song referring to how five princes crossed the Yang Zi River and only one of them became an emperor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

太康中晋世寧舞歌

晋书五行志上

晋世寧。

舞杯盘。

The peace of Jin dynasty was as unstable as china wares in one’s hands.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

魏太和中儿铃曹子歌

晋书五行志中

其奈汝曹何。

A song referring to how Cao Shuang was so dominant and powerful that there was nothing that could be done to stop his abuse of power.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

景初初童谣。

晋书五行志中

阿公阿公驾马车。

不意阿公东渡河。

阿公来还当奈何。

A children’s song referring to how a prince would become enthroned. And it actually happened in that way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

吴永安中南郡儿语

晋书五行志中

三公锄﹑司马如。

Children’s words referring to how the period of the Three Kingdoms were ended by the Si Ma family.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

吴天纪中童谣

晋书五行志中

阿童復阿童。

衔刀游渡江。

不畏岸上兽。

但畏水中龙。

A children’s song referring to how one general Wang Jun was as heroic and powerful as a dragon in the water.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

平吴后江南童谣三则

晋书五行志中

局缩肉。

数横目。

中国当败吴当復。

宫门柱。

且当朽。

吴当復在三十年后。

鸡鸣不拊翼。

吴復不用力。

Three children’s songs referring to the rising and falling of the Wu kingdom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

永熙中童谣

晋书五行志中

二月末。

三月初。

桑生裴雷柳叶舒。

荆笔杨板行詔书。

宫中大马几作驴。

A children’s song referring to how one emperor’s subject and one prince were dominating the government and making the high officials into ass-like slaves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

元康中京洛童谣二则

晋书五行志中

南风起。

吹白沙。

遥望鲁国何嵯峨。

千岁髑髏生齿牙。

城东马子莫咙哅。

比至来年缠女发。

Referring to the violent and bloody struggle for the throne among princes and the empress at a certain period of the Jin dynasty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

又元康中童谣

晋书五行志中

屠苏鄣日覆两耳。

当见瞎儿作天子。

A children’s song referring to the end result of a power struggle among princes during one period of Jin dynasty. The prince who got the throne was blind.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

赵王伦篡时洛中童谣

晋书五行志中

兽从北来鼻头汗。

龙从南来登城看。

水从西来河灌灌。

A children’s song referring to how three princes from three different directions of China came to overthrow the blind emperor, and how they stayed in the court to oversee management, yet none of them intended to become an emperor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

司马越还络时童谣

晋书五行志中

络中大鼠长尺二。

若不早去大狗至。

A children’s song referring to how the return of a prince to the capital city was bad news.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苟晞將破汲桑上谣

晋书五行志中

元超兄弟大落度。

上桑打葚为苟作。

A folk song referring to the fierce competition between two warlords.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

建兴中江南谣歌

晋书五行志中

訇如白坑破。

合集持作甒。

杨州破换败。

吴兴覆瓿罌。

Referring to the southward movement of the Jin imperial court, and to the fact that the territory was still not in peace because many warlords were fighting with the government.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

太寧初童谣

晋书五行志中

惻惻力力。

放马山侧。

大马死。

小马饿。

高山崩。

石自破。

A children’s song referring to how one dominant official and his brother in the imperial court were jeopardizing the system. However, they eventually lost power and were executed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

成帝末童谣

晋书五行志中

磕磕何隆隆。

驾车入梓宫。

A children’s song referring to the emperor’s tardiness in attending to his work; meanwhile, there was much stormy weather which offered little sunlight.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

咸康初河北谣

晋书五行志中

麦入土。

杀石武。

A folk song accurately predicting the execution of Shi Wu.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

石头民为庾亮歌二则

晋书五行志中

庾公上武昌。

翩翩如飞鸟。

庾公还扬州。

白马牵旒旐。

庾公初上时。

翩翩如飞鸟。

庾公还扬州。

白马牵流苏。

A song sung by people in Wu Chang, praising the general Yu Liang whose army was stationed there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

阿子歌

晋书五行志中

阿子闻。

阿子汝闻不。

A children’s song referring to the imminent death of the emperor, mimicking the crying of the empress’ mother: "My son, you heard me. My son, do you not hear me?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

升平末廉歌

晋书五行志中

白门廉。

宫庭廉。

A folk song saying that the curtain of the imperial court was white in color. Soon after the song was spread, the emperor died.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

隆和初童谣二则

晋书五行志中

升平不满斗。

隆和那得久。

桓公入石头。

陛下徒跣走。

岁復改兴寧。

亦復无聊生。

Two children’s songs predicting the short life of the new emperor and complaining about the bad living conditions that continued even after the emperor changed to an auspicious era name.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

太和末童谣

晋书五行志中

犁牛耕御路。

白门种小麦。

A children’s song referring to how life had become so bad that people were planting wheat for food right on their doorstep literally. Farm cows were therefore plowing the road leading to the imperial palace.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

荆州百姓歌二则

晋书五行志中

黄曇子曲中。

黄曇英扬州。

大佛来上明。

Two folk songs by Jing Zhou people predicting the death of their current governor and the coming of their new governor. Indeed, the predictions came to be true.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

太元末京口谣

晋书五行志中

黄雌鸡。

莫作雄父啼。

一旦去毛衣。

衣被拉颯栖。

A folk song referring to fighting between warlords.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

歷阳百姓歌

晋书五行志中

重罗黎。

重罗黎。

使君南上无还时。

A song sung by people of Li Yang referring to the general Yu Kai when he was stationed in their county. He was later killed by Huan Xuan when Yu somehow went south to depend on Huan, as predicted in the song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

荆州童谣

晋书五行志中

芒笼\日。

绳缚腹。

殷当败。

桓当復。

A folk song predicting the rise of one warlord and the demise of another. Somehow the prediction came true.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

京口民谣

晋书五行志中

昔年食白饭。

今年食麦麩。

天公诛谴汝。

教汝捻咙喉。

咙喉喝復喝。

京口败復败。

A folk song referring to the temporary victory of one warlord and his eventual death.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

又京口民谣

晋书五行志中

黄头小儿欲作贼\。

阿公在城下指缚得。

黄头小儿欲作乱。

赖得金刀作藩扞。

A folk song indicating one warlord’s intention of starting a war in order to gain control over some territory.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

懊恼歌

晋书五行志中

草生可搅结。

女儿可搅擷。

A folk song expressing the sorrow that people have over the fate of warlord Huan Xuan’s concubines and the children and servants of his associates after Huan Xuan lost control over the territory that he conquered. These women and children were given as rewards to the military personnel who participated in defeating Huan Xuan.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

桓玄时童谣

晋书五行志中

草生及马腹。

鸟啄桓玄目。

A children’s song predicting the time of the death of Huan Xuan. He died at the time predicted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

义熙初童谣

晋书五行志中

官家养芦化成荻。

芦生不止自成积。

A children’s song predicting the rise of a warlord who was spoiled by the court with a title, money, and territory. The song also predicted his demise, as a result of which many people would lose their lives.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

广州人谣

晋书五行志中

芦生漫漫竟天半。

A folk song sung by people in Guang Zhou describing the immense territory that Lu Long, who was the same warlord as in 0358, had control over.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

义熙初小儿语

晋书五行志中

卢健健。

斗叹。

斗叹。

翁年老。

翁年老。

These were words that children said to one another at some point during Jin dynasty within the territory of Lu Long. At the time, people were said to not understand why these words were spoken. The words were a prediction both of the trouble Lu Long was creating for the government and of his eventual demise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

又义熙初谣

晋书五行志中

卢橙橙。

逐水流。

东风忽如起。

那得入石头。

A song predicting the demise of Lu Long.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚初童谣

晋书五行志中

阿坚连牵三十年。

后若欲败时。

当在江湖边。

A children’s song predicting the warlord Fu Jian’s thirty-year-long success and his eventual loss in one key battle at the shore of Fei river. The amazing thing was that these predictions all came true.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚时新城谣

晋书五行志中

河水清復清。

苻坚死新城。

A song sung in Xin Cheng during Fu Jian’s reign over a certain part of Northern China. The rumor said that Fu Jian would die in Xin Cheng, and it came to be true.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚时鱼羊谣

晋书五行志中

鱼羊田千当灭秦。

A song saying that Fu Jian’s regime would be destroyed by the Xian Bei tribe which Fu Jian defying his advisor’s advice, did nto eliminate completely.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为王祥歌

晋书王祥传

海沂之康。

实赖王祥。

邦国不空。

別驾之功。

A folk song praising the good government of the thirty-year hermit Wang Xiang, who came out to work for Lu Qian Xi in governing Xu Zhou.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为石苞语

晋书石苞传

石仲荣。

姣无双。

Words describing the unparalleled good looks and wisdom of the man Shi Pao.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为欧阳建语

晋书欧阳建传

渤海赫赫。

欧阳坚石。

Words referring to the talent of Ou Yang Jian.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为羊祜语

晋书羊祜传

二王当国。

羊公无德。

Words referring to how two officials with the surname Wang were the main critics of one official Yang Hu.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

杜预军中谣

晋书杜预传

以计代战﹑一当万。

A song sung in General Du Yu’s camp. The words said that good military strategies could win a battle without actually fighting the battle.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

南土为杜预歌

晋书杜预传

后世无叛由杜翁。

孰识智名与勇功。

A song sung in Southern China praising the good work of Du Yu. The words said that even posterity would benefit from his work, and that Du Yu had both courage and wisdom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为裴秀语

晋书裴秀传

后进领秀﹑有裴秀。

Of the newly arising young leaders, there is Pei Xiu.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为卫玠语

晋书卫玠传

卫玠谈道。

平子绝倒。

Words referring to how Wang Ping Zi totally admired Wei Jie’s knowledge of Daoism.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

幽州民为枣嵩谣

晋书王浚传

十囊五囊﹑入枣郎。

Words referring to how the governor of You Zhou, Wang Jun was using his son-in-law as an official; the governor was not capable of really penalizing his son-in-law when he made mistakes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

幽州民为王浚谣

晋书王浚传

幽州城门似藏户。

中有伏尸王彭祖。

A song sung by people of You Zhou about the death of their governor Wang Jun.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

京都为荀闓语

晋书荀闓传

洛中英英﹑荀道明。

Words praising the talent of one man Xun Kai.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

魏泰始中谣

晋书贾充传

贾裴王。

乱纪纲。

王裴贾。

济天下。

A folk song citing three man as responsible for the ending of Wei dynasty and yet equally responsible for the good work they had done for the new Jin dynasty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

襄阳童儿为山简歌

晋书山简传

山公出何许。

往至高阳池。

日夕倒载归﹑酩酊无所知。

时时能骑马。

倒著白接樆。

举鞭向葛疆﹑何如并州见。

A children’s song referring to the irresponsible life style of the alcoholic General Shan Jian in Xiang Yang.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

三魏为刘毅语

晋书刘毅传

但闻刘功曹。

不闻杜府君。

We have heard only about the personnel officer Liu, and never about the mayor Du Shu.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

孙尹引谚

晋书刘毅传

受尧之诛。

不能称尧。

A proverb stating that if one were to be penalized in any way by one’s superior, one would have no good words to say about that superior.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为崔洪语

晋书崔洪传

丛生荆刺。

来自博陵。

在南为鷂。

在北为鹰。

Words referring to the tough judiciary officer Cui Hong.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

广陵人为刘氏语

晋书刘颂传

雷蒋谷鲁。

刘最为祖。

The surname that appeared earliest was Liu; Lei, Jiang, Gu, and Lu all came later.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为谢鯤语

晋书谢鯤传

任达不已。

幼舆折齿。

Words referring to Xie Kun’s frivolous behavior in harassing a beautiful, young neighbor girl who broke her teeth on her loom while dodging his touch.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

阳平人为束皙歌

晋书束皙传

束先生。

通神明。

请天三日甘雨零。

我黍以育。

我稷以生。

何以畴之。

报束长生。

Mr. Shu knew how to communicate with heaven: he prayed for rain for three days and we got rain, so our crops could grow again. May Mr. Shu have a long life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

或人引谚问华谭

晋书华谭传

人之相去。

如九牛毛。

The difference between people are really great in terms of the level of their aspirations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

陈留人为江统语

晋书江统传

嶷然稀言﹑江应先。

Jiang Tong is quiet yet he has very far-reaching aspirations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

蜀人为罗尚言

晋书罗尚传

尚之所爱。

非邪则佞。

尚之所憎。

非忠则正。

富擬鲁卫。

家成市里。

贪如豺狼。

无復极已。

蜀贼\尚可。

罗尚杀我。

平西將军。

反更为祸。

Words expressing discontent with General Luo Shang, who would only do bad things and kill good people. He was also very greedy about collecting wealth. He was considered to be worse than bandits.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

赵王伦僭位时民谚

晋书赵王伦传

貂不足。

狗尾续。

Words referring to the unqualified people whom Prince Lun used as officials after he stole the throne.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

齐王冏盛时民谚

晋书齐王冏传

著布袙腹。

为齐持服。

A folk song predicting the death of Prince Qi. The words are: "wearing a cloth vest, I observe the rules in Prince Qi’s funeral."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长沙王乂执权时洛下谣

晋书长沙王乂传

草木萌芽﹑杀长沙。

A folk song predicting the death of Prince Chang Sha. The words said that: "Prince Chang Sha would die when the plants were budding.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

京都为二刘语

晋书刘琨传

洛中弈弈。

庆孙越石。

Words praising the two Liu brothers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

豫州耆老为祖逖歌

晋书祖逖传

幸哉遗黎免俘虏。

三辰既朗遇慈父。

玄酒忘劳甘瓠脯。

何以咏恩歌且舞。

Song sung by some old folks who were invited for a meal by the governor of Yu Zhou, General Zu Ti. The song expresses their gratitude toward Zu Ti as though Zu Ti was their parent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为王玟王珣语

晋书王珣传

法护非不佳。

僧弥难为兄。

Words praising the equally talented two Wang brothers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

桓温府中为郤超王珣语

晋书郤超传

髯参军。

短主簿。

能令公喜。

能令公怒。

The military advisor Xi Cao who had long sideburns and the secretary Wang Xun who had short hair could really please and anger our master.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

荆州三郡民为应詹歌

晋书应詹传

乱离既普。

殆为灰朽。

侥倖之运\。

赖兹应后。

岁寒不凋。

孤境独守。

拯我涂炭。

惠隆邱阜。

润同江海。

恩犹父母。

A song sung by people in three counties under Ying Zhan’s rule. The three counties were the only peaceful territory when the whole country was in chaos.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

济阴人为卞氏语

晋书卞壶传

卞氏六龙﹑元仁无双。

There are six dragons (good sons) in the Pian family. The father is unique in being able to produce six good sons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚国中民谣

晋书桓豁传

谁谓尔坚石打碎。

A folk song making satirical remarks about Fu Jian, whose given name means "being hard." The song said:" who said you are hard, rocks will break you."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为谢安郤超王坦之语

晋书王坦之传

大才槃槃﹑谢家安。

盛德绝伦郤嘉宾。

江东独步王文度。

Words praising three men: Xie An who is greatly talented, Xi Cao who is extremely virtuous, and Wang Tan Zhi whom no one excels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为刘氏昆弟语

晋书刘惔传

洛中雅雅﹑有三碬。

There are three talented brothers in the Luo area.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为蔡謨语

晋书蔡謨传

蔡公过浮航。

脱带腰舟。

Words describing Cai Muo’s overtly cautious personality.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为蔡荀诸葛三姓语

晋书诸葛恢传

京都三明各有名。

蔡氏儒雅荀﹑葛清。

The three famous men in the capital city, who all had the word Ming in their given name, have their own virtues. Cai Muo is gentle and graceful. Xun Kai and Zhu Ge Hui do not take money unduly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

何穆引鄙语

晋书刘牢之传

高鸟尽。

良弓藏。

狡兔殫。

猎犬烹。

A proverb expressing the idea that just like once the birds in the sky are all gone, the good bows are no longer needed, and once the rabbits have all died, the hounds are not needed and thus are killed as food, when a mission is accomplished, the missionary will be dismissed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

京师为张轨歌

晋书张轨传

凉州大马。

横行天下。

凉州鴟苕寇贼\消。

鴟苕翩翩怖杀人。

A folk song describing how the warlord of Liang Zhou was conquering many places and taking many lives in the process.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

永嘉中长安谣

晋书张寔传

秦川中﹑血没腕。

唯有凉州倚柱观。

A folk song describing how one warlord set out taking his army to help the emperor in trouble in the capital,and was ambushed and annihilated by foreign tribes on the way. No other Chinese warlords who were stationed close by the battlefield came to his assistance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

凉州民谣

晋书张寔传

手莫头。

图凉州。

A folk song describing how someone was ambitious in obtaining control of the place, Liang Zhou, by thinking that his given name was in the song. The person who was in power believed the song and killed that man.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

姑臧谣

晋书张茂传

鸿从南来雀不惊。

谁谓孤鶵尾翅生。

高举六翮凤皇鸣。

A folk song describing a warlord who was successful in taking back territories occupied by the foreign tribe Qiang.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

氾称引谚

晋书凉后主李歆传

野兽入家。

主人將去。

A proverb saying that if wild beasts should enter a home, it is a sign that the owner of the house would have to go.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

令狐炽梦白头公言

晋书凉后主李歆传

南风动。

吹长木。

胡桐椎。

不中轂。

Ling Hu Chi had a dream in which an old man with gray hair said to him that a warlord would lose his battles and die. This came to be true.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

西州为麴游二姓语

晋书麴 允传

麴与游。

牛羊不数头。

南开朱门。

北望青楼。

Words about the two wealthy households with the two surnames of Qu and You in the Xi Zhou area.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

吴郡民为邓攸歌

晋书邓攸传

紞如打五更。

鸡鸣天欲曙。

邓侯拖不留。

谢令推不去。

A song describing how the people in Wu Jun were holding onto the county mayor’s boat in order to keep him from leaving the county after he resigned. Yet he got away in the middle of the night after pretending that he was not leaving.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为邓攸语

晋书邓攸传

天道无知。

使邓伯道无儿。

Words describing how unfair it was for such a good person as Deng You to have no sons, after he had to give up his son in order to reduce his burden in an attempt to savehis brother, while they were on the road, escaping from wars.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为氾氏号

晋书氾毓传

儿无常父。

衣无常主。

Words talking about how Fan Yu was usually not home, and therefore his sons had no father usually, and his clothes were not worn usually.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

鲁褒引谚

晋书鲁褒传

钱无耳。

可使鬼。

A proverb stating that money can make everything happen, including making ghosts do things.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

祈嘉夜闻人呼语

晋书祈嘉传

祈孔宾。

祈孔宾。

隱去来。

隱去来。

修饰人世。

甚苦不可谐。

所得未毛銖。

所丧如山崖。

Qi Jia heard someone talking to him in the middle of the night, telling him to become a hermit,and he did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

佛图澄吟

晋书佛图澄传

殿乎殿乎。

棘子成林。

將坏人衣。

Fo Tu Cheng said something about the courtyard of the palace having thorny bushes that wouldtear people’s clothing. He was actually hinting that a warlord whose name included the wordthorn would do harm, and so it happened.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

杜有道妻引谚

晋书杜有道妻严氏传

忍辱至三公。

A proverb saying that only forbearance could lead one to success.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚妾引谚

晋书苻坚妾张氏传

鸡夜鸣者﹑不利行师。

犬群嗥者﹑宫室必空。

兵动马惊﹑兵败不归。

The warlord Fu Jian’s wife telling him some military strategic principles, but he would not listen,since those were words of a woman, and he was defeated in battle. She killed herself after hisloss.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

西州谚

晋书凉武昭王李玄盛后尹氏传

李尹王敦煌。

The real king of Dun Huan is the wife of Li Xuan Sheng. THis refers to how the wife of Li XuanSheng helped to govern Xi Zhou.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

时人为王氏语

晋书王敦传

王与马。

共天下。

The wangs and Mas share the world. This refers to how the Wangs did a great deal with thegoverning of the south of Yang Tzi River for the Jin dynasty emperors, whose court fled to thatarea after the north was taken over by northern tribes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

熊甫为王敦歌

晋书沈充传

徂风飆起盖山陵。

氛雾蔽日玉石焚。

往事既去可长叹。

念別惆悵復会难。

A song sung by Xiong Fu when he had to leave the post given him by WaAng Dun, who tookl inanother person who had won the competition for Wang’s favors.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

桓玄时童谣

晋书桓玄传

长干巷。

巷长干。

今年杀郎君。

后年斩诸桓。

A folk song foretelling the failure and death of Huan Xuan.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

陇上为陈安歌

晋书南阳王保传

陇上壮士有陈安。

躯干虽小腹中宽。

爱养將士同心肝。

騄驄父马铁瑕鞍。

七尺大刀奋如湍。

丈八蛇矛左右盘。

十盪十决无当前。

百骑俱出如云浮。

追者千万骑悠悠。

战始三交失蛇矛。

十骑俱盪九骑留。

弃我騄驄窜巖幽。

天大降雨追者休。

为我外援而悬头。

西流之水东流河。

一去不还奈子何。

阿呼呜呼奈子何。

呜呼阿呼奈子何。

A song describing the general Chen An, who was strong and ambidextrous with a long spear on the right and a huge cleaver on the left. He was renowned for treating his warriors well. He died because of a political set up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

孙机为刘曜歌

晋书刘曜载记

仆谷王。

关右称帝皇。

当持重。

保土疆。

轻用兵。

败洛阳。

祚运\穷。

天所亡。

开大分。

持一觴。

A song sung by an old man Sun Ji explaining what went wrong with Lui Yao’s policies. Liu Yaowas a warlord who should not have over-expanded his territory while the present territory was not yet governed well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

陇右民谣

晋书苻洪载记

雨若不止。

洪水必起。

If the rain does not stop, a flood will come.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安民谣

晋书苻生载记

东海大鱼化为龙。

男便为王女为公。

问在何所洛门东。

A folk song that relates the slaughter of the entire Yu (literally fish) family. The song involves fish turning into dragon (the symbol of an emperor), giving the reason why the Yu family gotkilled by the warlord Fu Sheng.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

又长安民谣

晋书苻生载记

百里望空城。

郁郁何青青。

瞎儿不知法。

仰不见天星。

A folk song about the ignorance and brutality of Fu Sheng, who was blind; thus half of the song says: the blind child does not know any rule and he can not see the stars when he raises his head.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚引谚

晋书苻坚载记

欲人勿知。

莫若勿为。

欲人不闻。

莫若不言。

If one does not want others to know what one does, one might as well not do those things. If one does not want others to know certain things, one might as well not tell them in the first place.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚引谚论桓温

晋书苻坚载记

怒其室而作色于父。

Being angry with one’s wife and taking it out on one’s parents.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安民为苻坚歌

晋书苻坚载记

长安大街。

夹树杨槐。

下走朱轮。

上有鸞栖。

英彦云集。

诲我萌黎。

A song sung by people in Chang An expressing their compliments to Fu Jian, the warlord who governed his territory well by using a good advisor named Wang Meng and by establishinggood schools.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

慕容垂引谚

晋书苻坚载记

凭天俟时。

A proverb regarding relying on the heaven God and waiting for the right time. This was what Mu Rong Chui said to Fu Jian to encourage him to expand his territory.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

苻坚时民谣

晋书苻坚载记

坚不出项。

Fu Jian should have insisted on staying in the city of Xiang. Fu Jian left Xiang to try to conquerother territories, but his attempt failed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安为慕容冲歌

晋书苻坚载记

一雌復一雄。

双飞入紫宫。

A song referring to the bisexual affair of Fu Jian who took on a fourteen year old girl and her twelve year old brother. Fu Jian was advised by his chief advisor Wang Meng to leave the boy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安为凤凰谣

晋书苻坚载记

凤凰凤凰﹑止阿房。

A folk song referring to the homosexual partner of Fu Jian.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

关东谣

晋书苻坚载记

幽州缺。

生当灭。

若不灭。

百姓绝。

A folk song referring to the mass death of civilians caused by the long-term warfare between two warlords. It was said that people were eating other people as food during that time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安民谣

晋书苻坚载记

坚入五將山长得。

A folk song that refers to the death of Fu Jian.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

长安民语

晋书苻坚载记

欲得必存﹑当举烟。

Words referring to how Fu Jian took complaints from people living within his territory.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

又长安民谣

晋书苻坚载记

长鞘马鞭击左股。

太岁南行当復虏。

A folk saying referring to the rise of another tribe in Northern China.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

赵整援琴歌

晋书苻坚载记

阿得脂。

阿得脂。

博劳旧父是仇绥。

尾长翼短不能飞。

远徒种人留鲜卑。

一旦缓急语阿谁。

A song sung by Zhao Zheng advising Fu Jian of his bad policy of sending away people of his own tribe to different key military sites. The song said that if things should go wrong in the capital, all Fu Jian’s own people would be too far away to come to its assistance.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

西海民谣

晋书吕光载记

朔马心何悲。

念旧中心劳。

燕雀何徘徊。

意欲还故巢。

A folk song referring to how much people of Xi Hai wished to go back to their homeland afterthey were ordered to resettle in different places. They did go home eventually.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

后燕民谣

晋书慕容熙载记

一束稿。

两头然。

禿头小儿来灭燕。

A folk song that foretold the death of the warlord Mu Rong Xi.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

慕容德时民谣

晋书慕容德载记

大风蓬勃扬尘埃。

八井三刀卒起来。

四海鼎沸中山颓。

惟有德人据三台。

A folk song referring to the enthronement of a warlord.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

姚兴引谚

晋书慕容超载记

妍皮不裹痴骨。

A proverb referring to how no good-looking appearance would conceal low intelligence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

南燕人为公孙五楼语

晋书慕容超载记

欲得侯。

事五楼。

Words people say about how one ought to have the right connection to acquire things.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

晋惠帝时洛阳童谣

晋书逸文

鄴中女子莫千妖。

前至三月抱胡腰。

A children’s song referring to the uprising of a foreign tribe in Northern China at the end of Jin dynasty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

王敦將灭时童谣

晋书逸文

翦韭翦韭﹑断杨柳。

河东小子﹑令我与子。

A children’s song referring to the frequent uprising of bandits.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

襄国童谣

晋书逸文

古在左。

月在右。

让去言。

或入口。

A children’s song predicting that Xiang would become the capital of the warlord Shi Le’s kingdom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

赵整琴歌

晋书逸文

昔闻明津河。

千里作一曲。

此水本自清。

是谁乱使浊。

此园有枣树。

布叶垂重阴。

外虽多棘刺。

內实有赤心。

A song referring to how the warlord Fu Jian eventually neglected his duty as the ruler of his territory.