Soul Summoning
This is a poem with unique features.It imitated the folk custom of soul-summoning.But the feelings of the poet were deeply buried in it—what he called for is just the spirit of the deceased kings，with which the ruler would expose enemy's evil act and praise Chu's virtue.
I admire quality of honesty and uprightness.
I persist in moral principles unambiguously.
I always possess such a great morality.
But I am harmed by common customs.
The king pays no attention to virtue cultivation.
It makes me fell anxious and painful endlessly.
God makes his presence to tell Wuyang：
There's a certain person needing my help.
But his soul has already left away for a long time.
You can make divination to help his soul to return.
On hearing this Wu Yang replied immediately：
A divination is by no means an ordinary thing.
It can be done only by a dream controlling official.
So I could hardly obey this order coming from God.
But God orders him to make a divination definitely.
The soul must return to him at once with no delay.
If delayed，he may already died，I'm afraid.
If so，it'll be no use to call his soul back at all.
So Wuyang comes down to call his soul back：
Oh，soul，you would better to return at once！
Why did you leave your body？
Why do you keep going about？
Why did you give up a place of ease and comfort？
What to do if you confront with extreme dangers？
Alas，soul，soul，please come back at home.
You can absolutely not to stay in the east.
The people there are thousands of feet tall.
They're waiting for a chance to get your soul.
Ten suns keep shining in the sky without end.
Metal and stones can be melted and deformed.
They have already got used to this.
If going there，your soul will vanish.
So you must come back.
You cannot stay in east.
Alas，soul，soul，please be back at once.
You can never，never stay in the south.
Decorative patterns are carved on wild men's foreheads.
They have black teeth that fill their mouths completely.
They plunder human flesh for the use of sacrifice.
They also grind bones of human beings into sauce.
The poison snakes are gathering there like weeds.
Big foxes can be seen in a thousand square miles.
A female snake has heads as many as nine.
They come and go fast and move unstably.
They swallow human being to mend their bodies.
You must come back at once but not to stay long.
Alas，soul，soul，come back as soon as possible.
There is a disaster in the west due to drift sand.
You will be tangled into an abyss by the drift sand.
You will decay to have your body smashed to pieces.
Maybe you can get free from this by luck.
But it is deadly quiet in the surroundings.
The red ants are as big as giant elephants.
The black bees are as large as calabashes.
Grain cannot grow at all in there.
There's only couch grass for food.
Heated sand can bake people to death.
There's not a drop of water for drinking.
You will hesitate with nothing to rely on.
The vast and bleak desert is boundless.
Alas，soul，soul comes back quickly.
You'll probably get yourself harmed.
Alas，soul，soul，be back quickly！
You can never stay in the north.
Ice is as high as a peak and covers everything.
Snowflakes are flying madly in the vast sky.
Alas，soul，soul，please return without staying there.
You can't hesitate and stay there for too long a time.
Alas，soul，soul，please return at soonest time.
You mustn't rise up to the heaven by yourself.
Heaven gate is closed with tiger and leopard guarding there.
The people under the heaven are often eaten to try a taste.
Besides，there is also a monster with nine heads.
Nine thousand big trees were pulled out by roots.
There are also wolves with straight eyes.
They come and go striving to be the first.
They love to hang people forcibly for a game.
People are finally cast into a bottomless abyss.
Moreover you are to make a report to God.
Then you can close eyes and stop breathing.
You should come back fast without hesitation.
If you want to go up to heaven，it is dangerous.
Alas，soul，soul，come back fast for pleasure！
You can never go down to the nether world.
There's a Tubo who has nine tails.
There's a long sharp horn on head.
His thumb is stained with blood and his back is fat.
When chasing a person，he runs as a flying shuttle.
There is a devil with three eyes and a head like the one of tiger.
Like the body of a cow，the one of his is extremely big and strong.
These monsters all eat human being.
You must come without hesitation.
You must try to avoid any disasters.
Alas，soul，soul，come back at once.
Come into the gate of Yingdu，the capital of Chu.
The soul-calling wizard would guide the king.
When walking，you should step back with your back to front.
You should do your utmost to be the first one on your way.
The lamp of State of Qin is decorated with silk ribbon of the State of Qi.
The cotton padded coats of State of Zheng can be used as overclothes.
Soul-calling tools are well prepared.
You are to give a long call at once.
Alas，soul，soul，come back！Come back at once.
Return home fast so as to live long and prosper.
In heaven and on earth in all directions，
There are crafty sycophants everywhere you go.
Fix up your habitable room just as it was.
Make it quiet and comfortable in peace.
The house is very deep and the hall is tall.
It is surrounded by guardrails and galleries.
There are pavilions，terraces and open halls
They face the high mountains and lofty hills.
The red door is decorated with ornamental engraving.
A lot of check designs are carved and linked together.
In winter the deep palace is warm.
And in summer the inner hall is cool.
The winding path leads to a secluded quiet place in the valley.
The stream is flowing forward slowly and murmuring happily.
The sun is shining brightly with a breeze waving hui grasses.
The orchids send out fragrance with fascinating charm.
Going thru the grand hall and entering the inner rooms，
You can find them spacious and bright and comfortable.
Above，there is a ceiling made of red bricks
Below，there is a big bamboo mat laying out.
The smooth stone room is decorated with green feathers.
The jade hook is hanging on the walls，curving and crystal.
The bedding is decorated with emerald and pearls.
They're sparkling brilliantly and extremely gorgeous.
The fine and soft silk are hanging on the walls.
The mid-hall has enough fancy silk nets there.
Four sorts of silk ribbons are all gorgeous.
Nice and pure jade are linked with them.
The furnishings in the palace are ultramundane.
Beautiful and priceless treasures fill your eyes.
Made of fragrant resin，the candle is very bright.
It lit up the ladies being fair as flower and moon.
Sixteen maids come to accompany at night.
If getting tired，they can be replaced by turn.
There are graceful maidens in the vassal states.
Their number is big and their manner is unique.
Their nice hair is tidied in various kinds of styles.
And the imperial harem is filled with their figures.(https://www.daowen.com)
They have beautiful appearance and posture.
They're indescribably charming and striking
They enjoy good health with graceful looks indeed.
Bound up with affection they make others excited.
With pretty looks they enjoy wonderful postures.
In bridal chamber people come and go constantly.
With curved eyebrows their bright eyes are turning.
They look around and make eyes at anyone they see.
They have delicate skin that is like jade and butter.
If they look at someone，he will be rather excited.
Secondary palace and alternative mansion have long curtains.
The king passes time idly and diverts himself from boredom.
Curtains're hanging with in wonderful color of emerald.
The palace and halls are decorated so as to look noble.
Walls're painted with red lacquer，guard boards with cinnabar.
The beams of the large rooms are beautiful just like black jade.
He looks up and finds the carved square rafters.
The dragons and snakes are well painted vividly.
Sitting in the hall，he is leaning on railings.
He faces the large pond in a curving shape.
The charming lotus begins to fully bloom.
Large leaves are scattering among flowers.
Duckweeds with purple stems lay out on the water.
A breeze blows the water and stirs up green ripples.
The imperial bodyguards are safeguarding the hills.
Their clothes are full of leopard skin decorations.
The wagons have arrived with an awning window.
The attendants with weapons stand on each side.
Orchid flowers are growing in clusters near the door.
A lot of beautiful jade trees serve as the fence walls.
Alas，soul，soul，come back and don't worry！
Why do you still keep staying in a far place？
All of the family members are gathering here.
A plenty of delicious foods are well prepared.
There're still new wheat，rice and millet.
All kinds of the food are extremely nice.
Bitterness and saltness cannot be lack of.
Peppery taste and sweetness are wonderful.
Fat beef and beef tendons are quite delicious.
They are well cooked，rather soft and sweet.
The tastes of bitterness and sourness are properly adjusted.
And the famous soup of State of Wu is served in time.
The braised turtle in clear soup and roast lamb are nice.
They are dipped into the newly made fresh cane syrup.
Wild ducks are stewed and swans are sauteed with vinegar sauce.
The wild geese and pigeons are fried in the extremely hot oil.
The pot-stewed chicken is well served with turtle meat.
The taste is strong with no harm to spleen and stomach.
Small wheat cake and rice cake processed with honey.
And the delicious malt sugar cannot be short of at all.
Nice wine and the mud honey are crystal like jade.
The cups are filled with these two drinks for tasting.
The distillers'grains and the sake with aroma.
Mellow and delicious they can refresh drinker.
All sorts of the wine are in top-quality.
They are served to visitors for tasting.
Come back to your native place immediately.
The people here are all courtesy and amiable.
Sumptuous feasts are still laid out there.
The dancing girls and band come on stage.
The chime and a big drum are put there.
The music and songs are newly created.
They sang Crossing River and Picking Water Chestnut.
There is one more song with the name of Yang He.
The beauty is already squiffy.
Her face is ruddy and glistening.
Her eyes provoke people's interest.
She conveys love by stealing a look.
She wears an embroidered silk dress.
It's gorgeous though not bizarre dress.
She has long black hair，thick and beautiful.
Her attire is shiny，pleasant and enchanting.
The dresses of others are equally wonderful.
They dance a dance of State of Zheng at first.
They shake their dresses like rocking bamboo.
They bend down and clap their hands in rhyme.
They blew yu and play se happily.
They beat the drum vigorously.
They sang the songs of The Excited State of Chu loudly.
It shook the palace and made the people panic-stricken.
Then they offer the popular music of States of Wu and Cai.
They play the large lv and allocate everything reasonably.
The men and women take seats in a chaos.
Their seats are scattered about disorderly.
Ribbons and hat tapes are put aside.
They are gorgeous and enchanting.
The girls of States of Zheng and Wei are pretty and unruly.
They come into the hall one after another in good order.
They loudly sang The Excited State of Chu at the end.
The unique tone is extremely beautiful and touching.
Gambling devices and chips are well prepared.
The chess is beautifully decorated with ivory.
The people are divided into two groups for chess playing.
Two sides are both violent and strong and press each other.
They cast dices and the winner will get chips
Everyone loudly called wubai eagerly to win.
The winner got the rhino skin ribbons or hooks.
They used up the whole day and feel anxious.
Someone tolls the bell and the stand is shaking.
And at the same time，the musicians play zise.
People drink wine for recreation without stop.
They were swallowed in pleasure day and night.
Fragrant orchids and bright candles accompany each other.
The beautiful and bright lamps are high or low in order.
Thru careful design articles are composed.
Orchid scent gives rich and bright colors.
We are extremely happy and merry.
We write poems to express feelings.
We happily drink wine to our heart's content.
Ancestors and old friends are rather pleasant.
Alas，soul，soul，return back immediately.
Come back home and never leave again！
The end：
Spring has come at the start of the year.
I am running fast to the south in a hurry.
The flourishing green duckweeds are in the center of the water.
The white zhi begins to grow and send out enchanting aroma.
The way is unblocked and crosses Lujiang River.
There are flourishing bushes on the left bank.
I am running forward along the swamp.
I look far and found boundless fields.
Four black horses are driving a wagon.
A thousand hunting carts go without stop.
A torch was lit with flames spreading far away.
Red flames pierce out of the pitch dark night.
Walkers arrived and the ones taking wagons stopped.
As a guide，the hunter continues to run forward fast.
The rein is drawn back or let out very naturally.
Wagon is led to the right and then turned back.
The hunter is running to Yunmengze Lakes together with the king.
They are just like to have a competition with each other.
The king shot out an arrow to hunt the game.
He is afraid shooting qingsi will bring disaster.
The red sun is bright after the dark night.
Time passed swiftly without any stops.
A highland is at the water with orchids covering the way.
The way was completely covered and it's hard to find it.
The clear water of the river slowly flows forward
There're maple groves everywhere on both banks.
I'm looking out and found the thousand-mile fields.
Spring scenery makes people sad though beautiful.
Alas，soul，soul，please come back as soon as possible.
Unforgettable，the Jiangnan area makes people sad！