千字文 / The Thousand Character Classic, part 50

詩贊羔羊

shī zàn gāo yáng

"The Classic of Poetry praises lambs"


Lambs are cute, sure, but Paar notes that this is a reference to the following lines from the Classic of Poetry (AKA the Book of Odes):

羔羊之皮、素絲五緎。
委蛇委蛇、自公退食。

"The skins of lambs and sheep, their five seams white;
Unhurried, they withdraw from public to dine."

This is still somewhat unhelpful, but Paar explains that the lambskins in question are lambskin clothes worn by officials, and the white thereof signifies their spotless character. Thrilling stuff, huh?

微臣
史大偉