He separately commanded the second brother Hsî to reside at Yü-î[1], in what was called the Bright Valley, and (there) respectfully to receive as a guest the rising sun, and to adjust and arrange the labours of the spring. 'The day,' (said he), 'is of the medium length, and the star is in Niâo;—you may thus exactly determine mid-spring. The people are dispersed (in the fields), and birds and beasts breed and copulate.'
He further commanded the third brother Hsî to reside at Nan-kiâo[2], (in what was called the Brilliant Capital), to adjust and arrange the transformations of the summer, and respectfully to observe the exact limit (of the shadow). 'The day,' (said he), 'is at its longest, and the star is in Hwo;—you may thus exactly determine mid-summer. The people are more dispersed; and birds and beasts have their feathers and hair thin, and change their coats.'
He separately commanded the second brother Ho to reside at the west, in what was called the Dark Valley, and (there) respectfully to convoy the setting sun, and to adjust and arrange the completing labours of the autumn. 'The night,' (said he), 'is of the medium length, and the star is in Hsü;—you may thus exactly determine mid-autumn. The people feel at ease, and birds and beasts have their coats in good condition.'
He further commanded the third brother Ho to
- ↑ Yü-î is by some identified with Tăng-kâu, in Shan-tung, lat. 37° 48′, long. 121° 4′; by others, it is sought in Corea.
- ↑ Nan-kiâo was south, it is said, on the border of An-nan or Cochin-China. The characters for 'in what was called the Brilliant Capital' are supposed to have dropt out of the text.
