96

The poet describes the examination of candidates seeking appointment as officials, all of whom are required to write three-thousand-word essays according to forms established in the canons of ritual and prosody. Meanwhile, the emperor looks on, wearing a robe embroidered with images and symbols of the sun and moon. The Chinese make their ink by grinding sticks of soot and pine resin on flat stones, onto which small amounts of water are added. When the proper consistency is reached the ink is drained into a depression at one end of the stone. Here, the flapping banners hanging from the rafters are reflected in these pools of ink. Finally done, the candidates stand before the court’s cinnabar-colored steps and present their work.

Palace Ode—II

LIN HUNG

At court the royal robes reflect the sun and moon

banner shadows move like dragons on the inkstones

the length and breadth of rites and music in three thousand words

line the cinnabar steps before the sun goes down