apan [reigned A.D. 810-23] one day quoted to
his Minister, Ono no Takamura, the couplet:

'Through my closed doors I hear nothing but the morning and evening
drum;
From my upper windows in the distance I see ships that come and go.'

Takamura, thinking these were the Emperor's own verses, said: 'If I may
venture to criticize an august composition, I would suggest that the
phrase "in the distance" be altered.' The Emperor was delighted, for he
had purposely changed 'all I see' to 'in the distance I see.' At that
time there was only one copy of Po Chuu-i's poems in Japan and the
Emperor, to whom it belonged, had allowed no one to see it."--From the
_Koudanshou_ [twelfth century].

[40] AFTER COLLECTING THE AUTUMN TAXES

From my high castle I look at the town below
Where the natives of Pa cluster like a swarm of flies.
How can I govern these people and lead them aright?
I cannot even understand what they say.
But at least I am glad, now that the taxes are in,
To learn that in my province there is no discontent.
I fear its prosperity is not due to me
And was only caused by the year's abundant crops,
The papers that lie on my desk are simple and few;
My house by the moat is leisurely and still.
In the autumn rain the berries fall from the eaves;
At the evening bell the birds return to the wood.
A broken sunlight quavers over the southern porch
Where I lie on my couch abandoned to idleness.

[41] LODGING WITH THE OLD MAN OF THE STREAM

[_A.D. 820_]

Men's hearts love gold and jade;
Men's mouths covet wine and flesh.
Not so the old man of the stream;
He drinks from his gourd and asks nothing more.
South of the stream he cuts firewood and grass;
North of the stream he has built wall and roof.
Yearly he sows a single acre of land;
In spring he drives two yellow calves.
In these things he finds great repose;
Beyond these he has no wish or care.
By chance I met him walking by the water-side;
He took me home and lodged me in his thatched hut.
When I parted from him, to seek market and Court,
This old man asked my rank and pay.
Doubting my tale, he laughed loud and long:
"Privy Councillors do not sleep in barns."

[42] TO HIS BROTHER HSING-CHIEN

[_A.D. 820_]

Can the single cup of wine
We drank this morning have made my heart so gla