Book of Songs
唐风·椒聊
佚名
椒聊之实，蕃衍盈升。彼其之子，硕大无朋。椒聊且，远条且。
椒聊之实，蕃衍盈匊。彼其之子，硕大且笃。椒聊且，远条且。
Translation
The pepper plant bears fruit in abundance, enough to fill a measure. That young man is tall and great, without equal. O pepper plant, how far your branches extend. The pepper plant bears fruit in abundance, enough to fill the hands. That young man is tall, great, and solid in presence. O pepper plant, how far your branches extend.
Analysis
“Jiao Liao” begins with the abundance of pepper fruit and turns that image into praise for a vigorous young man. The pepper plant, with its many seeds, strong scent, and extending branches, suggests fertility and flourishing life. The phrases “filling a measure” and “filling the hands” describe botanical abundance while also implying human vitality. The admired figure is “great” and “solid,” not merely physically large but dependable and full of promise. The poem is brief, bright, and songlike. Its repeated ending—“O pepper plant, how far your branches extend”—gives the praise a resonant, folk-song cadence.
About the Author
The airs in the Book of Songs were largely drawn from regional songs of the Zhou world, and their individual authors are unknown. They are therefore traditionally attributed to “Anonymous.” These poems preserve voices from folk singing, ritual occasions, labor, love, marriage, complaint, longing, and public life. Their language is simple yet highly shaped by repetition, rhythm, and image. Because they are not tied to a single named poet, they carry a broader collective memory of early Chinese society and form one of the deepest sources of the Chinese poetic tradition.