It means: Look at the vastness of the world, there is no place that is not the king’s fief; look at the end of the horizon, there is no one who is not the king’s slave.
From "The Book of Songs·Xiaoya·Beishan Zhishi·Beishan" written by an unknown person in the pre-Qin Dynasty, the whole poem is as follows:
I'm looking at the Beishan Mountain, and I'm talking about picking up the qi. Together with the scholars, we work day and night. The king is busy with his affairs and worries about my parents.
Under the sky, there is nothing but the king's land; on the shore of the land, there is nothing but the king's ministers. Doctors are not all equal, but I am dedicated to being the best.
The four peons are blooming, and the king is nearby. I am not old yet, and I am a general now. The travel force is strong and the business is in all directions.
Sometimes they are resting in Yanyan, or they are exhausted from serving the country; some are dying in bed, or they are not able to travel anymore.
Some may not know how to call, or may work miserably;
Some are happy to drink, some are miserable and fearful of blame;
Translation:
I climbed up the high Beishan step by step, picking red wolfberries one by one. A strong scholar like me has to work non-stop from morning to night every day. The official affairs of the monarch's family are endless and endless, and the most worrying thing is to greet parents about their daily life!
Look at the vastness of the world, there is no place that is not the king’s fiefdom; look at the end of the horizon, there is no one who is not the king’s slave; it is lamentable that the doctor’s distribution of labor is unfair, only Only I am allowed to work so hard for national affairs!
Four majestic horses run around, and I keep busy on official business for the monarch. The king hurriedly praised my sword for not getting old, and praised me for being in the prime of life. I feel that I am physically strong and I work hard to manage my business.
But I saw some people quietly enjoying themselves, some working hard on state affairs; some sleeping peacefully on their beds, some running around and working non-stop; some people didn't listen. Regardless of the people's cries, some people are diligent and worried; some people go to bed early and get up late to sit back and relax; some people are busy with state affairs and work for a long time;
Some people are completely addicted to drinking and having fun, and some people are completely addicted to drinking and having fun. They are cautious and dare not take responsibility; some people go out and talk loudly, and some people are busy doing everything!
Extended information:
The poem "Xiaoya Beishan" focuses on the resentment of uneven labor, exposing the corruption of the upper class and the resentment of the lower class. It is resentment. A prominent chapter in the poem.
The first three chapters of the poem describe the scholar's heavy work, hard work day and night, and travel in all directions, expressing the resentment that "the doctors are not equal, but I am the only one who can be the best." The three sentences "Ji I am not old" typically outline the doctor's method of nurturing his subordinates. He praises and praises, vividly reflecting the face of the ruler under his control.
The last three chapters make extensive use of contrasting techniques. Twelve sentences describe twelve phenomena in succession. Each two phenomena is a contrast. Through six contrasts, the two opposing images of the doctor and the scholar are described. The doctor is at ease and comfortable all day long. He sits back and relax at home, drinks, enjoys and sleeps. He ignores the orders and orders. He eats well and sleeps well and gnashes his teeth. He does not do anything, but finds fault with others and gossips about others.
The scholar was used by such a doctor. He worked hard, worked hard, and was busy. He had to do everything, and he was always worried about making mistakes and being punished by his superiors. Such two opposing images are listed in a comparative way, so that good and bad, good and evil, beauty and ugliness can be identified in the comparison.
This exposes the fact of inequality and its irrationality in an unreasonable hierarchical society. The whole poem ends abruptly after the comparison, with no comments or expressions of emotion. Through the sharp contrast, readers can naturally draw conclusions, allowing readers to experience Hanyong instead of writing directly.
The society and political power of the Zhou Dynasty were organized according to a strict patriarchal system. Scholars belonged to the lowest class and were in the most enslaved and repressed position within the ruling class. There are many poems in the "Book of Songs" that describe the hard work and pain of this class and express their depression and dissatisfaction, thus objectively exposing the profound contradictions in the upper-lower relationships within the ruling class. "Xiaoya·Beishan" is one of them.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Xiaoya·Beishan