Chu Shang Liang

Chu Shang Liang when old was perhaps called Chu Zhuang Wang (King Zhuang of Chu), but because of a mistake in pronunciation it became Shang Liang. Qin Cao said that when Shang Liang went out to wander in the 九皋之澤 Marshes of Jiu Gao⁷ he saw terraces with flowing water, set up traps around the edges and caught fish. Once strange weather came, with water rising up all around and 霹靂 rumbling thunder, 玄鶴 black cranes flying behind, and white tigers growling in front. This seemed to be a bad omen, so Shang Liang stayed at home and played Pili Yin. (The author) thinks ordinary people do not encounter this type of weather, so maybe it really concerns King Zhuang of Chu. Of old it was said, King Zhuang had a qin called 繞梁 Rao Liang, so he was certainly skilled at the qin.

Regarding the mention of black cranes, it is not clear how or whether this is connected to their mention in connection with Shi Kuang.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 楚商梁 15473.xxx; 商梁 3438.xxx; 莊王
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2. 10 lines
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3. Chu Zhuang Wang (King Zhuang of Chu)
楚莊王 15473.104 makes no mention of Chu Shang Liang, nor does the entry in Qin Shi Bu called Chu Zhuang Wang. For him see also the entry in Qin Shi on Fan Ji.
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4. Such a title is mentioned, e.g., in TKW Qin Fu, p.744, Pili Yin.
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5. 霹靂引 Pili Yin
YFSJ p.828 quotes Qin Lun by #100 Xie Xiyi saying 夏禹 Xia Yu wrote Pili Yin; it then gives a version of the Chu Shang Liang story. Pili Yin is also #5 of the Nine 引 Preludes in Cai Yong's Qin Cao. There is no suggestion of a connection to the story told about Cheng Wang in relation to Feng Lei Yin
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6. Original text
The original Chinese is as follows,

楚商梁老，或云楚莊王也，聲之誤以為商梁耳。《琴操》云，商梁出游九皋之澤，覽漸水之臺。張罝罘，周於荊山，臨曲池而魚，疾風霣雹電冥，大水四起，霹靂下臻，玄鶴翔其後，白虎吟其前，懼然而驚顧，謂其僕曰：今日出遊，豈非常之行耶。何其災變之甚也？於是商梁歸其室，（彈）琴而歌，作《霹靂引》。余以謂苟非人君，則何以出畋獵如此之盛，遇風雹如此之懼耶？其云莊王者，殆是歟！昔人有云楚莊王無災而懼，此亦近之，其卒句云：國將亡兮，喪厥年。夫畏天之威而惟危亡之憂者，所以不亡也。舊傳莊王有琴名《繞梁》，然則莊王固能琴耶。

Translation still tentative. Compare under Pili Yin. There is also a similar version in Qin Yuan Yao Lü.
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7. Gao is written like 23241: for this see under He Ming Jiugao.
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