On the river, cold sand thin as a mat,
Overnight mounds up into a lofty hill.
The river's flow, tilting its force, can't combat,
Gnawing left, spitting right, against its will.
South of the city, in the southern command,
What alone on flat ground grows without end?
Above house backs, not a full foot in span,
Dig deep a hundred fathoms, stone towers descend.
The ancients knew not monsters lurked below,
Uncovered, uncontained, with floods they'd grow.
Legends say Gun tried to stem the deluge wide,
But God loved this land, none dared it steal or hide.
He stole a great basket, bore a long spade,
Digging without cease till God made it fade.
Yu knew water's wrath won't be stopped by a dam,
But netted all monsters, mixed clam and eel in the jam.
He dug trenches into earth, depth beyond measure,
Tossed and packed with earth, a chirping treasure.
Once settled, he feared for ages to come,
Lest this steal out and ruin the kingdom.
The divine man dead, none could control,
So with this earth they sealed the monster's poll.
Dig it, it fills at once, never done,
Meant to keep the spirit thing under the sun.
Years past, a great drought scorched a thousand miles red,
Take a handful of earth, yet no rain is shed.
Who says within this old yellow soil, so near,
Lies a thousand-year dragon and serpent, I hear?
High mountains ten thousand ren can be pared,
Alas, why does this alone grow like a wart unimpaired?
Sky long, earth far, wild and boundless in view,
Though damaged and broken, who can make it anew?
I suspect Heaven's will surely has its design,
Troubling the world with many affairs, carving fine.
Molding, casting, the earth's strength is worn,
Long unrestored, yet it feels no forlorn.
No Goddess Nüwa to mend the sky with white stone,
Rocks heap everywhere like floating foam, alone.
Plowing fields, digging wells, never cease,
How can this Resting Soil, so scant, bring peace?