社稷

Chinese

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 社稷 (Written Standard Chinese^?)
• soil and grain (English)

Pronunciation

Noun

社稷

1. (Classical, literally) gods of the soil and harvest (as worshipped by the aristocracy in ancient China)

   • 君曰：「代立不忘社稷，君之道也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Book of Lord Shang, circa 3^rd century BCE, translated based on J.J.L. Duyvendak's version

     Jūn yuē: “Dàilì bùwàng shèjì, jūn zhī dào yě.”

     The prince said: "Not to forget, at his succession, the tutelary spirits of the soil and of grain, is the way of a prince."

   • 民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Mín wèi guì, shèjì cìzhī, jūn wèi qīng.

     The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest.

2. (historical, metonymically) altars for offering sacrifices to the gods of the soil and grains

   • 富貴不離其身，然後能保其社稷，而和其民人。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     富贵不离其身，然后能保其社稷，而和其民人。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Classic of Filial Piety, circa 475 – 221 BCE

     Fùguì bù lí qí shēn, ránhòu néng bǎo qí shèjì, ér hé qí mínrén.

     When their riches and nobility do not leave their persons, then they are able to preserve the altars of their land and grain, and to secure the harmony of their people and men in office.

3. (Classical, metonymically) nation; country

   • 有安社稷臣者，以安社稷為悅者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     有安社稷臣者，以安社稷为悦者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Yǒu ān shèjì chén zhě, yǐ ān shèjì wèi yuè zhě yě.

     There are ministers who seek the tranquillity of the State, and find their pleasure in securing that tranquillity.

Synonyms

• (nation):

Descendants

Japanese

Etymology 1

 社稷 on Japanese Wikipedia

Middle Chinese 社稷 (d͡ʑia^X t͡sɨk̚)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しゃ​しょく (Atamadaka – )
• (Tokyo) しゃしょく (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

社(しゃ)稷(しょく) • (shashoku) ^{←しやしよく (syasyoku)?}

1. (deity) Chinese deities of the soil and of grains, venerated as tutelary deities of the nation
2. (figurative, literary) the nation

   Synonym: 国家 (“kokka”)

   • 1930, “青年日本の歌”:

     財閥(ざいばつ)富(とみ)を誇(ほこ)れども　社稷(しゃしょく)を思(おも)ふ心(こころ)なし

     zaibatsu tomi o hokoredomo shashoku o omou kokoro nashi

     Conglomerates boast of their wealth but
     have not hearts that think of the soil and grain.

Etymology 2

(The following entry is uncreated: すめらおおもとお.)

References

Korean

Noun

社稷 • (sajik) (hangeul 사직)

1. Hanja form^? of 사직 (“gods of soil and grain”).