The ancients treasured the tortoise shells and used

Cowries as money; in later ages and generations,

The sage kings exchanged them for metal coins

That were started to be used for circulating and

Attaching the masses of men to the ruling dynasties.

And we liken that to conceptions of the sagely leaders

And their governance represented by simple numbers

From one to three, without which there were no way

For making proper change and reformation, we say.

The kingdoms were established and states founded;

Emoluments were dispersed and ranks distributed

In order to guide the thousands of salaried officials

Of the state bureaucratic hierarchy represented by

The central three favourable numbers from four to six,

Which were normally likened to a good fortune

And happy life of action-oriented persons.

When wrongdoers and villains were all brought down

By the five sorts of punishment represented by

The upper three numbers from seven to nine

Of the unfavourable dispositions, they used them

For revealing misfortune of all the three types.

Grasping all symbols of authority, the leaders of old

Established offices and ranks to bestow them

On their men in accord with their merits. For their part,

The latter looked at their superiors, as the core

Of all possible earners, around whom they built up

And maintained the close system of privilege. So tell me,

What has been changed from those distant times? . .