The poem I beg of you, Zhong Zi appears to be one of the most interesting songs found in the anthology The Classic of Odes. This poem refers to the early Zhou period and reflects on the most important values of that period. I beg of you, Zhong Zi is a song that reveals the feelings of the Chinese lovers. It is a folk song that is focused on youthful love and attitude to it from the side of the parental authority. The themes of youthful love and family traditions are the most significant in the poem.

The importance of family appears to be the key value in the Chinese traditional outlook. I beg of you, Zhong Zi is about a young man, whose love to a young woman cannot be approved by his family. A woman in the poem is depicted as a reasonable and obedient person, who tries to persuade her lover not to take a risk and not to anger his family because of their feelings. Obviously, the woman prefers not angering both families, than being happy with her lover. Telling her lover “do not climb into our homestead” (Watson 16), the woman wants to show the true meaning of family in their life. Family means stability, security, and protection for the women so that she does not want to break this solid background.

The image of the family in traditional Chinese society is the key issue to make the poem’s ideas clear and vivid for the readers. The woman compares the family with “the willows we have planted” (Watson 16), and that means she respects the traditional way of life greatly. The poem makes the emphasis that family and its values have always been crucial for the Chinese people. “The hard-wood we have planted” (Watson 16) is, in fact, customs and traditions that have been establishing for decades, so that they are common things to preserve and use throughout life. Family is to be recognized as strong as the wood, and nothing can break the strength of its traditions.

The poem represents the depth of feelings that the lovers experience if their love is forbidden. On the one hand, the woman realizes that the family and its traditions are the true values shared by the whole Chinese society. On the other hand, her love is so strong that she is close to get rid of her family’s traditions. The only thing that holds to do that is fear. As she mentions, “But I am afraid of my brothers” and “of what people will say” (Watson 16). This means that the woman is not sure what she is influenced more – her family’s authority or personal needs and desires. The fear of family and social attitude, experienced by the woman in the song, means that family traditions are overwhelming in China, although the youth would like to transform some issues that can make them feel free and independent.

The poem illustrates that the Chinese society during the Zhou dynasty does not value the individual needs and earthly possessions. Love aside from the parental acceptance does not matter, because it cannot bring respect and happiness after all. A young couple realizes that in case of their parents’ disapproval, they are to live as the marginals with limited opportunities for a better future. Keeping to the family law, therefore, is far more important than it may seem to be today. Any earthly goods should reflect on the values that can honor the family. If not, a person cannot be happy. The protagonist of the song realizes the overall negative outcomes of her love without her family approval so that she makes the emphasis on “all that people will say” (Watson 16). The song confirms that to be successful and happy means to be a full-fledged and respected member of society in China during the Zhou dynasty.

The main theme of the poem and the message of the poet are conveyed using an interesting stylistic approach and symbolism. The symbols used by the poet reflect on the image of family. The Chinese traditional family is compared to the homestead, the willows, wall, the mulberry-trees, garden, and the hard-wood. All these symbols provide the readers with the analogies to make the image vivid and clear to everyone. The symbols make apparent that the Chinese family is the most stable issue that can protect its members. Family is compared to the woods and trees, and that makes it a part of nature that exists in according with the habitual order of things. The symbols make the image of the family strong and undoubtful authority, whose approval is needed in any life situation.

The poem I beg for you, Zhong Zi is a folk song that portrays the Chinese traditional family of the Zhou epoch. This song tells a story of a young woman, who begs her lover not to anger his parents and relatives because of their forbidden feelings. The poem reflects on the main theme that describes the family as the most significant authority shared by the Chinese society. The theme and the symbols of the poem make obvious that any member of the Chinese community should be obedient to their families and perceive family authority as undoubtful, strong, and respected will. Personal needs do not matter if they do not correspond to the family.