'Yao-yao,' cry the deer in the wilds, calling to one another across the autumn grass. The ancient poets of China heard this sound and wrote the first verses of what would become the Book of Songs.

The poem speaks of friendship and celebration: 'With sounds of joy the deer cry out, feeding upon the celery of the fields. I have a fine guest; let me play my lute, blow my reed-organ.'

This simple verse, composed three thousand years ago by a Zhou dynasty nobleman hosting a banquet, captures the essence of Chinese hospitality: the joy of sharing food and music with honored guests.

The deer cry became a metaphor for friendship so enduring that even modern scholars cite it. To host a guest with sincerity, the poem teaches, is to create a bond that transcends time itself.