Side Book: A Love Match (Complete 3 Volumes) (Vintage Xuan Paper and Coarse Thread Binding with Vertical Layout)

Author: Tianyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: ★16-inch hardcover, Hebei Education Press ★Designed by a renowned domestic design company, featuring traditional handmade binding and imitation Xuan paper printing ★Selected poems, prose, and artworks from ancient and modern Chinese and foreign masters depicting love, sensuality, and vows, accompanied by traditional Chinese paintings, oil paintings, Ukiyo-e prints, and embroidery patterns ★Recreates the beauty of classical culture, providing a model for new and engaging reading experiences
Friendly Tip: The book cover is relatively old, but the book itself is in good condition. It is not recommended to include the cover when gifting, so please be cautious if you are particular about it!
The Pillow Book—Love, Beauty, Vows (3 volumes) is bound in traditional handmade style with imitation Xuan paper printing, featuring full-color illustrations. It is elegant and lightweight, offering a delightful visual and reading experience. Selected classic poems, prose, and exquisite artworks by masters such as Shakespeare, Bai Juyi, and Zhu Yizun present love, the captivating beauty of a fleeting glance, and various forms of vows throughout history.
In traditional Chinese culture, the portrayal of female beauty by scholars is highly developed, with every detail meticulously crafted, scrutinized, and embellished. This excessive cultural focus on female beauty has become what is termed "sensuality." Some say sensuality is a vulgar and shameless expression of desire, while others argue it is an overly exaggerated refinement of emotion. Everyone has their own definition of [sensuality], with,. Excluding some inevitable outdated ideologies from history, we can still find beauty in the harmony of [sensuality]—a beauty of the female form. This is an elegant world: every posture embodies a graceful vitality; every expression conveys a rich charm. Thus, there are poems praising willow brows, snow-white cheeks, fragrant tongues, slender shoulders, delicate waists, and soft fingers. There are the graceful poses of [Leaning on Waves with a Gentle Step] and [Dancing in the Palm of a Flying Swallow]. There are the timeless classics like [A Glance Back That Captures a Hundred Beauties] and [A Beauty That Shakes Cities and Kingdoms]. Sensuality speaks far beyond the physical allure of slender or plump figures or the romantic encounters of Mount Wu's clouds and rain. That is mere pursuit. Sensuality exists between desire and art. What it truly is—let the discerning judge for themselves.
Editor's Recommendation
The publication of The Pillow Book series aims to recreate the beauty of classical culture and provide a new, engaging reading experience. First, in terms of content, each volume selects the most evocative classical Chinese and foreign poems, prose, and masterpieces, along with timeless artworks and exquisite illustrations, for editing and reinterpretation, creating an elegant, romantic, and leisurely reading atmosphere. Second, in terms of design, the Pillow Book series, bound by a renowned domestic design company, considers the fast-paced modern lifestyle where people can only read "on the pillow" for a few moments each day. It uses special paper with a simulated Xuan paper effect, a slender 16-inch format, and an elegant, lightweight design that is a pleasure to hold and read.
What makes it truly special is the return to the long-lost traditional handmade binding, which perfectly complements the refined content. The target audience for The Pillow Book is urban white-collar professionals aged 20–35 and readers of design-related books. For them, both material abundance and a leisurely spiritual life are essential, yet their busy schedules demand all-in-one access to information. The Pillow Book meets this need through its comprehensive curation of classic texts and exquisitely crafted bindings.
The renowned Song Dynasty scholar Ouyang Xiu once said that the best time to read is "on three occasions": on the pillow, on horseback, and in the toilet. The Pillow Book is the perfect choice for these moments. Whether bought for personal leisure or as a unique gift for loved ones during the upcoming New Year festivities, it is a heartfelt and joyful expression of care.
Love
The male and female mandarin ducks swim together on the riverbank.
A gentle and graceful woman—
A fine match for a nobleman.
The water plants are scattered left and right,
Gently swaying in the breeze.
A gentle and graceful woman—
Awakened, she seeks him.
She seeks him but cannot find him,
Awakened, she pines for him.
Long and long,
She tosses from side to side in her sleep.
The water plants are scattered left and right,
Gently gathered in the breeze.
A gentle and graceful woman—
With zither and lute, she courts him.
The water plants are scattered left and right,
Gently plucked in the breeze.
A gentle and graceful woman—
With drum and pipes, she delights in him.
Beauty
A young woman in the jade lattice window sees Shou, and she often thinks of him, expressing her longing in verse.
Later, a maid went to Shou's house and recounted this, also describing the woman's beauty. Shou was moved and asked the maid to secretly visit him. When the time came, Shou, agile as a monkey, climbed over the wall and entered the house, unnoticed by anyone.
Solemn Vows
God has given you life on earth,
Take care of your wife with gentle patience,
Love her, and live only with her,
Building a Christian family.
Respect her family as your own,
And fulfill your duties as a husband to the very end.