Selected Ancient Chinese Military Odes

Author: Yu Zemin (Selected and Appraised)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The works selected and appraised in this book are masterpieces of Chinese military literature from the pre-Qin period to the Xinhai Revolution, divided into three volumes: Poetry, Prose, and Long Novels, each containing several sub-sections. The collection encompasses all the brilliant parts of traditional Chinese military literature, and it is the most complete work in this field to date. Especially noteworthy is the new attempt to appraise and analyze these works from a military perspective. The selected pieces range from the Warring States period to the late Qing Dynasty, with a principle of selecting the best while striving to represent different eras and authors. The texts are arranged in chronological order based on the writing period and the birth year of the authors. For works with unclear authors or uncertain dates, the order is determined by the timeline of characters in the poems and the sequence of historical events. Given the vast historical span and the rich historical allusions of military fu poetry, as well as the abundance of obscure terms, annotations and comments have been provided for each piece to facilitate readers' comprehension and appreciation. The annotations primarily focus on characters and words, supplemented by occasional sentence explanations. The comments highlight the ideological, provide context about the era, and analyze the military significance, occasionally including concise artistic critiques. For deeper study and comprehensive understanding, interpretations may vary, and it is left to the readers to explore on their own.