The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen

Author: (Tang) Sun Anbang / Bei Lei Interpretation
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "The sea has seen many waves, yet nothing compares to the waters of the Wu Mountain; apart from the clouds of the Wu Mountain, no other clouds are as beautiful." — Yuan Zhen, "Five Poems on Separation," No. 4
Autumn vines encircle the house like Tao Yuanming's home; wandering along the fence, the sun gradually descends. It is not that I favor chrysanthemums in flowers, but this flower blooms when all others have faded. — Yuan Zhen, "Chrysanthemums"
The culture of a nation has its source and flow. At the very least, the broad masses of the people should know what the true source of traditional Chinese culture is and what its fundamental flow is. As publishers, we have no need to explore this issue, but we have the obligation to present publications that embody the essence and mainstream of Chinese culture to the people. Thus, we have created this series, Essential Library for Chinese Families.
This is a publishing plan that is nearly boundless, but it reflects the sincere hearts of publishers. We know that the Chinese family is the fundamental unit of Chinese culture. If Chinese cultural families possess the essential classics and representative works of the Chinese nation, it will undoubtedly help promote our excellent national culture and forge our great national spirit. This is the original intention behind publishing this series.
Therefore, this series is based on classic traditional cultural masterpieces and is divided into six volumes:
Volume 1: Classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought
This includes 16 pre-Qin foundational works such as the Book of Songs, Book of Changes, Analects, Mencius, The Laws of Han Feizi, and others. They are the lifeblood of the Chinese nation. Zhang Zhidong once said, "Pre-Qin writings are worth a thousand gold for every character," an accurate summary of the works of the Pre-Qin philosophers.
Volume 2: Selected Works of Famous Poets
This includes personal selected works of 21 renowned literary figures such as Tao Yuanming, Wang Wei, Li Bai, Du Fu, and Yuan Haowen. These selections center on Tang and Song Dynasty literary masters, representing the highest achievements of Chinese lyrical literature.
Volume 3: Masterpieces of Historiography
This includes the Zuo Zhuan, the Four Histories, and the Zizhi Tongjian. They are the essence of Chinese historiography. To understand history, one must start here.
Volume 4: Comprehensive Selections
This includes Tang Dynasty poetry, Song Dynasty ci poetry, Yuan Dynasty qu poetry, the Thousand-Family Poetry, and the Essentials of Classical Chinese. These are all tested and renowned selected works, intended to broadly supplement the shortcomings of the Selected Works of Famous Poets in capturing the essence of Chinese literature and poetry.
Volume 5: Notes and Miscellaneous Works
This includes 15 widely accepted miscellaneous works from the Three-Character Classic to the Zeng Guofan Family Letters. In fact, they embody the deeper layers of the excellent culture of the Chinese nation.
Volume 6: Dramas and Novels
This includes 18 dramas and novels from the Romance of the West Chamber to the four great classical novels. These represent the peak of Chinese literary creation. To some extent, they are like the Three-Character Classic in that they contain the fundamental spiritual nourishment that has nurtured the Chinese people.
To be responsible to readers, we do not seek immediate success in publishing but adopt a strategy of gradual expansion through the publication of separate volumes. We do not aim for economic benefits from a single book or a single time but strive to continuously broaden our readership. Our hearts are in harmony with the broad readership, so we are confident that we will have a wide market.
Yuan Zhen (779–831), styled Weizhi, was a native of Luoyang, Henan. He was born in Chang'an and lost his father at a young age due to family poverty. He studied diligently with his mother and passed the imperial examinations at the age of fifteen. During the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, he passed the special examinations and was awarded the title of Fengce. Later, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, he served as prime minister for several months and held positions such as governor of Tongzhou, Zhaozhou, and military governor of Wuchang. In 831, he died suddenly in his post in Wuchang at the age of fifty-three. Yuan Zhen lived through six dynasties of the Tang Dynasty: the reigns of Emperors Dezong, Shunzong, Muzong, Jingzong, and Wenzong. He was a close friend of Bai Juyi in poetry and a pioneer and participant in the New Yuefu movement. Their poetic styles were similar, and they were collectively known as "Yuan Bai."
The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen are based on the Complete Tang Poems, Complete Tang Prose, and Tang Dynasty Novels and include over 70 selected poems. When encountering variant texts, references were made to the Collected Works of Yuan Zhen and the Longqing Collection of Yuan Family Works, and the best versions were chosen. In the annotations, "Alternative: X" is noted for different readings. For discrepancies in different editions, the judgment of the annotator was followed.
The "New Annotations" in this book strive for fairness, objectivity, and impartiality. For each poem or prose, hundreds of critiques from renowned scholars throughout history in poetry and prose are cited. Each piece aims to achieve unity between ideological and artistic interpretation, balancing both elevation and accessibility. Controversial or alternative interpretations are always clarified. For the convenience of readers, an appendix includes a "Brief Chronology of Yuan Zhen's Life," "Main References for Research on Yuan Zhen," and "Famous Quotes from the Collected Works of Yuan Zhen."