Selected Writings of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties

Author: Li Daoying
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: This book selects eight representative works from various aspects of home, including works that have been widely read and cherished by families, as well as those recognized as masterpieces but rarely included in general anthologies. A few are chosen by the author for their distinctive features in certain aspects. Each writer is accompanied by a brief introduction; each work has an explanatory note after its title, providing a concise summary and hint of its ideological and artistic characteristics, while also touching on relevant knowledge related to the work. After detailed annotations, each work is followed by a collection of reviews, compiling important comments from people on the work. The reviews primarily focus on ancient and modern perspectives, with a limited selection of contemporary and modern experts' opinions. The reviews include both positive and negative viewpoints to provide readers with a comprehensive reference. This book strives to balance accessibility and professionalism, making it suitable for students of Chinese literature at various universities, classical literature enthusiasts with intermediate to advanced cultural levels, as well as reference material for master's and doctoral students, as well as professional researchers. Due to the differing achievements and historical statuses of the eight great writers, the number of selected works varies greatly. In terms of the quantity of selected works, the focus is on Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Su Shi, followed by Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong, and then Su Xun and Su Zhe. Among Han, Liu, Ouyang, and Su, Han Yu, as the foremost of the eight great writers, has had the greatest influence on later generations, and traditional important anthologies have always included the most of his works. Therefore, this book follows the by including more of his works, far exceeding the number of works from the other three.