A Thousand Poems Commented Upon

Author: Gu Yiran
Commentary:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-03-01
Features: The works collected in A Thousand Poems are all five- or seven-character quatrains and regulated verses, with the majority being renowned poems by Tang and Song Dynasty poets. These poems cover a wide range of themes, are concise in length, and use simple language, making them easy to memorize. Their arrangement is also distinctive, which has long made them beloved by people and ensured their enduring popularity. They still retain their vitality today. However, Wang Xiang's annotations are rather superficial and sometimes contain errors, leading to numerous later revisions. This edition has been carefully collated based on common versions, with annotations aiming for simplicity, focusing on resolving difficult words and phrases, and occasionally providing explanations. Brief comments are included to introduce the background of the poems, analyze their ideological content, or appreciate their artistic features. The commentary is concise when there is little to say but elaborated when necessary, hoping to assist readers in fully understanding each work. Author biographies are arranged chronologically and compiled at the end of the book for easy reference.