Ancient folk tales and proverbs

Author: (Qing) Du Wenlan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-01-01
Features: "Ancient Ballads and Proverbs" is a 100-volume collection compiled by Qing Dynasty scholar Du Wenlan. It cites over 860 books, including more than 3,300 ballads and proverbs from the pre-Qin period to the Ming Dynasty. Each entry is accompanied by an account of its origin, source notes, and, where necessary, annotations and explanations for difficult passages. Most of these ballads and proverbs originate from the folk, reflecting the people's understanding of society, especially their views on politics at the time. The circulation of these ballads and proverbs also directly influenced the development of poetry in contemporary and later eras. In this sense, "Ancient Ballads and Proverbs" is an important source for studying the history and literature of China.