Autumn Cliff Poetry Annotations

Author: Fang Yue [Song] / Qin Xiaocheng (ed.) / Zu Baoquan / He Qingshan (reviewed)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-12-01
Features: A Collection of Poems and Lyrics from Qiuya with Annotations is a rare gem of a book. It excels in two aspects: Fang Yue's poems are distinctive in style; and the annotations in this book also possess distinct features. Fang Yue (1199–1262), styled Jushan and styled Qiuya, was a native of Qimen, Xin'an (now part of Anhui). He passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Shao Ding reign of Emperor Li Zong (1232) and served as a literary instructor before becoming the governor of Yuanzhou and later rising to the position of Vice Minister of Personnel. Due to his clashes with powerful figures such as Shi Songzhi, Ding Dalian, and Jia Sidao, he faced a lifetime of political setbacks. He was skilled in poetry, often depicting rural life and pastoral scenery with simplicity and naturalness. His lyrics mostly express patriotic sentiments and concerns for the times, with a clear and vigorous style. He authored The Qiuya Collection in forty volumes, with his lyric collection titled The Qiuya Lyrics.