Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty - Color Illustration Edition

Author: Han Tang Tuishi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty was published later than Complete Poems of the Tang Dynasty. The compiler, Sun Zhu (1711-1776), styled Linian and styled Han Tang Tuishi, was from Wuxi. According to the preface, this book was compiled in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign (1763). Mr. Zhu Ziqing said in General Guidelines that: "This poetry selection is very famous and widely circulated. It was once a book read by every family and is now also quite commonly studied. 'The Tang Dynasty was an era of poetry, where many great poets emerged, and all poetic forms developed during this time.'" According to the preface of this book, it is evident that this is a selective anthology of a specific dynasty, selecting only the "most important," hence only over three hundred poems, with the actual number being three hundred and ten. The "most important" likely focuses on cultivating temperament. As for prioritizing clarity and ease of understanding, it is natural for a "family textbook," and there is no need to mention it specially. This book is organized by genre, hence the claim that "each genre has dozens of poems." The proverb quoted serves to explain why only over three hundred poems were selected, but the compiler was clearly also imitating the Three Hundred Poems (Shijing). The Shijing has three hundred and five poems, including the six entries with titles but no poems, totaling three hundred and eleven; this book has three hundred and ten poems, which is not a mere coincidence. The compiler feared being laughed at for presumption, so he did not reveal this intention. The proverb also teaches people to read thoroughly and learn to recite poetry. Only by reading thoroughly can one truly savor the poetry and appreciate its subtleties, but now there is no need to learn to write old-style poetry.