Complete Collection of Tang Poems [1-8]

Author: Ding Fangxiao, Zeng Deming, Yang Yunhui
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-09-12
Features: Poetry reached its full development in the Tang Dynasty, encompassing all styles and encompassing all methods. Therefore, anyone who claims to be a poet must regard the Tang poets as the standard, just as archers aim at the target and craftsmen follow the rules. The Tang Dynasty, at the very beginning of its establishment, used tonal patterns to select officials, gathering the talents and geniuses of the world to engage in the study of the Six Arts as a means to advance in life. Thus, those who practiced it were naturally dedicated and diligent. Moreover, the harmonious singing in court, the exchanges with friends, and the reflections on events during banquets and sightseeing, as well as the sentiments of weary travelers and the inspiration derived from touching objects—all were expressed through poetry. Although their fortunes varied and their circumstances differed, in terms of expressing their personalities, their essence remained the same. The sentiments of the heart are timeless, how could there be any distinction between different eras! Yet when arranging the poems of Tang poets, people often categorize them into early, high, middle, and late periods, dividing them into distinct boundaries and excessively praising or criticizing them. All of these are arbitrary names imposed by later generations and not based on sound reasoning. Since ancient times, when the Tang Dynasty selected its own poems, there were several notable compilers such as Yin Fan, Yuan Jie, Linghu Chu, and Yao He, whose collections were quite comprehensive. By the early Song Dynasty, the compilation of Tang Dynasty Collection included a vast number of Tang poems. However, since poems were organized by categories, many were still missing, and it did not become a grand collection of the era. Now, I have ordered the complete Tang Dynasty Poems from the imperial treasury and instructed my officials to combine them with the Comprehensive Catalogue of Tang Poems and other collections, cross-referencing and correcting them, filling in the gaps, and eliminating the names of early, high, middle, and late periods, arranging them strictly by chronological order. For those who held official positions and whose years could be verified, their works were arranged according to their chronological order. For those whose years could not be verified, their works were linked to events mentioned in their poems and to contemporaries. In total, there are over forty-eight thousand and nine hundred poems by more than two thousand two hundred authors, divided into nine hundred volumes. Thus, the essence of three hundred years of Tang poetry has been gathered into one collection, which can be considered quite comprehensive.
With tens of thousands of poems, each with its own style, tracing their origins reveals that although they all had teachers and mentors, their profound thoughts and unique insights allowed them to excel in their talents, following the tradition of Fengya and Ya to establish their own schools. Some even ventured into the most obscure and eccentric styles, deviating from the conventional Fengya and Ya, yet they never fell into imitation or plagiarism. This is the ultimate achievement of the Tang poets in their deep exploration of poetry. Scholars who seek guidance here, like diving into the depths of the sea for pearls or searching through the forest for talents, should broadly collect yet selectively preserve, never losing sight of the essence of their own personalities. Only then can they truly learn from the Tang poets. How could those who have no principles and simply seek superficial similarities be considered poets? Therefore, I have written this preface at the beginning of the collection to show the purpose of compiling the Complete Tang Poems for those who study it. May all readers in the land understand my intention.