The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen -- Basic Collection of Chinese Family Bookshelves

Author: Sun Anbang (Tang), Beilei Interpretation
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "The world is vast and the sea is deep, but nothing compares to the clouds of Wushan." From Yuan Zhen's "Five Poems of Parting Thoughts," No. 4.
Autumn vines encircle the house like Tao Yuanming's home, winding along the fence as the sun sets. It is not that I favor chrysanthemums in flowers, but this bloom marks the end of all flowers. From Yuan Zhen's "Chrysanthemums."
The culture of a nation has its roots and currents. At the very least, the broad masses of the people should know what the true origins of traditional Chinese culture are and what its fundamental currents are. As publishers, we have no need to explore this issue, but we have the obligation to present publications that embody the essence of China's cultural roots and mainstream to the people. Thus, there is this series, Essential Library for Chinese Families.
This is a nearly boundless publishing plan, but it reflects the sincere hearts of publishers. We know that the Chinese family is the fundamental unit of Chinese culture. If Chinese cultural families possess the essential classics and representative works of the Chinese nation, it will undoubtedly help promote our excellent national culture and forge our great national spirit. This is the original intention behind publishing this series.
Therefore, this series is based on classic traditional cultural masterpieces and is divided into six volumes:
Volume 1: The Classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought – Includes 16 pre-Qin foundational works such as the Book of Songs, Book of Changes, Analects, Mencius, The Laws of Han Feizi, etc. These are the lifeblood of the Chinese nation. Zhang Zhidong once said, "Pre-Qin writings are worth a thousand gold for a single character," an accurate summary of the works of the pre-Qin philosophers.
Volume 2: Selected Works of Famous Poets – Includes personal selected works of 21 renowned literary figures such as Tao Yuanming, Wang Wei, Li Bai, Du Fu, and Yuan Haowen. This selection focuses on Tang and Song literary masters, representing the highest achievements of Chinese lyrical literature.
Volume 3: Masterpieces of Historiography – Includes the Zuo Zhuan, the Four Histories, and the Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government. These are the essence of Chinese historiography. To understand history, one must start here.
Volume 4: Comprehensive Selections – Includes Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Yuan qu, as well as the Thousand Poems and the Essentials of Classical Chinese. These are all tested and renowned selected works, intended to broadly supplement the shortcomings of the Selected Works of Famous Poets in capturing the essence of Chinese literature and poetry.
Volume 5: Notes and Miscellaneous Works – Includes 15 widely accepted miscellaneous works from the Three-Character Classic to the Correspondence of Zeng Guofan. In fact, they embody the deeper layers of the excellent culture of the Chinese nation.
Volume 6: Dramas and Novels – Includes 18 dramas and novels from the Romance of the West Chamber to the four great classical novels. These represent the peak of Chinese literary creation. To some extent, they are like the Three-Character Classic in that they contain the fundamental spiritual nourishment that has nurtured the Chinese people.
To be responsible to readers, we do not seek immediate success in publishing but adopt a strategy of gradual expansion through the publication of separate volumes. We do not aim for economic benefits from a single book or time but seek to continuously broaden our readership. Our hearts are in harmony with the broad readership, so we are confident of having a wide market.
Yuan Zhen (779–831), styled Weizhi, was a native of Luoyang, Henan. He was born in Chang'an and lost his father at a young age due to his family's poverty. He studied diligently with his mother and passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen. During the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, he passed the special examination and was granted the title of Fengce. He served as prime minister for several months during the reign of Emperor Muzong and later held positions such as governor of Tongzhou, Zhaozhou, and military governor of Wuchang. He died of sudden illness in his post in Wuchang in the fifth year of the Dahuo era, at the age of fifty-three. Throughout his life, he experienced the reigns of six emperors: Emperor Dezong, Emperor Shunzong, Emperor Muzong, Emperor Jingzong, and Emperor Wenzong. He was a close friend of Bai Juyi in poetry and a pioneer and contributor to the New Yuefu movement. Their poetic styles were similar, and they were collectively known as "Yuan Bai."
The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen are based on the Complete Poems of Tang, Complete Writings of Tang, and Tang Fiction and include over 70 selected poems. When encountering variant texts, references were made to the Collected Works of Yuan Zhen and the Longqing Collection of Yuan Family by the Zhonghua Book Company, and the best versions were chosen. Differences in characters and words across various editions were resolved based on the interpretations of the annotators, with one version being selected.
The "New Annotations" in this book strive for fairness, objectivity, and impartiality. For each poem or prose, hundreds of critiques from renowned scholars throughout history in poetry and literary theory are cited. Each piece aims to unify ideological depth and artistic quality, balancing both elevation and accessibility. Disputed or alternative interpretations are always clarified. For the convenience of readers, the book includes a "Brief Chronology of Yuan Zhen's Life," "Main References for Research on Yuan Zhen," and "Profound Quotes from the Collected Works of Yuan Zhen."