Book of Songs Annotation (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Cheng Junying et al
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1991-10-21
Features: The Book of Songs is the earliest comprehensive collection of Chinese poetry in literary history, divided into three major categories—Feng, Ya, and Song—with a total of 305 poems, historically known as "Three Hundred Poems." This collection includes works from the Zhou Dynasty. The categorization of Feng, Ya, and Song in The Book of Songs is based on the origin and musical tunes of the poems. Feng refers to folk songs with local characteristics, sung to lively tunes, reflecting daily life, with rich lyrical flavors, short and abrupt verses, repetitive stanzas, and heartwarming emotions. Ya is further divided into Great Ya and Small Ya, including political satire poems, epic poems, sacrificial poems, and celebratory poems. The content of Song mostly praises the virtues of rulers and former kings, though most lack distinct features. The Book of Songs has made significant contributions to the development of Chinese poetry. It is a comprehensive collection of Zhou Dynasty poetry and became the origin of classical Chinese poetry. Famous literary figures and poets from various eras, though differing in style and artistic forms, all drew endless inspiration from The Book of Songs. Qu Yuan of the Chu State inherited the realistic tradition of Feng and Ya in The Book of Songs, blending the forms of Chu folk songs with romantic elements to write the immortal The Songs of Chu. Since then, all forms of poetry have flourished in this rich soil. As a comprehensive collection of Chinese poetry, The Book of Songs has been commented on by many scholars throughout history, but most have studied it as a Confucian classic. The authors of this book approach The Book of Songs from the perspective of restoring its original essence, appreciating it as a literary and artistic work. In the "Introduction" for each poem, they provide artistic analysis, and after the notes for each chapter, they include a "Rhyme Reading" section to help readers pronounce the poems correctly. This book offers both a unique perspective on the study of The Book of Songs and a comprehensive compilation of insights from past scholars.