Essence of Chu Ci

Author: Jiang Xikang Chen Ying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-05-01
Features: The works of Qu Yuan, as mentioned in the "Bibliography of the Han Dynasty" (Hanshu Yiwenzhi), are said to consist of twenty-five pieces. The "Commentary on Chu Ci" (Chuci Zhangju) also lists twenty-five pieces, but attributes the "Soul-Calling" (Zhao Hun) to Song Yu as the author. Later scholars generally believe that "Soul-Calling" is a work by Qu Yuan, while "Far Journeying" (Yan You), "Consulting the Oracle" (Bu Ju), and "Fisherman" (Yu Fu) are not. Song Yu is considered the outstanding successor of Qu Yuan in the creation of Chu Ci. The "Commentary on Chu Ci" lists only one of his works besides "Soul-Calling," namely "Nine Disputes" (Jiu Bian). This book excerpts some chapters from his works. The selected longer poems such as "Encountering Sorrow" (Lisao), "Heavenly Questions" (Tianwen), "Soul-Calling," and "Nine Disputes" are excerpted to highlight their essence. To provide readers with a more complete understanding of the full text, content summaries or illustrative examples are added at the places of deletion, depending on the characteristics of the works, so that readers can grasp the key points while connecting the context and understanding the overall picture. In the "Nine Pieces" (Jiu Zhang), five are fully annotated, while the remaining four are briefly summarized or translated. Each selected piece is preceded by a hint, and each section or piece is followed by a brief summary or explanation. The annotations are designed to be clear and specific. Where there are differing scholarly opinions, only one interpretation is generally adopted, except for a few cases where it is necessary to list them separately. Some reference materials are appended to certain works to help readers broaden their horizons.