Chu Ci

Author: Qu Yuan of the Chu State during the Warring States Period, edited and annotated by Tu Xiaoma
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 1997
Features: The Chu Ci is a collection of poems created by the Chu people, represented by Qu Yuan, during the Warring States Period. It represents a new form of poetry following the 300 poems of the Book of Songs. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang compiled ancient texts and edited the works of Qu Yuan, Song Yu, and others into a book, naming it Chu Ci. From then on, "Chu Ci" became the name of a comprehensive anthology. As for later generations referring to the Li Sao as "Sao," much like how the Book of Songs came to be called "Feng," this was done intentionally to distinguish between the Chu Ci and Han Dynasty prose (Fu). Despite the names not perfectly matching the reality, it served to differentiate the two literary forms.
The Chinese nation has a millennia-old history of civilization, having created a splendid and brilliant ancient culture and left behind a rich spiritual legacy for humanity. It has not only played a significant role in unifying and fostering the development of the Chinese nation but also continues to hold great practical significance today. It enables people to correctly understand their national history while receiving patriotic education, cultivating moral character, improving the cultural quality of the entire nation, and promoting the prosperity of socialist culture. These are the cultural essence of our Yellow River and Yangtze descendants, shaping the spirit of our Chinese nation.
To inherit our excellent cultural heritage and ensure the legacy of our ancient civilization is carried forward and glorified, we have launched the New Millennium Universal Library series. This series adheres to the principles of innovation while upholding tradition. It selects a variety of classic works from China's historical records, classics, philosophy, history, geography, literature, and science and technology, publishing them in the form of modern translations of ancient classics. We have first prioritized immortal historical masterpieces from ancient China in the fields of philosophy, history, geography, literature, and science and technology, while also including famous selected collections that have been passed down through generations.
Considering the need for popularization and the target audience, most of these works are translated selectively, with annotations provided for the selected portions. The translations strive for accuracy and fluency, easing readers into the complexities and difficulties of ancient texts. This approach adapts to the fast-paced modern era, allowing readers to directly engage with the essence of ancient Chinese culture while learning and applying it. It aims to make the elderly, middle-aged, and young people all willing to read and able to understand, deriving benefits from them.