Ancient Poems Source (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Shen Deqian (Qing)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Poetry reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty, yet the peak of poetry was not its origin. As for those who observe water, they may stop at the sea, but tracing back from the sea, there are the Nine Rivers near the sea, the Jing River above them, and the Mengjin River above that, leading up to the source at Jishi and Kunlun. The Records say, "Those who sacrifice to rivers first offer the river to the sea," emphasizing the importance of the source. Poetry before the Tang Dynasty is like the waters flowing down from Kunlun. The Han and Jing Wei, though not far from the Wind and, were not different in style. Even the ornate poetry of Qi and Liang, or the light and delicate poetry of Chen and Sui, had wind and style that were not inferior to Tang poetry. Yet to call them the origin of Tang poetry is like saying that the waters of the four seas do not flow from the Mengjin—does that make sense? In the early Ming Dynasty, inheriting the legacy of Song and Yuan, Li Xiangji revived Tang poetry and swept the world, followed by the Seven Masters of the Late Ming who supported each other, achieving great prosperity. However, their flaw was excessive adherence, like in robes, which scholars criticized. By sticking to the Tang Dynasty without tracing its origins further, those who classified poetry into different categories could then spread such views. Thus, Tang poetry is the upper stream of Song and Yuan poetry, and ancient poetry is the origin of Tang poetry. This book mainly collects: The Song of Striking the Rubble, The Song of the Azure Clouds, The Song of the Eight Vassals, The Song of the Emperor Carrying, The Song of the South Wind, The Song of the Wheat, The Song of the White Mulberry, The Inscription on the Belt, and The Inscription on the Staff.