Ouyang Xiu Collection

Author: Liu Yangzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: The person of Ouyang Xiu and his literary works have been a key focus of classical literature studies, especially Song Dynasty literature studies, for hundreds of years, yielding numerous research achievements. As a literary master of his generation, Ouyang Xiu was erudite and versatile, excelling in poetry, ci, prose, and academic writings, earning admiration from his contemporaries and later generations. Ouyang Xiu's literary achievements were highest in prose, followed by poetry and ci. This book selects 55 of Ouyang Xiu's poems, 45 ci poems, and 40 prose pieces. The selected works are based on commonly accepted editions. As a literary master of his generation, Ouyang Xiu was erudite and versatile, excelling in poetry, ci, prose, and academic writings, earning admiration from his contemporaries and later generations. In literary creation, he was not only nearly all-around but also nearly top-tier. His works in poetry, ci, classical prose, fu, and four-six prose were all pioneers in the Song Dynasty, with artistic levels reaching the first-class level. He was not only a writer but also a literary theorist, with many of his prose works being literary theories; his Six-One Poetic Notes is the earliest pioneering work in ancient Chinese poetry theory and criticism named "poetic notes." In academic fields, he achieved remarkable accomplishments in Confucian studies, history, and epigraphy. In Confucian studies, he researched the Book of Songs, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, proposing his own original insights without rigidly adhering to previous interpretations. His mastery in history surpassed that in Confucian studies. In addition to participating in the compilation of the New Book of Tang (250 volumes), he independently authored the New History of the Five Dynasties (74 volumes), summarizing the historical experiences of the Five Dynasties to serve as a lesson for later generations. He extensively collected bronze and stone artifacts from the Zhou Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, along with inscriptions and steles, compiling them into a specialized archaeological collection, the Collected Antiquities. His writings, in addition to the three academic monographs mentioned above, include his collected poems and prose, now preserved as the Complete Works of Ouyang Wenzhong Gong, with Ming Dynasty editions from Zhengde Jizhou, Jiajing 19th Year, and Qing Dynasty editions from Kangxi Jiushi. The Collected Works of Ouyang Wenzhong Gong also includes the Four Treasuries Collation edition of the Yuan Dynasty.