Civilizational Canons · LC3

Poetry & Lyrical Spirit

From the springs of Shijing and Chuci to the zenith of High Tang poetry: the crowning glory of Oriental lyricism.

Poetry & Lyrical Spirit captures three millennia of supreme Chinese poetic achievements, from the foundational Classic of Poetry and Songs of Chu to the incandescent pinnacles of Tang poetry and Song Ci lyrics.

Representative works

Zhou · Anonymous (Zhou Dynasty) · Four-Character VerseClassic of Poetry · Guan Ju (Ospreys Cry)Guan-guan cry the ospreys, upon the river islet. The gentle, modest maiden, a fine mate for a noble gentleman.LR10032Tang · Li Bai · Regulated QuatrainsThoughts in the Quiet NightLifting my head, I gaze at the bright moon; lowering my head, I dream of home.LR10002Tang · Du Fu · Regulated OctavesSpring ViewBeacon fires have burned through three months; a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.LR10003Song · Su Shi · Mid-Length LyricsShuidiao Getou · When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright?May we live long and share the graceful moonlight across thousands of miles.LR10004

Read by dynasty

Xia

2070–1600 BCE2 works
  1. Song of Beating the EarthAnonymous (Archaic Elders) · Four-Character VerseWork at sunrise, rest at sundown. Dig wells for drink, plow fields for food. What has the emperor's power to do with me!
  2. Song of Waiting (Hou Ren Ge / Song of Tushan)Lady of Tushan (Attributed) · Four-Character VerseWaiting for the loved one, oh!

Shang

1600–1046 BCE1 works
  1. Classic of Poetry · Hymns of Shang · The Black BirdAnonymous · Four-Character VerseHeaven decreed the Black Bird (Swallow) to descend and give birth to Shang, dwelling in the vast lands of Yin. The ancient Lord commanded Martial Tang to pacify the four quarters; issuing mandates to lords, possessing all nine regions. The capital of Shang stands majestic, the beacon of all four directions!

Zhou

1046–256 BCE45 works
  1. Classic of Poetry · Guan Ju (Ospreys Cry)Anonymous (Zhou Dynasty) · Four-Character VerseGuan-guan cry the ospreys, upon the river islet. The gentle, modest maiden, a fine mate for a noble gentleman.
  2. Classic of Poetry · Jian Jia (Reeds and Rushes)Anonymous (Qin State) · Four-Character VerseReeds and rushes grow thick and green, white dew turns to frost. The one of whom I think is across the water.
  3. Classic of Poetry · Tao Yao (The Peach Tree in Bloom)Anonymous (Zhou Dynasty) · Four-Character VerseGraceful is the blooming peach tree, dazzling are its blossoms. This maiden goes to her marriage, bringing harmony to home and family.
  4. Classic of Poetry · Cai Wei (Gathering Vetch)Anonymous (Zhou Soldier) · Four-Character VerseLong ago when I set out, the willows swayed tenderly. Now as I return, the snow drifts thick and heavy.
  5. Classic of Poetry · Fa Tan (Chopping Hardwood)Anonymous (Wei State Laborers) · Four-Character VerseYou neither sow nor reap, why seize three hundred stacks of grain? Those lords never eat the bread of idleness!
  6. Classic of Poetry · Shuo Shu (Big Rat)Anonymous (Wei Peasants) · Four-Character VerseI swear to leave you and go to that happy land; happy land, where at last I shall find my true home.
  7. Songs of Chu · Li Sao (On Encountering Sorrow)Qu Yuan · Chu ElegiesThe road ahead is long and far; I will search high and low throughout heaven and earth.
  8. Songs of Chu · She Jiang (Crossing the River)Qu Yuan · Chu ElegiesSo long as my soul is upright and true, what harm is there in distant banishment!
  9. Songs of Chu · Guo Shang (Hymn to the Fallen)Qu Yuan · Chu ElegiesThough the body be dead the spirit is divine; courageous souls remain heroes among ghosts!
  10. Classic of Poetry · Seventh MonthAnonymous (Bin Farmers) · Four-Character VerseIn the seventh month crickets in the fields, in the eighth under the eaves, in the ninth at the door, in the tenth under my bed. Alas for us farmers! Our crops gathered, we go up to serve in the ruler's halls.
  11. Classic of Poetry · The PeasantAnonymous (Woman of Wei) · Four-Character VerseSolemn were your sworn pledges, never imagining you would turn back. That you broke them was unthought of—now all is ended!
  12. Classic of Poetry · Deer CryAnonymous (Zhou Court Musician) · Four-Character VerseYu-yu cry the deer, grazing on wild artemisia. I have honored guests; strum the zithers, blow the mouth-organs. Blow reed pipes and vibrate tongues, presenting baskets of gifts. Those who love me show me the great Dao of Zhou.
  13. Classic of Poetry · No RobesAnonymous (Qin Warriors) · Four-Character VerseWho says we have no robes? I will share my battle cloak with you. The King raises his hosts; let us repair spears and lances. Together we share the enemy!
  14. Classic of Poetry · Beating DrumsAnonymous (Soldier of Wei) · Four-Character VerseIn death and in life, apart or together, with you I pledged my vow: Taking your hand, I would grow old alongside you. Alas, so far sundered, we cannot rejoin; alas, how long apart, my pledge can never be fulfilled.
  15. Classic of Poetry · PlantainsAnonymous (Zhou Nan Gathering Women) · Four-Character VerseGather the plantains, truly gather them! Gather the plantains, truly take them! Gather the plantains, pluck them leaf by leaf; gather the plantains, strip them stem by stem!
  16. Chuci · Nine Songs · Lady of the Xiang RiverQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesThe divine daughter descends upon the northern islet, gazing far away my heart is filled with sorrow. Gently sighs the autumn breeze; waves ripple across Dongting Lake as trees shed their leaves.
  17. Chuci · Nine Songs · Mountain GoddessQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesThere seems to be someone in the folds of the mountain, cloaked in fig creeper and belted with dodder. With sidelong glances and sweet smiles, you admire my graceful beauty.
  18. Chuci · Nine Declarations · Ode to the Orange TreeQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesNoble tree blessed by Heaven and Earth, the orange tree adapts and thrives. Mandated never to relocate, born to flourish in the southern realm. Deep-rooted and immovable, steadfast with singleness of mind; green leaves and white blossoms delight the eye.
  19. Chuci · Divining Where to DwellQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesA foot has its short measure, an inch its long advantage; things have their deficiencies, wisdom its blind spots; divination cannot calculate all, spirits cannot penetrate all. Follow your own heart and pursue your own purpose—tortoise shells and milfoil stalks cannot resolve your dilemma.
  20. Chuci · The FishermanQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesThe whole world is turbid and I alone am clean; all men are intoxicated and I alone am sober—for this was I banished. How could I allow my spotlessly clean body to suffer the muddy defilement of worldly filth?
  21. Nine Arguments · ExcerptSong Yu · Chu ElegiesHow sorrowful is the breath of autumn! Rustling and bleak, vegetation withers and decays. Chilled to the soul as if journeying far, climbing mountains and overlooking rivers to see off departing friends.
  22. Classic of Poetry · Odes of Yong · Galloping ForthLady Mu of Xu · Four-Character VerseI galloped fast and drove swiftly home to comfort the Lord of Wei. My horses sped untiringly until reaching Cao; the noble ministers pursued and hindered me, weighing heavy sorrow upon my heart.
  23. Classic of Poetry · Odes of Bei · Spring WaterLady Mu of Xu · Four-Character VerseGurgling flows the spring water into the Qi River. Longing for my home state of Wei, not a day passes without pining thoughts; turning to my companions of the Ji clan, I consult with them on my yearning journey.
  24. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · King WenAnonymous · Four-Character VerseKing Wen dwells on high, radiant in the heavens. Though Zhou is an ancient state, its Heavenly Mandate is ever renewed. Is Zhou not glorious? The Lord's mandate is ever timely. King Wen ascends and descends, forever at the right hand of God on High.
  25. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · Birth of the PeopleAnonymous · Four-Character VerseThe first ancestor who gave birth to our people was Jiang Yuan. How did she give birth? She prayed with pure sacrifices that she might not be barren; treading in the toe-print of God on High, she was moved with spiritual grace, conceiving and bearing Houji, the Lord of Millet.
  26. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · Spreading VinesAnonymous · Four-Character VerseSpreading endlessly are melon vines. When our people first arose along the Ju and Qi rivers, Lord Gugong Danfu lived in earthen kiln-caves before houses existed. In the morning Gugong Danfu galloped his steeds, leading his clan along the western riverbanks to settle beneath Mount Qi.
  27. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · ReversalLord of Fan · Four-Character VerseGod on High has reversed His favor, and the common people suffer affliction. Official decrees lack truth and policies lack foresight. Sages are ignored and my warnings unheeded, while slanderous flatterers foster future catastrophe!
  28. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · RestraintDuke Wu of Wei · Four-Character VerseDignified and imposing deportment is the outward manifestation of inner virtue. Ancient folk have said: 'Even the wisest have their foolish moments.' A flaw in a white jade scepter may still be ground away; but a flaw in one's spoken words can never be undone!
  29. Classic of Poetry · Greater Odes · MightyDuke Mu of Shao · Four-Character VerseMighty is God on High, sovereign over mortal folk. Terrible in majesty, His mandates brook no defiance. People are born into this realm, yet human nature is rarely constant. None does not begin well, yet few can see things through to noble ends! The mirror for Yin is not far off—it lies in the bygone age of Xia!
  30. Classic of Poetry · Hymns of Zhou · The Pure TempleAnonymous · Four-Character VerseAh, solemn and pure is the ancestral temple, dignified and reverent are the assisting ministers. The multitude of talented officers uphold King Wen's virtue, responding to his spirit in Heaven, swiftly hastening in the temple halls. Ever glorious and continually inherited, never shall his memory fade among men!
  31. Classic of Poetry · Hymns of Zhou · The Mandate of HeavenAnonymous · Four-Character VerseThe Mandate of Heaven, ah, how endlessly profound and unceasing! Ah, how gloriously bright, how pure is the virtue of King Wen! Bestowing abundant favor upon us, we gratefully receive it; walking in the benevolence of King Wen, his distant descendants hold fast to it.
  32. Classic of Poetry · Praise Odes of Lu · The Secluded TempleXi Si · Four-Character VerseThe secluded temple is solemn and still, massive and solid in stone and timber. Illustrious was Jiang Yuan, whose virtue never swerved. Relying on God on High, free from calamity and harm. May the Lord of Lu prosper thus, guarding the eastern realm forever!
  33. Classic of Poetry · Lesser Odes · Cherry BlossomsDuke of Zhou · Four-Character VerseBlossoms of the cherry tree, how radiant in clustered glory! Among all people of our present world, none equals the bond of brothers. Brothers may squabble within the courtyard walls, yet united they repel assault from outside. Though you may have good friends, none will rush to your aid when peril strikes!
  34. Classic of Poetry · Lesser Odes · Luxuriant ArtocarpusAnonymous · Four-Character VerseLuxuriant was the artocarpus, yet it proved mere bitter wormwood. Sorrowful, sorrowful were my parents, toiling in bitter hardship to bear me! Father gave me life, Mother nurtured me: stroking me, feeding me, raising me, educating me, caring for me, shielding me in their arms. Wishing to repay their boundless virtue—it is limitless as the vast heavens!
  35. Classic of Poetry · Lesser Odes · Crane CryingAnonymous · Four-Character VerseThe crane cries in the ninefold marsh, its voice resounding across the wild plains. Fish dive deep into pools, or swim resting near the islet. Joyous is that garden, planted with fine sandalwood trees and fallen leaves beneath. The stones of other mountains can serve to polish jade.
  36. Classic of Poetry · Lesser Odes · Mount Nan Has SedgesAnonymous · Four-Character VerseSouth Mountain has lush sedges, North Mountain has pigweeds. Joyful is the noble lord, cornerstone of state and clan! Joyful is the noble lord, granted boundless longevity! South Mountain has mulberries, North Mountain has poplars. Joyful is the noble lord, glorious radiance of state and clan!
  37. Nine Songs · The Great Sovereign of the EastQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesOn an auspicious day and glorious hour, reverently we rejoice the supreme God on High. Grasping long swords with jade guards, pendants clink with ringing chimes. On jade mats adorned with gems, we present fragrant celestial blossoms; steaming orchid dishes and pouring cinnamon wine and pepper nectar.
  38. Nine Songs · The Lord Among the CloudsQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesBathing in orchid waters, washing hair in fragrance, dressed in multicolored robes radiant as flowers. The spirit descends and lingers in graceful curves, brilliantly blazing without end. Resting serenely in the Hall of Longevity, shining with equal splendor alongside the sun and moon.
  39. Nine Songs · The Goddess/God of the Xiang RiverQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesYou come not, hesitating; whom do you linger with upon the middle islet? Beautiful, delicate, and gracefully adorned, I ride swift in my cassia skiff. Commanding the Yuan and Xiang rivers to calm their waves, making river currents glide peacefully. Gazing for my beloved who arrives not: playing the panpipes, for whom do I yearn?
  40. Nine Songs · The Great Master of FateQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesWide open swings the celestial Gate of Heaven; swarming with power I ride upon dark clouds. Ordering rushing gales as my vanguard, commanding pelting showers to lay the dust. The Lord wheels soaring down to earth, passing Kongsang as he descends from Heaven. Who decides right and wrong? Who decrees life and death?
  41. Nine Songs · The Lesser Master of FateQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesAutumn orchids and sweet clover flourish in rows below the hall. Emerald leaves and white blossoms waft rich fragrances embracing me. No sorrow is more sorrowful than parting in life; no joy is more joyful than finding a new kindred soul!
  42. Nine Declarations · Lament for YingQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesGreat Heaven's mandates are inconstant; why are the common people struck with disaster? The populace is scattered and lost, driven eastward in mid-spring. Leaving my ancestral home for distant realms, following the Jiang and Xia rivers in exile. Passing through the capital gates with an aching heart, on the dawn of Jia I began my journey.
  43. Nine Declarations · Crossing the RiverQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesFrom youth I delighted in this wondrous attire, unfading even as old age arrives. Girding a gleaming long sword, wearing a lofty cloud-cutting cap. Draped in radiant pearls and bearing precious gems. The world is turbid and understands me not, yet I soar high without looking back!
  44. Nine Declarations · Embracing the SandQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesSweltering is early summer as plants and trees grow dense and lush. Mournful heart in eternal grief, drifting onward to southern lands. Gazing into dim vastness, deeply quiet and silent. Knowing that death cannot be avoided, I hold no clinging love for life. Proclaiming openly to noble gentlemen: I take ancient martyrs as my eternal companions!
  45. Summons of the SoulQu Yuan · Chu ElegiesO soul, return! Leaving your abiding body, why wander to the four quarters? Forsaking your joyful abode to risk those perilous perils! O soul, return! In the East you cannot dwell: giants of a thousand fathoms seek only to consume souls. O soul, return! In the South you cannot stay: tattooed foreheads and blackened teeth feast on flesh for sacrifice and pound bones into paste!

Han

202 BCE – 220 CE21 works
  1. Song of White HairZhuo Wenjun · Yuefu BalladsMay I win a person's steadfast heart, never to part till our hair turns white.
  2. Song of Lament (Zhaojun's Lament)Wang Zhaojun · Yuefu BalladsAutumn trees are lush, their leaves wither to yellow. A bird resides in the mountains, resting upon bushy mulberries.
  3. Han Yuefu · Southeast the Peacocks FlyAnonymous (Han Folk Yuefu) · Yuefu BalladsYou should be as the solid rock, I as the supple reed; the reed is tough as silk, the rock shall never move.
  4. Han Yuefu · Long Song (Time Flees Like Rivers)Anonymous (Han Dynasty) · Yuefu BalladsA hundred rivers flow east to the sea, when will they return west? If you strive not in youth, you will grieve in vain in age.
  5. Han Yuefu · Jiangnan (Gathering Lotus)Anonymous (Han Dynasty) · Yuefu BalladsJiangnan is ripe for gathering lotus, how lush are the lily pads! Fish play among the lotus leaves.
  6. Nineteen Ancient Poems · Walking and WalkingAnonymous (Eastern Han) · Old-Style SongsSeparation stretches longer day by day, robe-sashes grow ever looser. Longing makes one age, the years have swiftly turned late.
  7. Nineteen Ancient Poems · Faraway the Cowherd StarAnonymous (Eastern Han) · Old-Style SongsAcross a single pool of clear water, gazing in deep affection, unable to speak.
  8. Rhapsody Mourning Qu YuanJia Yi · Grand Han RhapsodiesPhoenixes hide in concealment while horned owls soar triumphant. Vulgar fools attain noble honors while flatterers achieve their aims; sages are dragged backward while rectitude is upended.
  9. Rhapsody on the Long Gate PalaceSima Xiangru · Grand Han RhapsodiesSuddenly drifting into slumber and dream, in spirit my Lord seemed beside me. Startling awake in trembling fright, the endless night stretched boundless without limit.
  10. Rhapsody on Returning to the FieldsZhang Heng · Short RhapsodiesIn the auspicious second month of spring, the weather is mild and air pristine; plains and wetlands burst in luxuriant bloom. Inspired by Laozi's admonition, I steer my carriage toward my thatched cottage.
  11. Han Yuefu · Mulberries by the PathAnonymous (Han Folk Ballad) · Yuefu BalladsThe Prefect asked Luofu: 'Would you care to ride with me?' Luofu stepped forward and replied: 'How foolish is my Lord! You have your own wife, and Luofu has her own husband!'
  12. Han Yuefu · At Fifteen Conscripted into the ArmyAnonymous (Han Veteran) · Yuefu BalladsConscripted at fifteen to campaign, at eighty I finally return. On the road I meet a villager: 'Who remains in my household?' 'Look yonder where your home stands—graves beneath pines and cypresses cluster row upon row.'
  13. Han Yuefu · By HeavenAnonymous (Han Woman) · Yuefu BalladsBy Heaven! I yearn to love you and be your soulmate, for a lifetime without end or waning. When mountains flatten into plains, when great rivers run dry, when winter roars with thunder, when summer falls with snow, when Heaven and Earth unite as one—only then would I dare part from you!
  14. Han Yuefu · One I Yearn ForAnonymous (Han Woman) · Yuefu BalladsThere is one I yearn for, far beyond the southern sea. What gift shall I send him? A tortoiseshell hairpin with twin pearls, wrapped with fine jade cords. Hearing you have turned your heart to another, I shatter and burn it to ash. Shatter and burn it, casting its ashes into the wind!
  15. Han Yuefu · Battle South of the CityAnonymous (Han Military Yuefu) · Yuefu BalladsBattling south of city walls, dying north of ramparts; dying untended in the wilds, for ravens to feast upon. Pray tell the ravens for me: 'Weep first for the fallen traveler! Left unburied in the wilderness, how could my rotten flesh flee from your beak?'
  16. Nineteen Ancient Poems · Wading the River to Pluck LotusAnonymous (Eastern Han Poet) · Old-Style SongsWading across the river to pluck lotus blossoms, the orchid marsh is filled with fragrant herbs. Whom do I wish to send them to? The one I yearn for is far away on the road. United in heart yet dwelling apart, we shall grow old in sorrow.
  17. Nineteen Ancient Poems · In the Northwest Stands a Lofty TowerAnonymous (Eastern Han Poet) · Old-Style SongsIn the northwest stands a lofty tower, its summit rising level with drifting clouds. Patterned latticework graces delicate windows, multi-tiered terraces rise three flights high. From above comes the sound of stringed music and song, how sorrowful the melody rings! I grieve not for the singer's bitter toil, but mourn that true soulmates are so rare. Would that we were a pair of calling cranes, spreading wings to soar high into the sky.
  18. Nineteen Ancient Poems · Bright Moon How RadiantAnonymous (Eastern Han Poet) · Old-Style SongsThe bright moon shines how radiant, illuminating the curtains of my silk bed. Beset with grief I cannot sleep, gathering my robes I rise and pace. Though traveling afar is said to be joyous, nothing equals returning early home. Stepping outside the door in solitary wandering, to whom can I utter my sorrowful thoughts?
  19. Nineteen Ancient Poems · In the Courtyard Grows a Rare TreeAnonymous (Eastern Han Poet) · Old-Style SongsIn the courtyard grows a wondrous tree, green leaves blossoming rich and flourishing. Climbing branches I pluck its blossoms, intending to send them to the one I cherish. Sweet fragrance fills my sleeves and bosom, yet the road is too distant to deliver. How could this blossom be precious in itself? I am merely moved by how long we have been parted.
  20. Song of Harmonious AccordZhang Heng · Yuefu BalladsBy chance meeting in a fleeting hour, binding hair to serve the one I cherish. Joyful love not yet fully unveiled, secluded in the quiet depth of inner rooms. Layered curtains tied with golden ribbons, intersecting blinds woven of cloud-silk. I long to be a pair of flying swallows, bearing mud to build a nest beneath your roof.
  21. Ballad of Resentment · The Round FanLady Ban (Ban Jieyu) · Yuefu BalladsFreshly sheared fine white silk from Qi, spotless and pure as frost and snow, tailored into an joined fan shaped round as the full moon. Carried in my lord's sleeves to stir gentle breezes; yet ever fearing the arrival of autumn chill, discarded into the chest when love is severed halfway.

Three Kingdoms

220–28015 works
  1. A Short SongCao Cao · Yuefu BalladsMountains never tire of their height, nor seas of their depth. Emulate Duke of Zhou in welcoming talent, and the world will unite.
  2. Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute · Section 1Cai Wenji · Yuefu BalladsHeaven is ruthless to rain down turmoil; Earth is cruel to cast my life in such an age.
  3. Rhapsody on the Goddess of the Luo RiverCao Zhi · Short RhapsodiesGraceful as a startled swan, supple as a swimming dragon. Radiant as autumn chrysanthemums, luxuriant as pines in spring.
  4. Singing of My Thoughts · Poem 1 (Night Cannot Sleep)Ruan Ji · Old-Style SongsThin curtains reflect the bright moon, cool breezes brush my robe. Pacing, what is there to see? Sorrow wounds my solitary heart.
  5. Gazing Across the Vast SeaCao Cao · Yuefu BalladsThe journeys of sun and moon seem to issue from its depths; the brilliant galaxy appears to rise from within.
  6. Seven Steps PoemCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsBorn from the very same root, why oppress each other with such haste?
  7. Song of Yan · Part 1 (Autumn Winds Bleak)Cao Pi · Yuefu BalladsThe bright moon illuminates my bed, the Milky Way flows west before the night ends. The Cowherd and Weaver gaze from afar: what guilt bars them behind the heavenly stream?
  8. The White HorseCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsA white horse adorned with golden halter, galloping swift toward the northwest. May I ask whose gallant son this is? A knight-errant from You and Bing. Laying down his life for the nation's peril, he looks upon death as merely returning home!
  9. The Fair MaidenCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsA fair maiden lovely and refined, gathering mulberries at the crossroads. Tender boughs sway softly, leaves flutter gently down. The beauty cherishes noble righteousness, yet finding a worthy match is truly hard. In her prime blooming years confined to bedchambers, in the middle of the night she rises with deep sighs.
  10. To Biao, King of BaimaCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsA noble man sets his resolve across the four seas; ten thousand li are still as next-door neighbors. If affection and love suffer no decline, distance only deepens closeness each day. Why must we share the same bed-canopy to express warmth? Snatched apart in haste, how could kindred hearts not ache with bitter grief?
  11. Poem of Sorrow and IndignationCai Wenji (Cai Yan) · Old-Style SongsEntrusting my life to a new spouse, weeping my heart out in solitude. How brief is human lifespan, yet burdened with grief to the end of years!
  12. Rhapsody on Ascending the TowerWang Can · Short RhapsodiesAscending this tower to gaze in all directions, using leisure hours to dispel my sorrow. Beholding the ground where this pavilion rests, truly spacious and with few rivals. Yet though it is truly beautiful, it is not my native soil—how could it suffice to make me tarry even a little while!
  13. Rhapsody on Secluded LongingCao Zhi · Short RhapsodiesLeaning against the refreshing heights of the tower, gazing upon endless long islands. Heart aching with bitter sorrow, longing yet unable to behold the beloved. I wish to entrust my wings to returning wild geese, bearing my frail feathers across ten thousand li.
  14. Poem of Sorrow and Indignation · Part ICai Yan (Cai Wenji) · Old-Style SongsIn the decline of the Han dynasty imperial authority faltered as traitorous vassals usurped power in chaotic rebellion; slaughtered innocents littered the land, corpses piled high against one another under blood-soaked skies as wild weeping shook the wandering spirits.
  15. Poem of Sorrow and Indignation · Part II (Sao Form)Cai Yan (Cai Wenji) · Chu ElegiesFive-colored clouds drift over vast swirling waters; surveying heaven and earth, how boundless and desolate! Frosty winds chill the withered brush; when the nomad reed-pipe sounds, my inner heart breaks with sorrow.

Jin

265–4208 works
  1. Preface to the Orchid Pavilion GatheringWang Xizhi · Letters & PrefacesLooking up to gaze upon the vastness of the universe, looking down to survey the richness of all living things, allowing the eyes to wander and the heart to roam.
  2. Drinking Wine · Poem 5 (Plucking Chrysanthemums)Tao Yuanming · Old-Style SongsPlucking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern hedge, leisurely I see the Southern Mountain. In this lies truth; wanting to speak, I forget all words.
  3. Returning to Dwell in the Country · Poem 1Tao Yuanming · Old-Style SongsThe caged bird yearns for old woods, the pond fish pines for its deep abyss. Long in the cage, I return at last to Nature.
  4. Return HomeTao Yuanming · Short RhapsodiesPast mistakes cannot be undone, yet the future can be pursued. My wrong path went not far: today's choice is right, yesterday's was false.
  5. Rhapsody on Autumn Inspiration · ExcerptPan Yue (Pan An) · Short RhapsodiesIn the fourteenth year of Jin, when I was thirty-two years of age, I first saw grey hairs. Sorrowful yearning stirred my thoughts, sighing to return to my native village. Climbing high terraces to gaze into the distance, resting my eyes upon woods and streams.
  6. Mourning the Departed · Poem IPan Yue · Old-Style SongsGazing at the cottage I miss her person, stepping into the chamber I recall all we shared. Gauze screens offer no trace of her form, no brush calligraphy remains on desks. Sleeping and waking her likeness fills my eyes, her departed voice still lingers in my ears.
  7. Preface and Palindrome Tapestry PoemSu Hui (Su Ruolan) · Palindrome VerseWoven on silk tapestry in five harmonious colors, twenty-nine characters across and down totaling 841 characters, readable in circular, reverse, and diagonal orders to form hundreds of complete poetic verses.
  8. Mount Tai ChantXie Daoyun · Old-Style SongsTowering high stands the Eastern Peak, its summit piercing the azure sky. Among crags opens a primordial hollow space, serene, profound, and mysterious; crafted neither by carpenter nor mason, its cloud-wrought towers arise purely from nature.

Northern and Southern

420–58918 works
  1. Han & Northern Yuefu · Ballad of MulanAnonymous (Northern Dynasties) · Yuefu BalladsTen thousand miles marching to war, crossing passes swift as flight. Chill air rings the watch clapper, cold light shines on armor. Generals die in a hundred battles, warriors return after ten years.
  2. A New Account of Tales of the World: Chanting of SnowLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeWhat does this swirling white snow resemble? Scattering salt in the air is a rough comparison. Better to say willow catkins soaring upon the wind.
  3. Rhapsody on Lament for the South (Preface)Yu Xin · Parallel ProseThe sun is sinking and the road is far—what world is this mortal realm! Generals fought a hundred battles yet their reputations collapsed; brave warriors departed, leaving Yan and Zhao in desolate grief.
  4. Rhapsody on the Withered TreeYu Xin · Parallel ProseIn bygone years I planted willows waving tenderly south of the Han River; today I see them withered and stripped, desolate upon riverbanks. If even trees suffer such fate, how can mortals bear it!
  5. Rhapsody on PartingJiang Yan · Parallel ProseThat which drains the sorrowing soul in melancholy darkness—is nothing other than parting! How much more so when Qin and Wu lie in distant realms, and Yan and Zhao are separated by thousands of leagues.
  6. Rhapsody on ResentmentJiang Yan · Parallel ProseGazing across the boundless plains, creeping weeds entangle bleached bones. Towering trees shelter departed spirits—when human life arrives at this end, how can the Way of Heaven even be discussed!
  7. Imitating the Hard Roads (No. 4)Bao Zhao · Old-Style SongsPour water onto flat ground, and it flows east, west, south, and north in divergent paths. Human life has its destined lot—how can one pace in sighs and sit brooding in grief?
  8. Imitating the Hard Roads (No. 6)Bao Zhao · Old-Style SongsFacing the banquet table I cannot eat; drawing my sword I strike the pillar in long sighs. How long is a real man granted in this mortal world? How can I pace timidly with drooping wings!
  9. Rhapsody on the Ruined City of GuanglingBao Zhao · Parallel ProseBorder gales rage chill upon city walls; well-paths are erased amidst crumbling mounds. Through a thousand ages and ten thousand eras, all alike return to dust—what more can be said!
  10. Climbing the Tower by the PondXie Lingyun · Old-Style SongsUpon the pond green spring grass sprouts anew; garden willows transform with warbling songbirds. Mourning the exile songs of Bin, moved by the lush laments of Chu.
  11. Composed at the Stone Cliff Hermitage by the Flowing StreamXie Lingyun · Old-Style SongsWhite clouds embrace secluded boulders; green bamboo caresses crystal ripples. Setting down walking cane to rest from fatigue, opening scroll cases to peruse ancient fragments.
  12. Climbing Three Mountains at Dusk and Looking Back Toward the CapitalXie Tiao · Old-Style SongsTrailing sunset clouds disperse like woven damask; the clear river rests serene like smooth white silk. Chirping birds crowd spring sandbars; blossoms fill the fragrant countryside.
  13. En Route to Xuancheng Departing Xinlin Anchorage for BanqiaoXie Tiao · Old-Style SongsAt the sky's horizon I discern returning boats; amidst distant clouds I distinguish river groves. The Great River surges on day and night; the traveler's sorrow knows no end.
  14. Song of the Chile PlainsNorthern Dynasties Folk Song · Yuefu BalladsThe Chile Plains beneath Mount Yinshan. The sky is like a grand yurt canopy covering all four wildernesses. The blue heaven is boundless, the vast wilderness unending—the wind blows, grass bends low, and cattle and sheep appear.
  15. Song of the Western IsletSouthern Dynasties Folk Song · Yuefu BalladsGathering lotus in South Pond in autumn, lotus blossoms rise taller than human heads. Bending low to play with lotus seeds, seeds as crystal-clear as water. If the south wind knows my heart, blow my dreams across to the Western Islet.
  16. Rhapsody on a Small Garden · ExcerptYu Xin · Short RhapsodiesContent with a single branch, why need the bird a vast forest? Drinking a single scoop, what need has the puddling water for immense depth? Fishes of one or two inches, bamboos of three or two stalks. Clouds fly toward Chu and Shu, winds sweep over the Yellow River and Tong Pass. Fallen leaves cover half the bed, wild blossoms fill the room.
  17. Rhapsody on Spring · ExcerptYu Xin · Short RhapsodiesIn Yichun Garden spring has already returned, within Pixiang Palace maids fashion spring gowns. Peach petals change hue resembling powder rouge, newly unfurled willow leaves not yet spun like silk. Butterflies encircle orchids, birds brush against flower tips.
  18. In Imitation of a Traveler Sending Thoughts AfarBao Linghui · Old-Style SongsBy the river mournful winds blow fiercely as the cold sun sets behind western mountains. The traveler drifts upon rolling waves, beyond the reach of anxious gaze; sending my message to my beloved a thousand miles away: when will you return to your homeland pass?

Tang

618–90761 works
  1. Thoughts in the Quiet NightLi Bai · Regulated QuatrainsLifting my head, I gaze at the bright moon; lowering my head, I dream of home.
  2. Spring ViewDu Fu · Regulated OctavesBeacon fires have burned through three months; a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.
  3. Song of Everlasting RegretBai Juyi · Old-Style SongsTurning with a single smile, a hundred charms arose; all the beauties of the palace faded without color.
  4. Clear and Even Melody · Part 1 (Clouds Recall Her Raiment)Li Bai · Regulated QuatrainsClouds recall her floating robes, blossoms her radiant face; spring breezes brush the balustrade in heavy glistening dew.
  5. Farewell to a Friend · Frosty Night on the Reed WatersXue Tao · Regulated QuatrainsIn watery reaches reeds glisten with night frost; chill moonlight and mountain peaks merge in deep azure.
  6. Lament on Colored SilkShangguan Wan'er · Regulated QuatrainsLeaves fall over Lake Dongting at autumn's start, longing for you across ten thousand miles. Chilly dew cools the quilt as the moon sets over vacant screens.
  7. Red CliffDu Mu · Regulated QuatrainsHad the east wind not aided Master Zhou, spring in the Bronze Sparrow Tower would have locked away the Two Qiaos.
  8. The Bailiff at ShihaoDu Fu · Old-Style SongsThe living merely eke out their days; the dead are gone for evermore!
  9. Farewell to Vice-Magistrate Du on His Posting to ShuWang Bo · Regulated OctavesIf within the four seas a bosom friend remains, heaven's farthest edge is next door.
  10. Song on Ascending the Youzhou TerraceChen Zi'ang · Old-Style SongsBefore me I see not the ancients; behind me I see not those to come. Pondering the boundless infinity of heaven and earth, alone in grief my tears stream down!
  11. Occasional Poem on Returning HomeHe Zhizhang · Regulated QuatrainsLeaving young and returning old, my native accent remains while temple hair has thinned. Children meet me but recognize me not, smilingly asking: 'Whence comes our guest?'
  12. Autumn Twilight in the Mountain DwellingWang Wei · Regulated OctavesBright moon shines among the pines; clear spring flows over rocks. Though spring blossoms fade at will, the noble recluse may naturally stay.
  13. Mission to the FrontierWang Wei · Regulated OctavesAcross the vast desert a lone column of smoke rises straight; over the long river the setting sun hangs round.
  14. Visiting an Old Friend's CottageMeng Haoran · Regulated OctavesGreen trees encircle the village edge; emerald mountains slant beyond outer walls. Opening windows toward threshing yards, winecups in hand we talk of mulberries and hemp.
  15. Farewell to Dong DaGao Shi · Regulated QuatrainsWorry not that no kindred spirits lie on the road ahead; under heaven, who does not recognize your renown?
  16. Song of White Snow in Farewell to Assistant Magistrate Wu Returning to the CapitalCen Shen · Old-Style SongsAs if overnight a spring breeze had arrived, thousands of trees blossom with pear flowers. Beyond winding peaks you vanish from sight, leaving only horseshoe tracks in deep white snow.
  17. Going Beyond the FrontierWang Changling · Regulated QuatrainsThe moon of Qin, the border passes of Han; after ten thousand leagues of marching, our soldiers have not returned. If only the Flying General of Dragon City were still here, no barbarian cavalry would ever cross the Yin Mountains.
  18. On Ascending Stork TowerWang Zhihuan · Regulated QuatrainsThe bright sun slants along the mountains and sinks; the Yellow River surges into the eastern sea. If you desire to see a thousand leagues afar, ascend yet another story higher.
  19. The Hard Road to ShuLi Bai · Old-Style SongsAh, alas, how perilous and towering! The road to Shu is harder than climbing to the cerulean blue sky!
  20. The Hard RoadLi Bai · Old-Style SongsA time will come to ride the winds and cleave the waves; I shall hoist cloud-high sails straight across the azure sea!
  21. Departing Early from Baidi CityLi Bai · Regulated QuatrainsWhile gibbons on both shores wail incessantly, my swift light skiff has slipped past ten thousand fold mountain ranges.
  22. Gazing on Mount TaiDu Fu · Regulated OctavesSomeday I shall surely mount the highest peak, and look down upon all other mountains dwarf-small!
  23. Song of My Thatched Cottage Wrecked by Autumn GaleDu Fu · Old-Style SongsHow could I secure ten thousand grand mansions, to shelter all destitute scholars under heaven in beaming smiles! Standing unmoved through wind and storm, secure as a mountain.
  24. Climbing HighDu Fu · Regulated OctavesBoundless falling leaves rustle and shower down; unending Yangtze waters surge and roll on. Ten thousand leagues away lamenting autumn, forever a wandering guest; enduring a lifetime of sickness, all alone I climb the high terrace.
  25. Song of the PipaBai Juyi · Old-Style SongsWe both are drifted wanderers cast to heaven's far corners; meeting like this, what need is there for prior acquaintance!
  26. The Brocade ZitherLi Shangyin · Regulated OctavesOn vast azure sea bright moon weeps pearly tears; in Lantian under warm sun fine jade generates mist. Could this deep affection wait only to become a distant memory? Even at that very moment, one was already lost in melancholy daze.
  27. Deva-Like Barbarian: Layered Hills of Gold Shimmer and FadeWen Tingyun · Short LyricsIlluminating the blossom in front and back mirrors, flower and face reflect in mutual beauty. Newly pasted on embroidered silk robe, paired golden partridges in flight.
  28. Deva-Like Barbarian: Crystal Pillow Behind Crystal BlindsWen Tingyun · Short LyricsBehind crystal blinds upon a glass pillow, warm fragrance stirs dreams on mandarin-duck brocade. Willows over the river resemble mist, wild geese fly beneath the fading moon.
  29. Water Clock Song: Jade Incense BurnerWen Tingyun · Short LyricsParasol trees, midnight rain, heedless that sorrowful souls dread hearing it. Leaf by leaf, drop by drop, dripping upon empty stone stairs until dawn.
  30. Dreaming of the South: Ten Thousand RegretsWen Tingyun · Short LyricsToilette finished, leaning alone upon the river-viewing tower. A thousand sails pass by yet none is his, slanted sunlight tender, waters flowing on and on. Heartbroken by White Duckweed Islet.
  31. Early Departure from Mount ShangWen Tingyun · Regulated OctavesCockcrow at thatched inn under the moon; footprints upon the frost of wooden bridge. Oak leaves carpet mountain trails; trifoliate orange blossoms brighten post-station walls.
  32. Deva-Like Barbarian: Everyone Speaks of the Splendor of JiangnanWei Zhuang · Short LyricsEveryone speaks of the splendor of Jiangnan; a traveler should only grow old in Jiangnan. Spring waters are greener than the sky; falling asleep listening to rain aboard a painted boat.
  33. Deva-Like Barbarian: Now I Recall the Joys of JiangnanWei Zhuang · Short LyricsNow I recall the joys of Jiangnan: in those days I was young and spring robes were light. Riding a steed leaning by the slanted bridge, entire pavilions of crimson sleeves waved in greeting.
  34. Deva-Like Barbarian: Melancholy Farewell Night at Red ChamberWei Zhuang · Short LyricsSpeaking of love upon the lute strings. The moon of those days still shines, which once illuminated colorful clouds returning home.
  35. Lotus Leaf Cup: Remembering That Year Beneath the FlowersWei Zhuang · Short LyricsRemembering that year beneath the flowers, deep in the night, when I first met Lady Xie. Twin crystal pillows beside tortoiseshell screens, casting away all worldly fame.
  36. The Daoist Priestess: The Seventeenth of the Fourth MonthWei Zhuang · Short LyricsThe seventeenth of the fourth month, exactly one year ago today, when I parted from you. Suppressing tears, feigning to lower my face; bearing bashful shame, half-knitting brows. Unaware my soul was shattered, left only with dreams following along.
  37. Farewell to a FriendXue Tao · Regulated QuatrainsOver riverside reed-beds night frost settles; chilly moonlight and mountain hues merge in misty azure. Who says a thousand-mile parting begins tonight? In parting dreams my spirit shall still return to you.
  38. Lotuses on the PondXue Tao · Regulated QuatrainsOars stir splashing waters around uneven green lily pads; leaning on the balustrade, breezes sway every fragrant stalk. Grateful to the washing maidens who left them unpicked, allowing rain-sheltering leaves to cover paired mandarin ducks.
  39. To the Neighbor Maiden · Easy to Find a Priceless GemYu Xuanji · Regulated OctavesShy of the sun, shielding with gauze sleeves; melancholy in spring, sluggish to dress. A priceless gem is easy to attain, yet rare indeed is a devoted lover. Weeping secretly upon the pillow, broken-hearted amidst flowers. When you yourself can gaze upon dashing Song Yu, why fret over Wang Chang?
  40. Gazing with Sorrow in Jiangling, Sent to Zi'anYu Xuanji · Regulated OctavesMaple leaves in thousand and ten thousand branches; dusk sails move sluggishly past the river bridge. My heart pining for you is like the West River's surge, coursing eastward day and night without ever ceasing.
  41. Eight ExtremesLi Ye · Regulated QuatrainsMost near yet most distant are East and West; most deep yet most shallow is the crystal brook; most high and most luminous are the Sun and Moon; most intimate yet most estranging are husband and wife.
  42. Upon the Lofty Mountain PeakHanshan (Cold Mountain) · Old-Style SongsUpon the lofty mountain peak, looking in four directions stretches boundlessly. Sitting alone unknown to men, a solitary moon illuminates the chilly spring. In the cold spring there is no real moon; the moon abides serene in the blue sky. Chanting this solitary song, the melody ends as the mystery deepens.
  43. People Ask for the Way to Cold MountainHanshan (Cold Mountain) · Old-Style SongsPeople ask the road to Cold Mountain; yet Cold Mountain has no open road. In midsummer ice remains unthawed; when the sun rises, mists drift obscurely. How did someone like me reach here? Because our minds are not the same! If your heart resembled mine, you too could pass right through.
  44. Boundless Is the Sacred Mountain TrailHanshan (Cold Mountain) · Old-Style SongsBoundless is the sacred mountain road, rugged along cold stream banks. Chirping birds chorus around the solitary wandering traveler. Silently the breeze brushes the cheek; thick snowdrifts pile upon the body. Morning by morning seeing no sun, year after year unaware of spring.
  45. Ever Living in Carefree EaseShide · Regulated QuatrainsEver delighting in the carefree charm of clouded mountains, paying no heed to the fickle warmth of worldly manners. A bowl of leftover broth fills the belly; clad in a straw cloak, lying down to gaze at emerald mountain folds.
  46. Seeking Lu Hongjian Without Finding HimJiaoran (Monk Jiaoran) · Regulated OctavesThough his new cottage has moved far, the rustic path winds deep into mulberry and hemp. By the hedge chrysanthemums are newly planted, yet to open in early autumn. Knocking on the gate stirs no barking dog; turning to inquire of the western neighbor, who replies: 'He has gone deep into the mountains, returning each day only when the sun slants low.'
  47. Song of Tea Drinking Teasing Governor Cui ShiJiaoran (Monk Jiaoran) · Old-Style SongsThe first sip cleanses drowsiness, stirring bright clarity that fills heaven and earth. The second sip purifies my spirit, like falling rain settling the drifting dust. The third sip leads straight to the Dao—why labor bitterly to break vexations? Who understands that the Way of Tea preserves your authentic nature? Only immortals attain such grace.
  48. Listening to the ZitherLingche (Monk Lingche) · Old-Style SongsAfter guests depart and the wooden gate is barred, the zither rings crystal-pure while night lingers on. Distant and leisurely flows the ancient water melody, serene as the homeland of white clouds. Body and worldly objects rest in quietude; sounds and thoughts are forgotten together in pure emptiness.
  49. Presented to Grand Tutor QianGuanxiu (Monk Guanxiu) · Regulated OctavesNobility presses upon a man leaving little freedom; soaring like dragons and rising like phoenixes, the momentum cannot be checked. In the hall fragrant blossoms intoxicate three thousand guests; a single sword chills fourteen prefectures with icy frost.
  50. Inscribed on a Mountain Dwelling's Wall in Late SpringGuanxiu (Monk Guanxiu) · Regulated OctavesThe brushwood gate stands in quietude as fragrant millet rice steams; mountain hearth smokes curl as spring rains clear into sunlight. Courtyard flowers bloom in moist mist, streams flowing vast and deep; doves call at the valley mouth under mulberry shades. Only the returning moon above the crystal brook shines its pure, timeless light upon the rustic wooden door.
  51. Early Plum Blossoms · Deep in the Snow of the Front VillageQiji (Monk Qiji) · Regulated OctavesTen thousand frozen trees seem ready to snap; solitary roots alone awaken with hidden warmth. Deep in the thick snows of the forward village, last night a single branch blossomed into flower. The breeze wafts secret fragrance forth; birds peer down upon its pure white charm.
  52. The SwordsmanQiji (Monk Qiji) · Regulated QuatrainsDrawing the sword from its sheath, the heavens grow dark; sunlight fades as frost and snow thicken. The sharp blade in hand never strikes in vain, slaying every injustice in the mortal realm!
  53. Wutong Shadow · The Setting Sun SlantsLü Dongbin (Lü Yan) · Short LyricsThe setting sun slants down; the autumn wind blows chillingly. Who upon a solitary skiff plays the jade flute, awakening floating reflections upon the Xiang River?
  54. Invitation to Liu the NineteenthBai Juyi · Regulated QuatrainsAs dusk falls, snow begins to drift—will you join me for a cup?
  55. Song of LiangzhouWang Han · Regulated QuatrainsDo not laugh if we lie drunk upon the battlefield—since ancient times, how many warriors ever return?
  56. Army Life: Part IVWang Changling · Regulated QuatrainsThrough a hundred battles in yellow sands, our golden armors wear thin; until we defeat Loulan, we shall never return.
  57. Song of the Parting SonMeng Jiao · Yuefu BalladsWho could say that the heart of an inch-long blade of grass could ever repay the boundless sunshine of three springs?
  58. Poems with Their Stories · Emotions (Excerpt)Meng Qi · NotebooksSo he broke a mirror, and each took one half.
  59. After Passing the Imperial ExaminationMeng Jiao · Regulated QuatrainsProud in the spring breeze, my horse's hooves fly fast; in a single day I see all the flowers of Chang'an.
  60. Song of ChangganLi Bai · Old-Style SongsYou came riding a bamboo horse, circling the well-rail, playing with green plums.
  61. Written at Wujiang PavilionDu Mu · Regulated QuatrainsThe young men east of the Yangtze were many and gifted; had he returned, rolling up the dust again, who knows what might have been?

Ten Kingdoms

907–97915 works
  1. Magpie on the Bough: Who Says Idle Longings Have Long Been Cast AwayFeng Yansi · Short LyricsWho says idle longings have long been cast away? Whenever spring arrives, melancholy returns as before. Daily before blossoms drinking myself sick, begrudging not my rosy cheeks wasting away in the mirror.
  2. Magpie on the Bough: Plum Petals Fall from Crowded Boughs in Ten Thousand FlakesFeng Yansi · Short LyricsPlum blossoms shed from crowded boughs in ten thousand flakes, still lingering in tender passion, imitating snow twirling in the wind. Last night's flute songs scattered so easily; sobering from wine only brings infinite sorrow.
  3. Paying Homage at the Golden Gate: Sudden Breeze RisesFeng Yansi · Short LyricsA sudden breeze rises, wrinkling a whole pond of spring water. Idly teasing mandarin ducks along perfumed paths, fingers rubbing crimson apricot pistils.
  4. Lady of Longevity: Spring Day BanquetFeng Yansi · Short LyricsAt the spring day banquet, a cup of green wine and a song sung anew. Bowing twice to make three wishes: first, may my lord live a thousand years; second, may I forever stay in health; third, like swallows upon the roof-beams, may we meet year after year.
  5. Extended Silk-Washing Stream: Lotus Fragrance Fades, Emerald Leaves WitherLi Jing · Short LyricsLotus fragrance fades and emerald leaves wither; autumn winds stir sorrow between emerald ripples. Wasting away together with glorious spring light, too painful to behold.
  6. Extended Silk-Washing Stream: Rolling Pearl Curtains onto Jade HooksLi Jing · Short LyricsRolling up pearl blinds onto jade hooks, spring sorrow locks the tiered tower as before. Who is master of petals falling in the wind? My thoughts wander on and on.
  7. The Beautiful Lady Yu: When Will Spring Blossoms and Autumn Moons EndLi Yu · Short LyricsPray ask how much sorrow can one mortal bear? Just like a river of spring waters surging endlessly to the east.
  8. Joy of Meeting: In Silence I Ascend the West Tower AloneLi Yu · Short LyricsCut it, it severs not; untangle it, it tangles more—such is the sorrow of parting. A taste unlike any other lingering in the heart.
  9. Joy of Meeting: Forest Blossoms Shed Their Spring CrimsonLi Yu · Short LyricsForest blossoms have shed their spring crimson, all too fleetingly. Powerless against morning cold rain and evening gale. Naturally human life is filled with eternal regret, as rivers forever surge to the east.
  10. Ripples Sifting Sand: Outside the Blinds Rain MurmursLi Yu · Short LyricsLean not alone upon the balustrade—boundless homeland rivers and mountains! Parting was easy, reunion is impossible. Flowing waters, fallen blossoms, spring is gone—one in Heaven, the other in the mortal world.
  11. Dance of the Cavalry: For Forty Years My Country and HomeLi Yu · Short LyricsMost agonizing was the day of hurried farewell to ancestral temples, when court musicians still played parting songs, weeping helplessly before palace maidens.
  12. Gazing South: How Boundless the RegretLi Yu · Short LyricsHow boundless the regret in last night's wandering dream! Returning to my lost kingdom in dream, waking to tears streaming down both cheeks.
  13. Peace and Happiness: Half of Spring Has Passed Since PartingLi Yu · Short LyricsThe sorrow of parting is just like spring grass: the further one journeys, the more it flourishes anew.
  14. Crows Chanting at Night: Last Night Wind Blended with RainLi Yu · Short LyricsLast night wind blended with rain, rustling through curtains in autumnal cries. Candles guttered, water-clocks ran dry as I tossed upon my pillow; rising and sitting, my soul found no peace.
  15. Poem on the Fall of the StateLady Huarui · Regulated QuatrainsThe King hoisted the surrender flag high upon the city wall; how could I within the deep palace have known? A hundred and forty thousand soldiers disarmed in unison—and not a single one among them was a real man!

Song

960–127934 works
  1. Shuidiao Getou · When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright?Su Shi · Mid-Length LyricsMay we live long and share the graceful moonlight across thousands of miles.
  2. Slow, Slow Song · Searching and SeekingLi Qingzhao · Long LyricsSearching and seeking, cold and desolate, sorrowful, miserable, and forlorn.
  3. A Spray of Plum Blossoms · Lotus Blossoms FadeLi Qingzhao · Mid-Length LyricsThis feeling cannot be dispelled: no sooner does it leave the brow than it leaps into the heart.
  4. Summer Quatrain (Living as a Hero)Li Qingzhao · Regulated QuatrainsIn life be a hero among men; in death be a champion among ghosts.
  5. Man Jiang Hong · Hair Bristles in WrathYue Fei · Long LyricsThirty years of deeds are dust and earth, eight thousand li of campaigns under clouds and moon. Do not idly let youthful hair turn white in empty grief!
  6. Nian Nu Jiao · Memories of the Red CliffsSu Shi · Long LyricsThe Great River surges east, its waves sweeping away all heroes of a thousand generations.
  7. Passing LingdingyangWen Tianxiang · Regulated OctavesSince ancient times who has escaped death? Keep a crimson heart to shine on bamboo annals.
  8. Ascending Feilai PeakWang Anshi · Regulated QuatrainsFear not floating clouds obstructing the view, for one stands on the highest heights.
  9. Silk-Washing Stream (A Cup of Wine with a New Song)Yan Shu · Short LyricsHelplessly blossoms fall away; seeming familiar, swallows return. In the small garden along fragrant paths, all alone I pace to and fro.
  10. Butterflies Lingering over Flowers (How Deep the Courtyard)Ouyang Xiu · Short LyricsDeep within the courtyard, how deep is it? Willow groves pile thick mist, curtain screens layered countless times. With tearful eyes asking blossoms, the blossoms speak not; flying red petals swirl past the garden swing.
  11. Sheng Cha Zi (Lantern Festival)Ouyang Xiu · Short LyricsWhen the moon ascended above willow tips, lovers met after dusk. This year at the Lantern Festival night, moon and lantern lights remain as before. Seeing not that person of last year, tears drench my spring sleeves.
  12. Bells in the Rain (Cold Cicadas Chill and Plaintive)Liu Yong · Long LyricsSince antiquity the tender-hearted grieve over parting; how much more in the cold desolation of clear autumn! Tonight when wine wears off where shall I be? On willow-lined banks, in dawn breeze beneath the waning moon.
  13. Watching the Ocean Tide (Southeast Majestic Realm)Liu Yong · Long LyricsLayered lakes and stacked peaks are pristine and fair. With autumn sweet osmanthus and ten leagues of lotus blooms. Markets display jewels and pearls, households overflow with silk brocades, vying in splendor.
  14. Immortal at the Magpie Bridge (Slender Clouds Weave Wonders)Qin Guan · Short LyricsIf mutual love is steadfast and enduring, what need is there to cling together morning and night? When Autumn Wind and Jade Dew meet once in the skies, it surpasses countless earthly unions.
  15. Treading on Grass (Hostel in Chenzhou)Qin Guan · Mid-Length LyricsMist swallows high towers, moonlight veils river crossings. Gazing longing toward Peach Blossom Spring, nowhere can it be found. How can I endure being locked in solitary hostel amid spring chill, beneath crying cuckoos in slanted twilight sunset.
  16. Su Mu Zhe (Burning Aloeswood Incense)Zhou Bangyan · Mid-Length LyricsUpon lotus leaves early morning sun dries last night's rain; resting clear and round upon water, one by one the lotus blossoms sway upright in breeze.
  17. Calming the Waves (Listen Not to Rain Pelting Leaves)Su Shi · Mid-Length LyricsBamboo staff and straw sandals are lighter than horses—who fears? A straw cloak in misty rain suffices for a whole life. Looking back at the bleak storm-beaten place, returning home: there is neither wind and rain, nor fair sunshine.
  18. Jiang Cheng Zi (Dream on the Night of the 20th of the 1st Month)Su Shi · Mid-Length LyricsTen years of life and death boundless apart; not intentionally brooding, yet impossible to forget. A solitary mound ten thousand leagues away, with nowhere to confide desolation. Looking at each other speechless, only a thousand streams of tears.
  19. Jiang Cheng Zi (Hunting at Mizhou)Su Shi · Mid-Length LyricsThis old fellow for a while unleashes youthful wildness: left hand leashing yellow hound, right arm holding green hawk. Someday I shall draw the carved bow full like a round moon, looking northwestward to shoot down the Sirius star!
  20. Song of Divination (Dwelling at Dinghui Temple in Huangzhou)Su Shi · Short LyricsA crescent moon hangs from sparse paulownia boughs; the water clock has run out, all people fell silent. Who sees the secluded recluse pacing alone, a misty, solitary wild swan shadow? Picking through all cold branches refusing to roost, resting alone on cold, lonely sandbars.
  21. Breaking the Battle Array (Composed for Chen Tongfu)Xin Qiji · Mid-Length LyricsDrunk, I trim the lamp wick to look at my sword; in dreams I return to battle horns blaring across connected encampments. Distributing roasted beef among warrior ranks, fifty zither strings play frontier songs. Autumn inspection on the battlefield. Fulfilling the sovereign's sacred charge to reclaim the realm, winning enduring renown before and after death. Alas, white hair grows on my head!
  22. Yong Yu Le (Meditation on the Past at Beigu Pavilion in Jingkou)Xin Qiji · Long LyricsAcross eternal rivers and mountains, where can one find hero Sun Quan? Recall those bygone days: golden lances and armored steeds, swallowing ten thousand leagues like a tiger! Who will ask: General Lian Po has grown old—can he still eat his fill?
  23. Green Jade Cup (Lantern Festival)Xin Qiji · Short LyricsSearching for her thousands of times in the crowd; suddenly turning my head, that person is right there, where lantern lights are dim and waning.
  24. Chou Nu Er (Inscribed on the Wall on the Way to Boshan)Xin Qiji · Short LyricsIn youth I knew not the taste of sorrow, loving to climb high towers. Loving to climb high towers, composing new lyrics feigning sorrow. Now having known all sorrow's bitter taste, wishing to speak yet holding back. Wishing to speak yet holding back, I only say: 'What a crisp, cool autumn day!'
  25. Phoenix Hairpin (Pink Delicate Hands)Lu You · Short LyricsCruel is the east wind, fragile is joy. A breast full of sorrow, years of lonely separation. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Though mountain vows endure, silk letters are impossible to send. Cease, cease, cease!
  26. To My SonLu You · Regulated QuatrainsIn dying I well know all worldly matters end in void; my only grief is not beholding the nine provinces unified. On the day the royal armies march north to pacify Central Plains, in family ancestral rites forget not to inform your father!
  27. Visiting Shanxi VillageLu You · Regulated OctavesWhere mountains multiply and streams double one doubts there is any path; amid shady willows and radiant blossoms emerges yet another village.
  28. Song of Divination (Ode to the Plum Blossom)Lu You · Short LyricsHaving no intention to bitterly compete for spring, letting the host of flowers envy at will. Even if withered into mud and ground to dust, its fragrance endures as of old.
  29. Canglang PavilionOuyang Xiu · Old-Style SongsThe pure breeze and bright moon were originally priceless, what a wonder they were purchased for a mere forty thousand coins! Zimei's pavilion is truly the most romantic, where clear springs and tall bamboo wind around together.
  30. Jianzi Mulanhu · Spring MelancholyZhu Shuzhen · Short LyricsWalking alone, sitting alone, chanting alone, answering alone, and sleeping alone. Standing still in desolation, helpless against the biting chill. Who perceives this heartache? Tears wash away half the faded makeup; grief and ailment intertwine, trimming down cold lamp wicks while dreams never form.
  31. Shuitiao Getou · Summary of the Journey to the WestQiu Chuji (Changchun Zhenren) · Long LyricsHeaven generates wondrous spiritual entities from pristine nature; cultivating the Great Dao one realizes subtle mysteries. When ninefold golden elixir works are fulfilled, in one dawn one leaps upward into blue heaven. Ten thousand miles of passes and peaks harbor no obstruction, transcending the boundless cosmos.
  32. Visiting Mount Wudang and Lodging at Zixiao PalaceQiu Chuji (Changchun Zhenren) · Regulated QuatrainsZixiao Palace rests upon Mount Taihe; across thousand valleys and ten thousand crags auspicious mists thicken. In the silence of night when heaven is lofty and constellations draw near, a single chiming of the stone bell reverberates throughout the void.
  33. Replying to Ziyou's Poem Recalling Old Times at MianchiSu Shi · Regulated OctavesWhat is a life, wandering from place to place? It must be like a flying swan treading on snowy mud.
  34. Visiting a Garden but Finding No One HomeYe Shaoweng · Regulated QuatrainsA garden full of spring cannot be locked away.

Yuan

1271–13681 works
  1. Tomb of Prince Yue of EZhao Mengfu · Regulated OctavesOver Prince Yue's tomb, desolate grasses sway; under chilly autumn skies, weathered stone beasts lean in decay. The southern refugee court took the empire lightly, while northern elders gazed in vain for the liberating banners. The hero has died—alas, what regret can mend it? The realm split in half and collapsed at last. Sing not this mournful song toward West Lake, for even its bright waters and green hills weep in sorrow.

Ming

1368–16445 works
  1. Chant of the LimeYu Qian · Regulated QuatrainsExtracted from deep mountains after a thousand hammer blows and chisels, roaring blazing fires are treated as nothing unusual. Unafraid even of having body shattered and bones ground to powder, resolved only to leave pure unblemished integrity to the mortal world.
  2. The Surging Yangtze River Rolls EastYang Shen · Short LyricsThe surging Yangtze River rolls endlessly to the east, its billowing waves washing away all heroes of old. Right and wrong, triumph and defeat, turn to void in the blink of an eye. Green mountains remain unchanged as ever; how many crimson sunsets have they seen? White-haired fishermen and woodcutters on the river shoals are accustomed to watching autumn moons and spring breezes. Over a flagon of cloudy wine, we rejoice in reunion: how many deeds of past and present dissolve into cheerful laughter!
  3. Poem Inscribed on Ink GrapesXu Wei · Regulated QuatrainsHalf a life of destitution has turned me into an old man, standing alone in my study whistling to the evening gale. The luminous pearls beneath my brush find nowhere to sell, casually tossed and scattered among wild tangled vines.
  4. West Lake Bamboo Branch LyricsLi Dongyang · Bamboo-Branch SongsOutside the gate peddling flowers, market clamor bustles; fully opened in the spring breeze is the very first blossom. Where willow boughs drape delicate as fine silk threads, two or three cottages dwell deep in the emerald waters.
  5. Jinming Chi · Chanting the Winter WillowLiu Rushi · Long LyricsMelancholy winter tides, unfeeling twilight glow, by the bleak southern shoreline. The freezing blast bends frosted willow boughs; how fleeting is mortal life across boundless heaven and earth?

Qing

1636–191217 works
  1. Song of YuanyuanWu Weiye · Old-Style SongsSix armies wept clad in white mourning; he burst with crown-raising wrath for a fair lady.
  2. Magnolia Blossom: Ancient Severing Words for a FriendNalan Xingde · Short LyricsIf only human lives could remain forever like our first encounter, why should chilly autumn breezes mourn over painted fans? Lightly inconstancy alters an old love's heart, yet they falsely blame an old love's fickle heart.
  3. Everlasting Longing: A Stretch of Mountains, a Stretch of RiversNalan Xingde · Short LyricsA stretch of mountains, a stretch of rivers, heading toward the far side of Shanhai Pass; deep into night gleam a thousand camp tent lamps. A watch of wind, a watch of snow, clamoring and shattering the homesick heart so dreams cannot form—in my homeland there is no such sound.
  4. Sands of the Washing Stream: Who Mourns in Chilly West WindNalan Xingde · Short LyricsWho pities this solitary chill in the autumn west wind? Amid rustling yellow leaves closing the curtained casement, lost in memories standing in fading twilight. Soothed with wine, let not heavy spring slumber be stirred; betting on texts won fragrant spills of tea—in those days, I thought it was merely ordinary.
  5. Gathering Mulberry: The Moon in Tender Pity Must Smile at MeNalan Xingde · Short LyricsThe bright moon in tender pity must smile at me, smile at my state today: betraying the heart of spring, walking alone and chanting in solitude. Lately I dread speaking of bygone days; under shallow moonlight and deep lamp shadows, where in dreams can drifting clouds be found?
  6. Bamboo and RockZheng Banqiao · Regulated QuatrainsClamping tightly upon green crags never letting go, its roots were firmly anchored in fractured rocks from the start. Enduring a thousand grindings and ten thousand strikes it remains adamantly firm, defying whatever winds blow from east, west, south, or north.
  7. Random ReflectionsHuang Jingren · Regulated OctavesNineteen out of twenty in this world deserve cold white stares; utterly useless in practical matters is the destitute scholar. Let not poetic lines of sorrow turn into prophetic doom, as spring birds yearn to cry while twilight doors swing shut.
  8. Composed on Setting Out for Exile to Show My FamilyLin Zexu · Regulated OctavesIf it benefits the nation, I would dedicate my life unto death; how could I evade or seek it based on personal fortune or peril? Exiled to remote borders is truly the sovereign's profound grace; nurturing modesty suits a garrison soldier well.
  9. Miscellaneous Poems of the Jihai Year: No. 5Gong Zizhen · Regulated QuatrainsBoundless parting sorrow swells as the pale sun slopes westward; pointing my chanting crop to the east, the road stretches to the edge of the world. Fallen petals are not unfeeling things: turning into spring mud, they nurture future flowers all the more.
  10. Inscribed upon the Prison WallTan Sitong · Regulated QuatrainsSeeking refuge at welcoming doors recalls Zhang Jian; enduring death for a brief while awaits Du Gen. I raise my blade and laugh toward Heaven: whether leaving in exile or staying to die, our loyal spirits stand like towering Kunlun peaks!
  11. The River Turns Red: Sojourning in the CapitalQiu Jin · Long LyricsThough my body cannot stand in the ranks of men, my heart burns fiercer than any man's! In all my life, my loyal courage has ever burned for others. Who among common minds can fathom my spirit? Heroes at dead ends must endure cruel trials. Where in this vast dusty world can I find a kindred soul? My azure robes are drenched in tears!
  12. Lin Jiang Xian · Planting Begonias the Day Before QingmingGu Taiqing · Mid-Length LyricsAll worldly affairs drift away with wind and rain—let them cease, let them cease. Ancient traces south of Xima Terrace, overgrown mounds amidst partridge cries. Where are the wild poets of bygone years? Caressing carved railings in vain: when begonias bloom, do you remember ancient Jiangnan?
  13. Jinlv Qu · Sent to YunlinGu Taiqing · Long LyricsI too am a wanderer drifting at the ends of the earth—how could I bear turning back to gaze upon the Jiangdong road? Raising my cup to question Heaven, Heaven answers not; leaning high gazing till sight breaks against Jiangnan trees. In human life, how many joyful reunions can there be?
  14. Inscribed on a Landscape Painting · Few Are Ink Drops, Many Are TearsZhu Da (Bada Shanren) · Regulated QuatrainsInk drops are few, yet tear drops are countless; when our ancestral mountains and rivers fall into ruin, how can one cry out? The heavens have not exhausted the sorrow of the Lisao, as cuckoos weep bitter blood all day through ivy vines.
  15. Inscribed on a Painting of PinesShi Jing'an (Eight-Fingered Monk) · Regulated QuatrainsHeavy snow weighs down the branches; a solitary pine stands firm upon the freezing hill. Defying the frost it never yields, its verdant azure green illuminating thousand autumns.
  16. Farewell · Outside the Long PavilionLi Shutong (Master Hongyi) · Self-Composed TunesOutside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, fragrant emerald grasses stretch to meet the sky. Evening breezes brush weeping willows as the fading flute melody dies; the setting sun sinks behind mountains beyond mountains. At heaven's edge and earth's corners, cherished soulmates have mostly scattered away. Draining a jar of cloudy wine to exhaust our remaining joy—tonight, dreams of parting will be cold.
  17. Miscellaneous Poems of the Year Jihai (No. 125)Gong Zizhen · Regulated QuatrainsI urge the Lord of Heaven to rouse himself once more and send down talent without sticking to one mold.