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.

261works

12dynasties

120authors

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.

Masterpieces

61 works

Han

25 works

202 BCE – 220 CE

  1. Song of White HairZhuo Wenjun (traditionally attributed) · Yuefu BalladsWhite as snow upon the mountain, bright as the moon between the clouds.
  2. Song of Lament (Zhaojun's Lament)Wang Zhaojun · Yuefu BalladsThe autumn trees grow lush, yet their leaves wither and yellow. There is a bird that dwells in the mountains, gathered upon the thick mulberry.
  3. Han Yuefu · Southeast the Peacocks FlyAnonymous (Han–Wei 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 yuefu) · 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 lotus pickers) · 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 literati) · 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 literati) · Old-Style SongsAcross a single pool of clear water, gazing in deep affection, unable to speak.
  8. Rhapsody Mourning Qu YuanJia Yi · Grand Han RhapsodiesThe luan and the phoenix hide and flee, while owls soar on high.
  9. Rhapsody on the Long Gate PalaceSima Xiangru (traditionally attributed) · Grand Han RhapsodiesSuddenly I fall asleep and dream, and in spirit my lord seems to be at my side.
  10. Rhapsody on Returning to the FieldsZhang Heng · Short RhapsodiesNow it is the fine month of mid-spring; the season is mild and the air is clear. Plains and wetlands are lush, and all the grasses flourish.
  11. Han Yuefu · Mulberries by the PathAnonymous (Han folk yuefu) · 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 (a 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 (a woman of the Han) · 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 (a woman of the Han) · 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 guchui music) · 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 literati) · 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 literati) · 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 literati) · 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 literati) · 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 BalladsI wish to be the rush mat, lying below to cover the square bed. I wish to be the silk quilt and curtain, above to shield you from wind and frost.
  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.
  22. Though the Tortoise Lives LongCao Cao · Old-Style SongsAn old steed lying in its stall still sets its heart on a thousand li; a man of valor in his twilight years keeps his proud heart undimmed.
  23. Chang'e Flies to the MoonAnonymous · Ancient MythsHeng'e stole it and fled to the moon; he was left despondent, with no way to replace it.
  24. Song of the Great WindLiu Bang · Chu Elegieswhere shall I find brave men to guard the four quarters
  25. Song of GaixiaXiang Yu · Chu ElegiesMy strength could uproot mountains, my spirit overtopped the age

Three Kingdoms

15 works

220–280

  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. Rhapsody on the Goddess of the Luo RiverCao Zhi · Short RhapsodiesLight as a startled swan, supple as a swimming dragon, brighter than autumn chrysanthemums, lusher than spring pines.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Seven Steps PoemCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsBorn from the very same root, why oppress each other with such haste?
  6. 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?
  7. The White HorseCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsHe gives his life to meet the nation's peril, and looks on death as going home.
  8. The Fair MaidenCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsThe fair maiden is lovely and serene, picking mulberry leaves where the roads fork.
  9. To Biao, King of BaimaCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsA man's resolve spans the four seas; ten thousand li are like next door. If love and kindness suffer no loss, distance only makes us closer day by day.
  10. Poem of Sorrow and IndignationCai Wenji (Cai Yan) · Old-Style SongsFrom the horses' sides hung men's heads; behind the horses rode captive women.
  11. Rhapsody on Ascending the TowerWang Can · Short RhapsodiesThough truly beautiful, it is not my land; how could it be enough to make me stay even a little?
  12. Rhapsody on Secluded LongingCao Zhi · Short RhapsodiesI lean on the winding corner of the high terrace, dwelling in secluded, quiet depths.
  13. Poem of Sorrow and Indignation · Part ICai Yan (Cai Wenji) · Old-Style SongsThey hacked and slew until none remained; corpses and bones lay propped against one another. From the horses' sides hung men's heads; behind on the horses they carried off women.
  14. Poem of Sorrow and Indignation · Part II (Sao Form)Cai Yan (Cai Wenji) · Chu ElegiesThe Hu reed pipes sound, the border horses neigh; a lone wild goose flies home, crying plaintively.
  15. Eighteen Songs of a Nomad FluteCai Yan (Cai Wenji) (traditionally attributed) · Yuefu BalladsWhen I was born the world was still at peace; after my birth the fortunes of Han declined.

Jin

8 works

265–420

  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 InspirationPan Yue (Pan An) · Short RhapsodiesIn the fourteenth year of Jin I was thirty-two years old and first saw grey in my hair.
  6. Mourning the Departed · Poem IPan Yue · Old-Style SongsSeeing our house I think of her; entering the room I recall what she did there.
  7. The Armillary Tapestry: Woven Palindrome Poem in Seven-Character LinesSu Hui (Su Ruolan) · Palindrome VerseBenevolent, wise, cherishing virtue, like the sage kings Shun and Yao; true and wondrous, radiant and splendid, their glory shown in brilliant display;
  8. Mount Tai ChantXie Daoyun · Old-Style SongsMade by no carpenter and by no craftsman, this cloud-high structure arises of itself.

Northern and Southern

17 works

420–589

  1. Han & Northern Yuefu · Ballad of MulanAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song) · 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. Rhapsody on Lament for the South (Preface)Yu Xin · Parallel ProseThe sun is setting and the road is long; what kind of world is this? The general has gone and the great tree is scattered; the hero does not return and the cold wind sighs.
  3. Rhapsody on the Withered TreeYu Xin · Parallel ProseYears ago I planted willows, swaying south of the Han; now I see them shedding their leaves, forlorn by the river pools. If trees fare like this, how can a man bear it!
  4. Rhapsody on PartingJiang Yan · Parallel ProseWhat darkens the spirit and melts the soul is parting, and parting alone!
  5. Rhapsody on ResentmentJiang Yan · Parallel ProseLook out over the plain: creeping weeds entwine the bones, and grave trees grown a span thick gather in the souls. When human life comes to this, how can one speak of the Way of Heaven?
  6. 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?
  7. 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!
  8. Rhapsody on the Ruined City of GuanglingBao Zhao · Parallel ProseThe frontier wind is fierce, the walls are cold; wells and paths are gone, the grave mounds broken. A thousand years, ten thousand ages, all come alike to an end; what more is there to say!
  9. 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.
  10. Returning across the Lake from the Stone Cliff RetreatXie Lingyun · Old-Style SongsBetween dawn and dusk the air and light change; mountains and waters hold a clear radiance.
  11. Climbing Three Mountains at Dusk and Looking Back Toward the CapitalXie Tiao · Old-Style SongsThe lingering clouds of sunset spread out like damask; the clear river lies still like white silk.
  12. En Route to Xuancheng Departing Xinlin Anchorage for BanqiaoXie Tiao · Old-Style SongsAt the sky's edge I make out returning boats; among the clouds I discern the riverside trees.
  13. Song of the Chile PlainsAnonymous (Northern 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.
  14. Song of the Western IsletAnonymous (Southern 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.
  15. Rhapsody on a Small GardenYu Xin · Short RhapsodiesFish of an inch or two, bamboos of two or three stems;
  16. Rhapsody on SpringYu Xin · Short RhapsodiesIn Yichun Park spring has already come back; in Pixiang Hall spring clothes are being made.
  17. A New Account of Tales of the WorldLiu Yiqing (comp.) · Tales of the StrangeBetter to liken it to willow catkins rising on the wind.

Tang

91 works

618–907

  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 are just beginning to fall over Dongting; I think of you, more than ten thousand li away.
  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 LyricsAbove the river, willows like mist; wild geese fly across a sky of the waning moon.
  29. Water Clock Song: Jade Incense BurnerWen Tingyun · Short LyricsLeaf after leaf, drop after drop, it drips on the empty steps until dawn.
  30. Dreaming of the South: Ten Thousand RegretsWen Tingyun · Short LyricsA thousand, ten thousand regrets; the deepest regret is for one at the edge of the sky.
  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 LyricsAs I went out the door under the waning moon, my lovely one bade farewell in tears.
  35. Lotus Leaf Cup: Remembering That Year Beneath the FlowersWei Zhuang · Short LyricsNow we are both strangers in far lands, with no way ever to meet again.
  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. Lotus LeavesZheng Gu · Regulated QuatrainsAs the boat moves, splashed water stirs the uneven green; leaning on the railing, the wind sways each fragrant stalk.
  38. 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?
  39. 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.
  40. 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.
  41. Upon the Lofty Mountain PeakHanshan (Cold Mountain) · Old-Style SongsIn the spring there is really no moon; the moon is itself in the blue sky.
  42. 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.
  43. Remote and Dim, the Cold Mountain RoadHanshan (Cold Mountain) · Old-Style SongsMorning after morning I do not see the sun; year after year I do not know spring.
  44. Seeking Lu Hongjian Without Finding HimJiaoran (Monk Jiaoran) · Regulated OctavesI knock at the gate, but no dog barks; about to leave, I ask at the house to the west.
  45. Song of Tea Drinking Teasing Governor Cui ShiJiaoran (Monk Jiaoran) · Old-Style SongsThe first cup washes away dullness and drowsiness; my spirits rise, bright and clear, filling heaven and earth. The second cup clears my mind, like flying rain sprinkling away light dust. With the third cup I attain the Way; why labour painfully to break through vexations?
  46. Presented to Grand Tutor QianGuanxiu (Monk Guanxiu) · Regulated OctavesThe hall is full of guests, three thousand drunk among flowers; a single sword, chill as frost, holds fourteen prefectures.
  47. Inscribed on a Mountain Dwelling's Wall in Late Spring (No. 1)Guanxiu (Monk Guanxiu) · Regulated OctavesThe brushwood gate is quiet, the millet rice fragrant; smoke rises from the mountain home as the spring rain clears.
  48. 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.
  49. The SwordsmanQiji (Monk Qiji) · Regulated QuatrainsDrawing my sword, I circle the leftover wine; the song finished, I go straight out of the gate.
  50. Wutong Shadow · The Setting Sun SlantsLü Dongbin (Lü Yan) · Short LyricsWill my old friend come tonight or not? Waiting, I stand until the wutong's shadow is gone.
  51. Invitation to Liu the NineteenthBai Juyi · Regulated QuatrainsAs dusk falls, snow begins to drift—will you join me for a cup?
  52. Song of LiangzhouWang Han · Regulated QuatrainsDo not laugh if we lie drunk upon the battlefield—since ancient times, how many warriors ever return?
  53. 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.
  54. 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?
  55. 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.
  56. Song of ChangganLi Bai · Old-Style SongsYou came riding a bamboo horse, circling the well-rail, playing with green plums.
  57. 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?
  58. The Original Incidents of PoemsMeng Qi · Poetry TalksA broken mirror made whole: Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan reunited at last.
  59. A Dream Journey to Mount Tianmu: A Song of FarewellLi Bai · Old-Style SongsHow could I lower my brows and bend my waist to serve the mighty and noble, and never again show a happy face?
  60. Drinking Alone Under the Moon, No. 1Li Bai · Old-Style SongsRaising my cup, I invite the bright moon; with my shadow, we make a party of three.
  61. To Wang LunLi Bai · Regulated QuatrainsThe water of Peach Blossom Pool is a thousand feet deep, yet not as deep as Wang Lun's feeling in seeing me off.
  62. Hearing That the Imperial Army Has Recovered Henan and HebeiDu Fu · Regulated OctavesI turn to look at my wife and children: where has their sorrow gone? Rolling up my books and poems any which way, I am wild with joy.
  63. Grass on the Ancient Plain: A FarewellBai Juyi · Regulated OctavesWildfire can never burn it all away; when the spring wind blows, it comes to life again.
  64. Thinking of My Brothers East of the Mountains on the Double NinthWang Wei · Regulated QuatrainsAlone in a strange land, a stranger among strangers, at every festival I miss my family twice as much.
  65. Night Mooring at Maple BridgeZhang Ji · Regulated QuatrainsBeyond the walls of Gusu, from Cold Mountain Temple, the midnight bell carries to the traveler's boat.
  66. Written on a Rainy Night, Sent NorthLi Shangyin · Regulated QuatrainsWhen shall we trim the candle together by the west window, and talk of this night rain in the Ba hills?
  67. Pity for the Peasants, Two PoemsLi Shen · Regulated QuatrainsWho knows that of the food upon the plate, every single grain is bitter toil?
  68. Written at a Village South of the CapitalCui Hu · Regulated QuatrainsWhere that face has gone I cannot tell; the peach blossoms, as before, smile in the spring wind.
  69. West Stream at ChuzhouWei Yingwu · Regulated QuatrainsThe spring flood, swelled by rain, runs fast at dusk; at the wild ferry no one is there, and the boat swings crosswise by itself.
  70. A Moonlit Night on the Spring RiverZhang Ruoxu · Old-Style SongsWho on the riverbank first saw this moon? In what year did the river moon first shine on a person?
  71. Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu, No. 2Li Bai · Regulated QuatrainsIts flying torrent plunges straight down three thousand feet; I wonder if the Milky Way is falling from the ninth heaven.
  72. Farewell to Collator Shuyun at Xie Tiao's Tower in XuanzhouLi Bai · Old-Style SongsDraw a blade to cut the water, and the water flows on; raise a cup to drown sorrow, and sorrow grows deeper.
  73. Ballad of the Army CartsDu Fu · Old-Style SongsNow we truly know that bearing a son is bad, and bearing a daughter is better.
  74. Welcoming Rain on a Spring NightDu Fu · Regulated OctavesIt follows the wind, slipping secretly into the night, moistening all things finely, without a sound.
  75. Yellow Crane TowerCui Hao · Regulated OctavesAs the sun sets, where is my home village? Mist and waves on the river make one sorrow.
  76. Deer EnclosureWang Wei · Regulated QuatrainsThe returning light enters the deep forest and shines again upon the green moss.
  77. River SnowLiu Zongyuan · Regulated QuatrainsIn a lone boat, an old man in straw cape and hat fishes alone in the snow on the cold river.
  78. Mooring on the Qinhuai RiverDu Mu · Regulated QuatrainsThe singing girls do not know the grief of a fallen kingdom; across the river they still sing "Flowers in the Rear Court."
  79. Song of the Governor of YanmenLi He · Old-Style SongsBlack clouds press on the city, as if to crush it; armour glints toward the sun, like golden scales opening.
  80. Black Robe LaneLiu Yuxi · Regulated QuatrainsThe swallows that once nested before the halls of the Wang and Xie clans now fly into the homes of ordinary people.
  81. Bring in the WineLi Bai · Old-Style SongsHeaven made my talents, and they must have their use; scatter a thousand in gold and it will all come back again.
  82. Seeing Off Meng Haoran to Guangling at Yellow Crane TowerLi Bai · Regulated QuatrainsMy old friend takes leave of Yellow Crane Tower in the west, going down to Yangzhou in the third month, amid mist and blossom.
  83. Gazing at Tianmen MountainLi Bai · Regulated QuatrainsGreen mountains on both banks stand out facing each other; a single lone sail comes from beside the sun.
  84. The Chancellor of ShuDu Fu · Regulated OctavesHe led the army out but died before victory came, forever making heroes weep until their robes are soaked.
  85. The Old Charcoal SellerBai Juyi · Old-Style SongsPitiful: the clothes on his back are thin, yet fearing charcoal will sell cheap, he wishes the weather colder!
  86. Seeing Off Yuan the Second on a Mission to AnxiWang Wei · Regulated QuatrainsI urge you to drain one more cup of wine: west of Yang Pass you will have no old friends.
  87. Spring DawnMeng Haoran · Regulated QuatrainsIn the night came the sound of wind and rain; how many blossoms have fallen, who can tell?
  88. Untitled: Hard It Is to MeetLi Shangyin · Regulated OctavesThe spring silkworm spins its silk until it dies; the candle's tears dry only when it has burned to ash.
  89. Mountain WalkDu Mu · Regulated QuatrainsI stop my carriage simply because I love the maple wood at dusk; the frost-touched leaves are redder than the flowers of the second month.
  90. Ode to the WillowHe Zhizhang · Regulated QuatrainsWho cut out these slender leaves, I wonder? The spring wind of the second month, like a pair of scissors.
  91. In Reply to Letian, Who Gave Me a Poem at Our First Meeting in YangzhouLiu Yuxi · Regulated OctavesBeside the sunken boat a thousand sails go by; before the sickly tree ten thousand trees burst into spring.

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

15 works

907–979

  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 fall from crowded branches in thousands of flakes; still full of feeling, they mimic snow and whirl in the wind.
  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 much regret, in last night's dream!
  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

61 works

960–1279

  1. Prelude to Water Melody · When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright?Su Shi · Long 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. Charm of Niannu · 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 clear breeze and bright moon are by nature priceless; what a pity they were sold for only forty thousand cash.
  30. Magnolia Blossom, Shortened · 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. 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.
  32. 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.
  33. Visiting a Garden but Finding No One HomeYe Shaoweng · Regulated QuatrainsA garden full of spring cannot be locked away.
  34. On Huichong's Painting 'Spring River at Dusk', No. 1Su Shi · Regulated QuatrainsWhen the spring river warms, the ducks are first to know.
  35. Venting My IndignationLu You · Regulated OctavesWarships in night snow at the Guazhou ferry; armoured horses in autumn wind at Dasan Pass.
  36. Leaving Jingci Temple at Dawn to See Off Lin ZifangYang Wanli · Regulated QuatrainsLotus leaves reaching to the sky, an endless green; lotus blossoms catching the sun, a red like no other.
  37. Tune: Ru Meng Ling — I Often Recall Dusk at the Stream PavilionLi Qingzhao · Short LyricsRow hard, row hard to get through, and up from the shallows startle gulls and egrets.
  38. Tune: Xi Jiang Yue — Walking the Huangsha Road at NightXin Qiji · Short LyricsIn the fragrance of rice blossom there is talk of a good harvest; listen, a whole field of frogs is croaking.
  39. Tune: Su Zhong Qing — Years Ago I Went Ten Thousand Li Seeking a FiefLu You · Short LyricsThe invaders not yet destroyed, my temples already autumn-grey, my tears flow in vain.
  40. Written on the Wall of Xilin TempleSu Shi · Regulated QuatrainsI cannot know the true face of Mount Lu, only because I myself am within this mountain.
  41. Mooring at GuazhouWang Anshi · Regulated QuatrainsThe spring wind has greened the south bank of the river once more; when will the bright moon shine on my return?
  42. Song of the Upright SpiritWen Tianxiang · Old-Style SongsWhen times are desperate, integrity shows itself, and one by one these deeds are handed down in the histories.
  43. Thoughts on Reading, No. 1Zhu Xi · Regulated QuatrainsI ask it how it can be so clear; it is because living water flows in from the source.
  44. Tune: Zui Hua Yin — Thin Mist, Dense Clouds, a Long Day of SorrowLi Qingzhao · Short LyricsDo not say this does not wound the soul: when the west wind rolls up the curtain, I am thinner than the yellow chrysanthemums.
  45. Tune: Pu Sa Man — Written on the Wall at Zaokou, JiangxiXin Qiji · Short LyricsThe green hills cannot hold it back; in the end it flows away east.
  46. Tune: Yangzhou Man — The Famed City East of the HuaiJiang Kui · Long LyricsThe Twenty-Four Bridges are still here; the water's heart ripples, and the cold moon is silent.
  47. Drinking on the Lake, First Clear, Then Rain, No. 2Su Shi · Regulated QuatrainsIf I were to compare West Lake to Xi Shi, light make-up or heavy, either way she is lovely.
  48. New Year's DayWang Anshi · Regulated QuatrainsOn a thousand gates and ten thousand doors the rising sun shines bright; everyone puts up new peach-wood charms in place of the old.
  49. The Little PondYang Wanli · Regulated QuatrainsA little lotus leaf has only just shown its sharp tip, and already a dragonfly stands upon it.
  50. Tune: Ba Sheng Gan Zhou — Facing the Evening Rain Sprinkling over River and SkyLiu Yong · Long LyricsBy degrees the frosty wind grows bitter and keen, passes and rivers lie cold and desolate, and the last light falls on my tower.
  51. Tune: Wuling Chun — The Wind Has Stilled, the Dust Is FragrantLi Qingzhao · Short LyricsI only fear the tiny grasshopper boats of Twin Creeks could not carry so much sorrow.
  52. Tune: Nanxiang Zi — Thoughts on Climbing Beigu Pavilion at JingkouXin Qiji · Mid-Length LyricsAmong the world's heroes, who was his match? Cao and Liu. A son should be like Sun Zhongmou.
  53. Fisherman's Pride · Autumn ThoughtsFan Zhongyan · Mid-Length Lyricsunder long smoke and the setting sun, the lone walled town shuts its gates
  54. Su Mu Zhe · Remembering HomeFan Zhongyan · Mid-Length LyricsBlue clouds in the sky, yellow leaves on the ground
  55. Plum Blossoms (A Few Sprays by the Wall)Wang Anshi · Regulated QuatrainsFrom afar I know they are not snow, for a faint fragrance drifts my way.
  56. Spring Day (Seeking Flowers by the Si)Zhu Xi · Regulated QuatrainsEasily one comes to know the face of the east wind: ten thousand purples and a thousand reds, all of it is spring.
  57. Ru Meng Ling · Last Night the Rain Was Sparse and the Wind GustyLi Qingzhao · Short LyricsI asked the maid who was rolling up the blind; she said the crabapple was just as before.
  58. The Fisherman on the RiverFan Zhongyan · Regulated QuatrainsBut look at that boat like a single leaf, now seen, now lost among the wind and waves.
  59. Gui Zhi Xiang · Meditation on the Past at JinlingWang Anshi · Long LyricsThe clear river runs a thousand li like white silk; the green peaks cluster like arrowheads.
  60. Yan Shan Ting · Seeing Apricot Blossoms on the Journey NorthZhao Ji · Long LyricsHeaven so far, earth so wide, ten thousand rivers and a thousand mountains: who knows where the old palace lies?
  61. Little Layered Hills · Last Night the Autumn Crickets Chirped Without CeaseYue Fei · Short LyricsI would entrust my heart's concerns to the jade-inlaid zither.

Ming

4 works

1368–1644

  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. Jinming Pool · Chanting the Winter WillowLiu Rushi · Long LyricsI grieve at the cold tide and the heartless evening glow: this is the bleak southern shore of parting.

Qing

19 works

1636–1912

  1. Song of YuanyuanWu Weiye · Old-Style SongsThe six armies wailed, all clad in mourning white; but the rage that lifted his cap was for a rosy-cheeked beauty.
  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 OctavesNine men out of ten deserve a white-eyed glance; of all a hundred kinds, the most useless is the scholar.
  8. Composed on Setting Out for Exile to Show My FamilyLin Zexu · Regulated OctavesIf it benefits the country, I will give my life or death to it; how could I flee or seek a thing because it brings misfortune or fortune?
  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. Immortal by the River · 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 Scroll Combining Qu Wengshan's Letters, Small Landscapes by Shitao, Shixi and Bada Shanren, and Baiding's Ink OrchidsZheng Xie (Zheng Banqiao) · Regulated QuatrainsDaubed across and brushed down, thousands upon thousands of scrolls: few are the drops of ink, many the drops of tears.
  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.
  18. Primer of Sound and RhythmChe Wanyu (comp.) · CoupletsCloud pairs with rain, snow pairs with wind, evening glow pairs with clear sky. Arriving swan pairs with departing swallow, roosting bird pairs with singing insect.
  19. Tong PassTan Sitong · Regulated QuatrainsThe river, on the great plain, still chafes at its confines; the mountains, entering Tong Pass, refuse to lie level.