Through the Dynasties · LD8

Northern and Southern

Confrontation between northern and southern regimes and ethnic integration

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Classical Poetry

Orthodox classical Chinese poetry spanning archaic ballads to Tang regulated verse.10 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. 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?
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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?

Rhapsody & Parallel Prose

Grand rhapsodies and parallel prose showcasing acoustic symmetry and ornate eloquence.8 works
  1. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. 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.
  4. 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!
  5. 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!
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Rhapsody on the Dancing Crane · ExcerptBao Zhao · Short RhapsodiesFluttering and soaring together in unison, dispersing apart and spreading wide. Heaven freezes and Earth closes in frost and snow. Crying clear notes into the ninth heaven, spreading agile wings across ten thousand li.

Classical Prose

Authoritative classical prose from Pre-Qin philosophers to Tang-Song prose masters.6 works
  1. Reply to Secretary XieTao Hongjing · Letters & PrefacesThe splendor of mountains and rivers has been universally celebrated from antiquity. Lofty peaks pierce the clouds; crystal streams reveal their gravel beds. Rock cliffs on both shores shimmer in kaleidoscopic hues; verdant woods and emerald bamboo flourish through all four seasons.
  2. Letter to Zhu YuansiWu Jun · Letters & PrefacesWind and mist have completely vanished; sky and mountains share the same crystalline azure. Drifting with the current, wandering freely east or west. Across the hundred leagues from Fuyang to Tonglu, the marvelous mountains and wondrous waters are peerless under Heaven.
  3. Letter to Attendant ShiWu Jun · Letters & PrefacesMy native mountains harbor many wondrous peaks, where springs and rocks are pure and cool. The beauty of these ancestral hills cannot be exhausted by words.
  4. Proclamation of Mount BeishanKong Zhigui · Essays & MemorialsThe spirits of Mount Zhongshan and the guardians of the thatched hermitage proclaim this edict carved across mountain crags. Pray permit me to declare it to all gentlemen.
  5. Letter to Chen BozhiQiu Chi · Letters & PrefacesIn the third month of late spring, grasses grow tall across Jiangnan, diverse blossoms cloak trees, and flocks of orioles flutter in chorus. Seeing the banners and drums of your ancestral homeland, reminiscing on your past days, mounting the parapet touching your bowstring—how could your heart not be torn with sorrow?
  6. Book of the Later Han · Biography of Ma Yuan (Excerpt)Fan Ye · Historical NarrativeA man of resolve should grow firmer in hardship and more vigorous in old age.

Classical Fiction

Narrative masterworks from Six Dynasties strange tales to epic Ming-Qing novels.8 works
  1. 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.
  2. A New Account of Tales of the World: Supreme and Exquisite WordsLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeYellow silk, young woman, daughter's child, dried-leek mortar—it means 'exquisite and supreme words'. My wit falls short of yours by thirty leagues.
  3. A New Account of Tales of the World: Guan Ning Severing the MatLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeGuan Ning cut the sitting mat in two and sat apart, saying: 'You are no friend of mine.'
  4. A New Account of Tales of the World: Zhou Chu Eliminating the Three EvilsLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeThe ancients valued understanding truth in the morning even if dying at dusk; how much brighter is your future! One need only worry whether one's noble will is established—why fret over failing to achieve a glorious name!
  5. A New Account of Tales of the World: Wang Ziyou's Snowy Night Visit to DaiLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeI set out upon a sudden wave of inspiration and return when that inspiration is spent—why must I see Dai!
  6. A New Account of Tales of the World: Shi Chong and Wang Kai Vying in ExtravaganceLiu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeAfter inspecting it, Shi Chong struck the coral tree with an iron ruyi wand, shattering it instantly. When Wang Kai grieved, Chong laughed: 'Nothing to lament, I shall repay you!' Ordering six or seven coral trees three to four feet tall brought forth, Wang Kai stood utterly dumbfounded.
  7. Sequel to Qi Xie · The Scholar in the Goose CageWu Jun · Tales of the StrangeThe scholar spewed a lovely maiden from his mouth to drink wine with. When the scholar fell asleep drunk, the maiden vomited a young man in brocade robes to lie with; when she stepped away, the youth spewed yet another maiden to embrace. In moments they swallowed each other back in reverse succession, leaving only the solitary scholar who stepped back into the goose cage.
  8. A New Account of the Tales of the World · Speech and Conversation (Excerpt)Liu Yiqing · Tales of the StrangeThe mountains and rivers light each other up, so that one cannot take it all in.

Fables & Lore

Philosophical fables, historical allusion narratives, and primordial mythology.7 works
  1. Gazing at Plums to Quench ThirstLiu Yiqing · Historical AllusionsA vivid hope can lift people's spirits enough to get them through hardship.
  2. A Great Talent Put to Petty UseFan Ye · Satirical ParablesWasting great talent on small tasks harms both the person and the nation.
  3. Guarding Against the First Small SignsFan Ye · Satirical ParablesStop trouble at its first small sign, before it grows beyond control.
  4. Seeing the Leopard Through a TubeLiu Yiqing · Historical AllusionsThough one sees only a spot, a discerning eye can infer the whole leopard.
  5. Drawing a Tiger That Looks Like a DogFan Ye · Satirical ParablesImitating what is beyond your reach leaves you a clumsy caricature.
  6. A Tower Built in the AirSanghasena · Satirical ParablesSeeking the top floor without building the foundation achieves nothing.
  7. The Blind Men and the ElephantDharmakshema (translator) · Satirical ParablesTaking one part for the whole leads everyone to insist on a partial truth.

Literary Criticism

Classical literary aesthetics, treatises on poetic craft, and critical commentaries.6 works
  1. The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons · Tracing the DaoLiu Xie · Literary TheoryGreat indeed is the power of Wen (Pattern/Literature), born coeval with Heaven and Earth! Dark and yellow colors intermingle, square and round forms take shape. Sun and moon like stacked jade disks hang down splendid celestial patterns; mountains and rivers like lustrous brocades spread out patterned terrestrial forms. This is truly the Wen of the Dao.
  2. The Literary Mind · Spiritual Thought & Creative ImaginationLiu Xie · Literary TheoryThe thought in literary creation—how far-reaching is its spirit! In tranquil meditation, thought connects across a thousand years; quietly stirred, vision spans ten thousand li. In chanting and recitation, pearls and jade ring in the voice; before the eyebrows, winds and clouds unfurl their colors.
  3. The Literary Mind · Wind and Bone / Vital Spirit & StructureLiu Xie · Literary TheoryPoetry encompasses six principles, with Feng (Wind/Emotion) at their head, the source of moral transformation and the seal of lofty aspiration. When language is upright and clear, the bone of text is formed; when spirit is swift and vigorous, the wind of text is born.
  4. The Literary Mind · Emotion and Literary OrnamentLiu Xie · Literary TheoryIn ancient times poets composed stanzas where writing was created for genuine emotion; later rhapsodists fabricated artificial emotion for the sake of writing. Water by nature is fluid so ripples form; trees by nature are solid so blossoms open—literary form depends upon genuine substance. Profuse embellishment devoid of true feeling will inevitably repel upon tasting.
  5. The Literary Mind · The Understanding Critic / Appreciative ReaderLiu Xie · Literary TheoryHow difficult it is to find an understanding critic (Zhiyin)! The inner melody is hard to discern, the true listener hard to encounter; to meet a true soulmate of art happens perhaps once in a thousand years! Only after playing a thousand melodies does one understand tone; only after inspecting a thousand swords does one recognize fine steel. Therefore, comprehensive discernment demands broad observation.
  6. Poetry Gradings · Preface · ExcerptZhong Rong · Poetry TalksThe Primordial Qi stirs external objects, external objects move the human soul; thus human temperament is swayed and poured into dance and song. To illuminate the Three Powers, to shed radiance upon myriad existence, to offer sacrifice to ancestral spirits and grant immortality to subtle thoughts—nothing equals Poetry.

Sayings & Idioms

Living Chinese linguistic heritage comprising idioms, proverbs, aphorisms, and couplets.26 works
  1. Raising the Tray to Eyebrow LevelFan Ye · IdiomsMeng Guang raised the food tray to her brows when serving her husband; mutual respect between spouses.
  2. Unconcerned with TriflesFan Ye · IdiomsNot fussing over minor details or etiquette; easygoing and broad-minded in manner.
  3. Barely SatisfactoryFan Ye · IdiomsOriginally, still able to rouse spirits; now, passable or more or less satisfactory.
  4. Spilled Water Cannot Be GatheredBook of the Later Han · IdiomsWhat is done cannot be undone, like spilled water that cannot be recovered.
  5. A Crane among ChickensA New Account of Tales of the World · IdiomsStanding out conspicuously from those around one in bearing or talent.
  6. A Rising TalentA New Account of Tales of the World · IdiomsA promising newcomer; an outstanding member of the younger generation.
  7. Old but Ever More VigorousBook of the Later Han · IdiomsGrowing more vigorous and determined with age.
  8. Strength Fails the WillBook of the Later Han · IdiomsWanting to do something but lacking the strength or ability.
  9. Too Much for the Eyes to Take InA New Account of Tales of the World · IdiomsSo much to see that the eyes cannot keep up.
  10. Silent, Imperceptible TransformationYan Zhitui · IdiomsOne's thinking or character is gradually changed by unnoticed influence.
  11. Pleasing to Heart and EyeXie Lingyun · IdiomsDelightful to the heart and pleasing to the eye.
  12. Quenching Thirst by Thinking of PlumsLiu Yiqing · IdiomsCao Cao's thirsty troops cheered by imagined plums; consoling oneself with fantasies.
  13. Ten Thousand People, One HeartFan Ye · IdiomsMillions united as one; complete solidarity.
  14. In High SpiritsLiu Xie · IdiomsOriginally of lofty, brilliant writing; now, elated and in high spirits.
  15. Different Mouths, One VoiceShen Yue · IdiomsMany people saying the same thing; unanimous.
  16. Leading into WonderlandLiu Yiqing · IdiomsDrawing one into an enchanting realm; captivating scenery or works.
  17. Too Many to Take InLiu Yiqing · IdiomsToo much beauty to take in at once; or too many matters to handle.
  18. A Hundred Feelings MingledLiu Yiqing · IdiomsAll kinds of feelings welling up at once; describes deeply mixed emotions.
  19. Growing Worse and WorseXiao Tong · IdiomsOriginally to develop further; now for something bad becoming even worse.
  20. Running Neck and NeckLiu Xie · IdiomsHorses harnessed side by side galloping together; being on a par with one another.
  21. Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonYu Xin · IdiomsHidden dragons and crouching tigers; a place concealing undiscovered talent.
  22. Putting It Out of MindFan Ye · IdiomsGiving no thought to something, especially one's own safety or life.
  23. Overbearingly AggressiveLiu Yiqing · IdiomsAggressively overbearing; also, strikingly impressive in a way that puts others under pressure.
  24. Nipping Evil in the BudFan Ye · IdiomsTo check wrongdoing at its first sign and prevent it from growing.
  25. Viewing a Leopard Through a TubeLiu Yiqing · IdiomsSeeing only one spot of a leopard through a tube; a partial view, or inferring the whole from a part.
  26. Drawing a Tiger That Looks Like a DogFan Ye · IdiomsTrying to draw a tiger but ending with a dog; overreaching ambition or clumsy imitation.