Through the Dynasties · LH13

Yuan

Zaju drama and sanqu songs flourish: Guan Hanqing and Wang Shifu bring literature to the city stage

146works

6forms

25authors

Poetry

3 works

Orthodox classical Chinese poetry spanning archaic ballads to Tang regulated verse.

  1. Tomb of Prince Yue of EZhao Mengfu · Regulated OctavesThe ruler and ministers who crossed south made light of the state; the elders of the Central Plains watched for the banners.
  2. Collected Works of CangchunLiu Bingzhong · Regulated OctavesOne day of leisure is worth a thousand in gold
  3. Collected Poems of HuaiyangZhang Hongfan · Regulated OctavesI whet my sword on the stone till the stone cracks; I water my horse in the Long River till the river runs dry.

Lyrics

16 works

Pinnacle of lyric verse and musical poetry spanning delicate grace and heroic grandeur.

  1. Sounds of Heaven CollectionBai Pu · Long LyricsWho, I ask, can make his heart as calm as the water in autumn
  2. Eight Immortals Gather at the Jade Terrace · Sending My Mood: The Lovely Autumn MoonZhang Yan · Long LyricsTen years of a lone sword over endless miles: how can it match watering a garden of my own?
  3. Water Dragon Chant · White Lotus: Lotus on the Immortal's PalmZhang Yan · Long LyricsLightly made up above the water, slender and upright as jade, she sways as if to dance.
  4. Fragrance of Silk Gauze · Red Leaves: Frost Flying Ten Thousand MilesZhang Yan · Long LyricsIn vain they lean on new make-up; they will never enter the flower register of Luoyang.
  5. Sparse Shadows · Shadows of Plum Blossom: A Sliver of Moon at DuskZhang Yan · Long LyricsBrows lightly brushed in the mirror: her beauty lies not in looks, but in a lonely purity.
  6. Charm of Niannu · The Stone City: Atop the Stone CitySa Doula · Long LyricsBanners that hid the sun, masts and oars that joined the clouds: white bones lie scattered like snow.
  7. Flowers on the Path · Remembering: Across Passes and Hills in a DreamZhang Zhu · Long LyricsGreen notepaper closely records the tender past; each time I read it my heart breaks again.
  8. First Spray in the East Wind · Remembering the Plum: The Old Tree Mossed All OverZhang Zhu · Long LyricsThin pale clouds, the powder fading; a soft light wind, the frozen fragrance falling again.
  9. Groping for Fish · Seeing Spring Off: The West Lake RisingZhang Zhu · Long LyricsThe hills and waters are as fine as ever; only the silk-clad company has scattered like clouds.
  10. Many Beauties · West Lake: The Evening Hills Are GreenZhang Zhu · Long LyricsDeep in the lotus, kingfishers cool in the rain; on soft wild rice the wind teases dragonflies.
  11. Gaoyang Terrace · Orioles Nesting in Linked LeavesZhang Yan · Long LyricsEast wind, stay a while with the roses; by the time the roses come, spring is already to be pitied.
  12. Clouds Crossing the River · Empty Hills, the Sky Sinking into the SeaZhang Yan · Long LyricsEven if letters come from far away, how is it there are no dreams at all?
  13. Eight Beats of Ganzhou · Remembering Snow at the Jade Gate PassZhang Yan · Long LyricsI break off reed flowers to send far away; all of me is scattered autumn.
  14. Undoing the Linked Rings · The Chu River Empty at DuskZhang Yan · Long LyricsIt cannot form a letter; it can send only a single dot of longing.
  15. Sparse Shadows · Green and Round, Pure of ItselfZhang Yan · Long LyricsClear dew in the leaf's heart like leaden water, and another night the west wind snaps it.
  16. Flute Beneath the Moon · A Lone Cloud Ten Thousand Miles AwayZhang Yan · Long LyricsA weary traveller at the edge of the world, my heart is bitter at this hour.

Drama

38 works

Sanqu lyric suites, Yuan Zaju poetic dramas, and Ming-Qing Kunqu masterworks.

  1. Autumn ThoughtsMa Zhiyuan · Sanqu SongsWithered vines, old trees, evening crows; a small bridge, flowing water, a cottage home; an ancient road, west wind, a lean horse. The evening sun sinks in the west; a heartbroken traveler wanders at the world's end.
  2. Sails Returning to Distant ShoresMa Zhiyuan · Sanqu SongsBeneath the sunset glow, tavern banners hang calm; two or three skiffs have yet to moor. Falling blossoms scent the dusk waters by thatched huts; at the broken bridgehead, the fishmongers disperse.
  3. Night Voyage: Autumn ReflectionsMa Zhiyuan · Song SuitesA hundred years of light and shade are one butterfly dream; looking back, past affairs make one sigh.
  4. Falling Plum Wind: Rose DewMa Zhiyuan · Sanqu SongsDew on the roses, rain on the lotus leaves, frost on the chrysanthemums: a chill fragrance fills the courtyard.
  5. Refusing to Yield to AgeGuan Hanqing · Song SuitesI am a ringing, clanging bronze pea that will not soften when steamed, will not cook through when boiled, will not flatten when pounded, will not pop when roasted.
  6. Drunk in East Wind: Worlds Apart in a Single StepGuan Hanqing · Sanqu SongsSo near, yet as far apart as the south of heaven and the north of earth; in an instant the moon wanes and the flowers fly.
  7. Four Pieces of Jade: Parting LongingGuan Hanqing · Sanqu SongsSince our parting, my heart aches to let go; when will this ember of longing ever cease? Leaning on the balustrade, sleeves brush away snowy willow catkins. The stream bends, the hills conceal—my beloved is gone!
  8. Song of Great Virtue: AutumnGuan Hanqing · Sanqu SongsThe wind gusts, the rain patters; even Chen Tuan could not sleep through this.
  9. AutumnBai Pu · Sanqu SongsA lonely hamlet, setting sun, lingering twilight; light mist, old trees, chilly crows; a solitary wild goose casts its fleeting shadow. Blue mountains, green waters, bleached grasses, crimson maple leaves, and yellow chrysanthemums.
  10. SpringBai Pu · Sanqu SongsSpring mountains, warm sunlight, gentle breeze; balustrades, lofty pavilions, screened casements; weeping willows and swings in the courtyard. Warbling orioles, dancing swallows, a small bridge, flowing water, and fluttering red petals.
  11. FishermanBai Pu · Sanqu SongsYellow-reed banks and white-duckweed ferry landings; green-willow dikes and red-smartweed shoals.
  12. Meditations at Tongguan PassZhang Yanghao · Sanqu SongsMountain peaks gather close, wild billows surge in wrath; fortress pass of Tongguan framed by mountains and rushing stream. Gazing toward the Western Capital, hesitation weighs upon my soul. Sorrow strikes traversing the ancient lands of Qin and Han: ten thousand palace halls have all turned to dust. In imperial rise, the common people suffer; in imperial fall, the common people suffer.
  13. Meditations at Mount LiZhang Yanghao · Sanqu SongsSurveying Mount Li on all four sides, the Epang Palace burnt in a single torch: where is that imperial luxury today? Only sparse overgrown weeds remain, and streams winding in solitude. Lingering historical regrets shroud misty trees. Feudal kingdoms of Zhou, Qi, Qin, Han, and Chu: winner, all turned to dust; loser, all turned to dust!
  14. Praising JiangnanZhang Yanghao · Sanqu SongsMisty river waters reflect clear mountain hazes, dwellings on both shores join painted eaves, lotus clusters embrace a tranquil autumn light. Watching sand gulls dance again and again, rolling up fragrant breezes through ten miles of pearl curtains. Painted skiffs arrive from the horizon, wine flags flutter in the breeze: how I adore Jiangnan!
  15. Double Ninth FestivalZhang Kejiu · Sanqu SongsFacing the green hills, I force myself to straighten my black gauze cap. Returning geese cross the autumn sky; the weary traveller longs for home.
  16. Meditations on HistoryZhang Kejiu · Sanqu SongsThe beauty took her life by the banks of the Wujiang River; flames of war once scorched the Red Cliff cliffs; valiant generals aged in vain at the Jade Gate Pass. Heartbroken by Qin and Han, when innocent lives were trampled as ashes—the scholar gives a long, deep sigh!
  17. Spring ThoughtsZhang Kejiu · Sanqu SongsYellow orioles cry wildly in the willows outside the gate, after the fine rain of Qingming.
  18. Self-AccountQiao Ji · Sanqu SongsNo champion in imperial civil examinations, no official salary in imperial rolls. Accustomed to chasing wild butterflies and bees amid blossoms and wine. Laughing proudly amid forests and springs, casting aside fame and profit. Wandering in east winds, ten years a dream—let it all rest, calculate no more!
  19. Seeking Plum BlossomsQiao Ji · Sanqu SongsBefore and after winter through several hamlets, north and south of streams with frost on both shoes, searching atop and beneath trees on Lonely Hill. Whence comes this sudden fragrance in the chilling breeze? Met unexpectedly, standing still in rapt gaze: snowy bones, icy flesh, jade essence, orchid fragrance.
  20. Palace Joy: King Huai of ChuGuan Yunshi · Sanqu SongsKing Huai of Chu: his loyal minister leapt into the Miluo River.
  21. Song of You and MeGuan Daosheng · Sanqu SongsYou and I, our love is overwhelmingly deep; where love is so deep, it blazes like fire! Take a lump of clay, mold a you, and shape a me. Smash both of us together, mix with water, then mold another you and shape another me. In my clay there is you, in your clay there is me!
  22. Rootless Tree · Daoist Sentiment No. 1Zhang Sanfeng · Storytelling BalladsRootless tree, its blossoms quiet and secluded; who, clinging to the red dust of the world, is willing to cultivate the Way?
  23. The Injustice to Dou EGuan Hanqing · Yuan Zaju DramaIt is all because officials care nothing for true law, leaving the common people with mouths that cannot speak.
  24. Romance of the Western ChamberWang Shifu · Yuan Zaju DramaMay all lovers under heaven be joined as husband and wife.
  25. Rain on the Paulownia TreeBai Pu · Yuan Zaju DramaAll night the autumn rain strikes the paulownia, every drop a measure of the emperor's undying grief.
  26. The Soul of Qiannü Leaves Her BodyZheng Guangzu · Yuan Zaju DramaOf all life's sorrows, parting is the bitterest.
  27. Autumn in the Han PalaceMa Zhiyuan · Yuan Zaju DramaToday I watch Zhaojun go out beyond the frontier; when will she come home, as Su Wu did?
  28. The Orphan of ZhaoJi Junxiang · Yuan Zaju DramaA man may mean the tiger no harm, but the tiger means to hurt the man.
  29. The Story of the LuteGao Ming · Southern DramaAs for plays: to please people is easy, to move them is hard.
  30. Wang Can Climbs the TowerZheng Guangzu · Yuan Zaju DramaHere I lean on the railing and gaze; there my mother leans at the gate in grief.
  31. Rescuing a Sister from the Wind and DustGuan Hanqing · Yuan Zaju DramaThink things through beforehand to avoid regret later.
  32. The Single-Sword MeetingGuan Hanqing · Yuan Zaju DramaThe blood of heroes that twenty years have not washed away!
  33. The River-View PavilionGuan Hanqing · Yuan Zaju DramaHere, all smiles, we laugh in the spring breeze behind the lotus curtains; while he, cold and lonely, keeps company with the waning moon on the willow bank.
  34. On the Wall and on HorsebackBai Pu · Yuan Zaju DramaLiu so near is already heartbroken: for whom do you lean smiling on the wall?
  35. Withered Lotus LeavesLiu Bingzhong · Sanqu SongsAll because of last night's frost, they lie forlorn on the autumn river.
  36. The Clever MaidZheng Guangzu · Yuan Zaju DramaHaven't you heard, 'a moment of a spring night is worth a thousand in gold'!
  37. The Yellow Millet DreamMa Zhiyuan · Yuan Zaju DramaBefore the yellow millet is cooked, his clear dream will still be dark, and I will make him see the rivers and mountains changed and the sun and moon made new.
  38. Lichun HallWang Shifu · Yuan Zaju DramaJoyful like this, forgetting my cares, why should I long to go back?

Prose

7 works

Authoritative classical prose from Pre-Qin philosophers to Tang-Song prose masters.

  1. Words of the Orange SellerLiu Bowen · Essays & MemorialsBandits rise and they do not know how to resist them; the people suffer and they do not know how to relieve them; clerks are corrupt and they do not know how to stop them; laws decay and they do not know how to set them right; they sit wasting the granary's grain and know no shame.
  2. History of SongToqto'a (comp.) · Historical NarrativeWhen civil officials do not love money and military officers do not grudge their lives, the realm will be at peace.
  3. The Secret History of the MongolsAnonymous (anonymous thirteenth-century Mongol court author; transcribed in Chinese characters and summarised in Chinese by the early Ming translators) · Historical NarrativeWhen Taizu was born, he held in his right hand a clot of blood like a knucklebone.
  4. Surviving Writings of Lu ZhaiXu Heng · Essays & MemorialsLaws govern men and men keep the laws
  5. History of LiaoToqto'a (comp.) · Historical NarrativeThis girl will surely make a family flourish.
  6. History of JinToqto'a (comp.) · Historical NarrativeNo state in history has failed to fall, and the rulers of fallen states have often been taken captive... I shall not come to that.
  7. Gazetteer of XijinXiong Mengxiang · NotebooksA late-Yuan gazetteer of Dadu, now known only from quotations.

Fables

4 works

Philosophical fables, historical allusion narratives, and primordial mythology.

  1. Swallowing Dates WholeBai Ting · Satirical ParablesTaking things in without chewing them over yields no real understanding.
  2. Staking Everything on One ThrowToqto'a et al. · Satirical ParablesAn all-or-nothing gamble is perilous; even victory can bring suspicion.
  3. The Fox Mourns the Dead HareToqto'a et al. · Satirical ParablesWhen one of your kind falls, take it as a warning for yourself.
  4. Yulizi (The Book of Master Yuli)Liu Bowen · Satirical ParablesWhat is Yuli? Li is fire, the sign of civilization; put to use, its culture flourishes, bringing the rule of an enlightened age.

Sayings

78 works

Living Chinese linguistic heritage comprising idioms, proverbs, aphorisms, and couplets.

  1. Calm and Self-PossessedToqto'a et al. · IdiomsCalm and composed, even in an emergency.
  2. Staking Everything on One ThrowToqto'a et al. (comp.) · IdiomsBetting everything on a single throw; a desperate all-or-nothing gamble.
  3. The Fox Mourns the Dead HareToqto'a et al. (comp.) · IdiomsThe fox grieves over the dead hare; sorrow for the misfortune of one's own kind.
  4. Gold and Jade Outside, Rotten Cotton WithinLiu Bowen · AphorismsWhere can one go and not find gold and jade on the outside, and rotten cotton within?
  5. Leaving Well and Home BehindMa Zhiyuan · IdiomsSuppose our founding emperor had sent your own maid off to leave her well and home behind, to lie in snow and sleep in frost.
  6. Dou E's Tears Streaming DownGuan Hanqing · AphorismsAh, all I am left with are tears streaming from both eyes.
  7. So Joyful as to Forget All CaresWang Shifu · IdiomsJoyful like this, forgetting all my cares, why should I hurry home?
  8. Cold Fragrance Drifting Through the CourtyardMa Zhiyuan · AphorismsDew on the roses, rain on the lotus leaves, frost on the chrysanthemums, cold fragrance in the courtyard.
  9. Going to the Parley with a Single BladeGuan Hanqing · IdiomsLu Su invited Guan Yu to meet; each side halted its troops a hundred paces off, and only the commanders came together, each with a single blade.
  10. Ancient Road and West Wind in Autumn ThoughtsMa Zhiyuan · AphorismsAn ancient road, the west wind, a lean horse. The sun sets in the west; a heartbroken traveler at the edge of the world.
  11. Guarded by Mountains Within and River WithoutZhang Yanghao · IdiomsThe peaks crowd together, the waves rage, and between mountain and river runs the road through Tongguan.
  12. Fearing the Hard, Bullying the SoftGuan Hanqing · IdiomsHeaven and Earth! You too fear the hard and bully the soft; so you also just push the boat along with the current!
  13. Fallen Petals Scent the River at DuskMa Zhiyuan · AphorismsFallen petals scent the water, the thatched huts grow dark; at the broken bridge, the fish sellers have gone.
  14. Beauty That Downs Geese and Sinks FishWang Shifu · IdiomsHere I turn my head and suddenly glimpse a beauty; truly she could make geese fall and fish sink.
  15. The Four Vices of Wine, Lust, Wealth and TemperMa Zhiyuan · IdiomsBy the time he wakes, eighteen years will have passed, and he will have seen wine, lust, wealth and temper, self and others, right and wrong.
  16. Heaven Misjudges the Good and the WickedGuan Hanqing · AphorismsEarth, you cannot tell good from bad, how can you be earth? Heaven, you misjudge the worthy and the foolish, you are heaven in vain!
  17. Blue-Cloud Skies Above the Long Pavilion FarewellWang Shifu · AphorismsBlue-cloud sky, yellow-flowered earth; the west wind blows hard, and the northern geese fly south.
  18. Frosted Woods Dyed Red by the Tears of PartingWang Shifu · AphorismsAt dawn, who has dyed the frosted woods as red as a drunkard's face? It is always the tears of those who part.
  19. Patching the Leak in Midstream Is Too LateGuan Hanqing · IdiomsBy then it will be patching the leak in midstream; whom could you blame for your troubles? Think things through first and spare yourself regret.
  20. A Bronze Pea That Will Not CrackGuan Hanqing · AphorismsI am a bronze pea that will not steam soft, will not boil through, will not pound flat, will not fry and pop, a pea that rings like metal.
  21. Frosted Woods Flushed as If with WineWang Shifu · AphorismsWho dyed the frosted woods this morning, flushed as if with wine? It must be the tears of those who part.
  22. Yellow Chrysanthemums Carpet the GroundWang Shifu · AphorismsBlue clouds in the sky, yellow flowers on the ground, the west wind sharp, wild geese flying south.
  23. Ten Li of Land and Five Hundred MenToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsHe had one cheng of land and one lü of followers; he was able to spread his virtue and lay his plans, gather the people of Xia and restore their offices.
  24. Reciting a Text After One ReadingToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsWhen he began his studies and received the classics, he could recite them after one reading.
  25. Of One Mind Without ConferringToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsWhen Lü Yihao was at Kuaiji he proposed this plan; Han Shizhong has reached the same idea without conferring.
  26. Reaching the Same Plan Without Prior ConsultationToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsWhen Lü Yihao was at Kuaiji he proposed this plan; Han Shizhong has reached the same idea without conferring.
  27. Like a Stray Dog Without a HomeToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThere is a man at the east gate whose forehead is like Yao's, whose neck is like Gao Yao's and whose shoulders are like Zichan's, but who is three inches short of Yu below the waist; weary and forlorn, he looks like a dog without a home.
  28. Giving One's Life for the NationToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsJudging that there was no escape, Lu Xiufu drove his wife and children into the sea at sword point, then took the king on his back and died in the sea. He was forty-four.
  29. Entrusting Office to the Worthy and AbleToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsI hope Your Majesty will decide by public principle, close the frontier and break off the treaty, entrust office to the worthy and able, establish order and discipline, and stir up good customs.
  30. You and I, So Deeply EntwinedGuan Daosheng · AphorismsYou and I, so deeply entwined, our love is overflowing; where love is deep, it burns like fire.
  31. Winning by the Unexpected StrokeToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAnd it is from here, too, that we may win by the unexpected stroke and strike at the enemy's flanks.
  32. Wide Learning and a Powerful MemoryToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsHe was bright and quick by nature, widely read with a powerful memory; he could recite more than a thousand characters a day and draw a bow of one shi and five dou.
  33. A Rich State and a Strong Army: Zhu Xi's Plan Against JinToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAfter a few years, when the state is rich and the army strong, we will weigh our strength against their weaknesses and calmly rise to act.
  34. Ruling from Behind the Curtain: Empress Dowager Liu of SongToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThe Empress Dowager sat with the emperor in the Chengming Hall and decided affairs from behind a curtain.
  35. A Treaty Signed Beneath the Walls: The Chanyuan SlanderToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsA treaty under the walls is a shame recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals; what happened at Chanyuan was such a treaty.
  36. Not Made by Heaven: Meng Gong Drains the Pool at CaizhouToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsChaitan was not made by Heaven and set by Earth; all they rely on is this water. Breach it and drain it, and it will dry up at once.
  37. Content in Poverty, Faithful to the Way: Zhu Xi Declines OfficeToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsZhu Xi is content in poverty and faithful to the Way; his integrity and modesty are admirable.
  38. Serve the Nation with Utmost Loyalty: The Words on Yue Fei's BackToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsYue Fei tore his robe and showed his back, which bore four large characters, 'serve the nation with utmost loyalty', cut deep into the skin.
  39. A Just Cause Makes an Army Strong: Shen Kuo at the Liao CourtToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAn army in the right is strong; in the wrong, it is spent.
  40. Till the River Is a Sash and the Mountain a WhetstoneToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThe Han favoured its meritorious officials and proclaimed the oath of the river as a sash; the Zhou honoured its elder statesmen and granted them states by the sea.
  41. Homing Geese Across the Autumn SkyZhang Kejiu · AphorismsFacing the green hills I force myself to straighten my black gauze cap; homing geese cross the autumn sky, and the weary traveller longs for home.
  42. Checking Titles Against Real PerformanceToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsTechnique means appointing to office according to ability, and holding the name to account against the reality.
  43. Fretting Over Gain and LossXu Heng · IdiomsBefore he gets it, he worries about getting it; once he has it, he worries about losing it.
  44. Composed and Unhurried in the Enemy CampToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsThe Jin commander Wolibu kept him in the camp for ten days, and the emperor remained calm and at ease.
  45. Never Letting a Book Leave His HandsToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsFrom then on he never let a book leave his hands, until he no longer noticed hunger, thirst, cold or heat.
  46. Placing One's True Heart in Another's BreastToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThe King of Xiao has placed his true heart in our breasts; how could we not die for him!
  47. Braving Execution by the AxeToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsI, Qin Hui, heedless of execution by the axe, set out the interests of both courts, and ask that the heir be restored to the throne to bring peace to the four quarters.
  48. In the Full Prime of One's YearsToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThis must be some petty man telling Your Majesty that you are in the full prime of your years, so why hasten into an ill-omened matter.
  49. Pressing On Day and NightToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAnd so he pressed on day and night, reached the tombs with the two envoys, presented the imperial memorial, completed the rites and returned.
  50. You in My Clay and I in YoursGuan Daosheng · AphorismsIn my clay there is you, and in your clay there is me.
  51. Father and Son Fall Together: The Jingkang DisasterToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsIn the end father and son fell together, and the altars of the state were overgrown with weeds.
  52. The Common People in Mud and Ashes: Zhang Kejiu Looks BackZhang Kejiu · IdiomsHeartbreak of Qin and Han: the common people in mud and ashes; a scholar can only sigh long.
  53. Afraid at the Head, Afraid at the Tail: Xu Heng on Using TalentXu Heng · IdiomsYet one fears at the head and fears at the tail, worries over gain and loss, and watches the harm without promoting or dismissing them.
  54. August Heaven and Sovereign Earth Bear Witness: Yue Fei's VowToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAugust Heaven and Sovereign Earth can bear witness to my heart.
  55. To Reform the Age and Change Its Customs: Wang Anshi's AmbitionToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsHe was fired with the ambition to reform the age and change its customs.
  56. Laughing Proudly Among Forests and Springs: Qiao Ji's Self-PortraitQiao Ji · AphorismsLaughing proudly among forests and springs, I have scattered fame and profit to the winds.
  57. Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty: The Words on Yue Fei's BackToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsYue Fei tore his robe and showed He Zhu his back, on which four large characters, serve the country with utmost loyalty, were cut deep into the skin.
  58. Red Leaves and Yellow Flowers in Bai Pu's Autumn SceneBai Pu · AphorismsGreen hills and blue water; white grass, red leaves, yellow flowers.
  59. One Last Battle Beneath the Walls: Zhang Shijie at Lin'anToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsShijie asked that the three palaces be moved out to sea, and that he and Tianxiang join forces to fight one last battle beneath the walls.
  60. Gathering the Embers for a Last Stand: the Envoy of QiToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsLet us gather our remaining embers and make a last stand beneath our walls.
  61. Unchanged Even unto Death: General Zhang Jingda at Jin'anToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsEvery subject ought to be like this!
  62. Muddling Through by Old Routine: Wang Anshi's Ten-Thousand-Word MemorialToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsI hope Your Majesty will take warning from the harm of complacent routine, give clear orders to the ministers, and carry out change by degrees to meet the changes of the age.
  63. Orioles Sing and Swallows Dance in SpringBai Pu · IdiomsCrying orioles, dancing swallows; a little bridge, flowing water, flying red petals.
  64. Bones of Snow and Flesh of Ice: The Plum BlossomQiao Ji · AphorismsBones of snow and flesh of ice, the substance of jade and the fragrance of orchids.
  65. Watering the Warhorses in the YangziZhang Hongfan · IdiomsSharpening our swords, we cracked the whetstones; watering our horses in the Yangzi, we drained the river dry.
  66. Entering One After Another Like a String of FishToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsThe Jin fought for the tower, and all the troops climbed up one after another like a string of fish.
  67. The Goose Lake Debate Between Zhu Xi and Lu JiuyuanToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsEarlier, Jiuyuan had met Zhu Xi at Goose Lake, and in debating what they had learned they largely disagreed.
  68. Draped in the Yellow Robe at ChenqiaoToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsBefore he could answer, someone put a yellow garment on Taizu; all bowed around him crying 'Long live the emperor'.
  69. The Six Classics Annotate Me, and I Annotate the Six ClassicsToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsIf in learning one truly understands the Way, the Six Classics are all footnotes to me.
  70. Taking the Whole Realm as One's Own ChargeToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsZhongyan took the realm as his own charge; he cut back undeserved appointments, examined officials, and planned day and night to bring about great peace.
  71. Handling Ships the Way Horsemen Handle HorsesToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsThe southern army handles ships the way we handle horses; what can we do?
  72. Let the South Keep to the South, the North to the NorthToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsIf you want the realm to be at peace, let the south keep to the south and the north to the north.
  73. Pleasure and Vexation Kept from the FaceToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsBy nature he was humane, filial and generous, and neither pleasure nor anger showed on his face.
  74. A Ruler Dies with His Altars of StateToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsEven so, by the Rites, which say that a ruler dies with his altars of state, Aizong has nothing to be ashamed of.
  75. A Soldier Should Speak of War, Not of PeaceToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsI am a man of armour and helmet; I should speak of war, not of peace.
  76. Easier to Shake a Mountain Than the Yue Family ArmyToqto'a (comp.) · AphorismsIt is easy to shake a mountain, hard to shake the Yue family army.
  77. A Moment of Spring Night Is Worth a Thousand in GoldZheng Guangzu · AphorismsHave you never heard that a moment of a spring night is worth a thousand in gold!
  78. Perhaps There Was: The Baseless Charge Against Yue FeiToqto'a (comp.) · IdiomsAlthough the letter from Fei's son Yun to Zhang Xian is unclear, the matter perhaps there was.