Through the Dynasties · LH6

Three Kingdoms

The Jian'an spirit: the three Caos and the Seven Masters sing with stirring grief as literature finds itself

116works

6forms

16authors

Poetry

23 works

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

  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. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Seven Steps PoemCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsBorn from the very same root, why oppress each other with such haste?
  5. 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?
  6. The White HorseCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsHe gives his life to meet the nation's peril, and looks on death as going home.
  7. The Fair MaidenCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsThe fair maiden is lovely and serene, picking mulberry leaves where the roads fork.
  8. 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.
  9. Poem of Sorrow and IndignationCai Wenji (Cai Yan) · Old-Style SongsFrom the horses' sides hung men's heads; behind the horses rode captive women.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Four-Character Poems to My Elder Brother the Cultivated Talent on Joining the ArmyJi Kang · Four-Character VerseMy eyes follow the homing geese; my hand strums the five strings. Looking down and up, content in myself, I let my mind roam in the Great Mystery.
  14. Song by the PondLady Zhen (traditionally attributed) · Yuefu BalladsMany mouths can melt even gold: they made you part from me.
  15. Poem of Dark IndignationJi Kang · Four-Character VerseMy affairs went against my wishes, and I am held here, detained.
  16. Liangfu ChantZhuge Liang (traditionally attributed) · Yuefu BalladsOne day they fell to slander: two peaches killed three knights.
  17. On Seeing a Boat Hauler at Qinghe Parting from His New BrideCao Pi · Old-Style SongsI wish we were a pair of yellow swans, wing to wing at play on a clear pool.
  18. Written at QingheCao Pi · Old-Style SongsI wish we were falcons of the morning wind, flying as a pair to the northern wood.
  19. Five Miscellaneous Poems · The Bright Moon Shines on the High TowerCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsYou are like dust on the clear road; I am like mud in muddy water.
  20. Planting KudzuCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsOnce we were fish in one pool; now we are as far apart as stars that never meet.
  21. Drifting DuckweedCao Zhi · Yuefu BalladsA new love may be lovable, but cannot match the joy of an old one.
  22. Poem of a Cast-Off WifeCao Zhi · Old-Style SongsWith a child, a wife is a moon crossing heaven; without one, a falling star.
  23. Two Poems Singing of My ThoughtsRuan Ji · Old-Style SongsThey wished to be a pair of birds in flight, soaring wing to wing together.

Rhapsodies

7 works

Grand rhapsodies and parallel prose showcasing acoustic symmetry and ornate eloquence.

  1. 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.
  2. 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?
  3. Rhapsody on Secluded LongingCao Zhi · Short RhapsodiesI lean on the winding corner of the high terrace, dwelling in secluded, quiet depths.
  4. Rhapsody on Remembering Old FriendsXiang Xiu · Short RhapsodiesThe beams and roofs remain undestroyed; but where have their bodies and spirits gone?
  5. Rhapsody on the Hall of Great BlessingHe Yan · Grand Han RhapsodiesSeen from afar it is like red clouds unfurled to brighten the patterns of heaven; seen close up it is like looking up at a lofty mountain capped with hanging clouds.
  6. Biography of Master Great ManRuan Ji · Parallel ProseHe takes ten thousand li as a single step and a thousand years as a single morning.
  7. Hymn to the Virtue of WineLiu Ling · Admonitions, Inscriptions & EulogiesWith the sky for his tent and the earth for his mat, he goes wherever he pleases.

Prose

16 works

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

  1. First Memorial on the ExpeditionZhuge Liang · Essays & MemorialsI took up my charge amid military collapse, and received my mission in perilous danger.
  2. Letter Breaking Ties with Shan JuyuanJi Kang · Letters & PrefacesMoreover I constantly disparage Tang and Wu and belittle the Duke of Zhou and Confucius.
  3. Letter to Wu Zhi · Remembering Past WanderingsCao Pi (Emperor Wen of Wei) · Letters & PrefacesIn the old days when we went about together, we rode with carriages side by side and sat with mats touching.
  4. Letter to Yang DezuCao Zhi · Letters & PrefacesEveryone thought he held the pearl of the numinous snake and every family thought it had the jade of Mount Jing.
  5. Letter of Admonition to My SonZhuge Liang · Letters & PrefacesWithout living simply, one cannot clarify one's aspirations; without stillness, one cannot reach far horizons.
  6. Treatise on Nurturing LifeJi Kang · Essays & MemorialsThey are pure, empty, still and calm, with few selfish thoughts and few desires.
  7. Second Memorial on Dispatching the TroopsZhuge Liang · Essays & MemorialsI shall bend my body in devotion and exhaust my strength until death.
  8. Collected Explanations of the AnalectsHe Yan (comp.) · Pre-Qin MastersWe have now gathered the best of the various schools and recorded their names.
  9. Commentary on the LaoziWang Bi · Pre-Qin MastersAll being begins from non-being.
  10. Commentary on the Book of ChangesWang Bi · Essays & MemorialsGrasping the meaning lies in forgetting the image; grasping the image lies in forgetting the words.
  11. Testamentary Edict to the Later RulerLiu Bei · Essays & MemorialsDo not do evil because it is small; do not leave good undone because it is small. Only worth and virtue can win men's submission.
  12. On Music Having No Sorrow or JoyJi Kang · Essays & MemorialsSound should take good and bad as its substance and has nothing to do with sorrow and joy; sorrow and joy arise from feeling and are not tied to sound.
  13. Admonition to My NephewZhuge Liang · Letters & PrefacesOne's aims should be lofty and far-reaching: admire the worthies of the past, cut off sensual desires and cast away doubts and hesitations
  14. Letter to Wu Zhi, Prefect of ZhaogeCao Pi · Letters & Prefacesfloated sweet melons in the clear spring and sank red plums in the cold water.
  15. Essay on Understanding ZhuangziRuan Ji · Essays & MemorialsHeaven and earth are born of the self-so, and the myriad things are born of heaven and earth.
  16. Letter to Zhong Yao on the Ninth DayCao Pi · Letters & PrefacesCao Pi sends chrysanthemums to Zhong Yao, noting that people prize the name of the Double Ninth.

Sayings

68 works

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

  1. Separating Heaven and EarthXu Zheng · IdiomsFrom the myth of Pangu splitting heaven from earth; since the dawn of time, or an unprecedented feat.
  2. Three Visits to the Thatched CottageZhuge Liang · IdiomsLiu Bei visited Zhuge Liang's cottage three times to recruit him; sincerely and repeatedly seeking out talent.
  3. Bowing in Devotion Until ExhaustedZhuge Liang · IdiomsServing with reverent care and giving all one's strength; lifelong, wholehearted devotion to duty.
  4. Facing Wine, One Should SingCao Cao · IdiomsSing over your wine, for life is short; originally a lament on fleeting time, later carefree revelry.
  5. Through Boiling Water and FireJi Kang · IdiomsBraving any danger; willing to go through fire and water for a cause.
  6. Pooling Wisdom for Greater BenefitZhuge Liang · IdiomsDrawing on collective wisdom and useful suggestions to achieve better results.
  7. Belittling Oneself Without CauseZhuge Liang · IdiomsTo underrate oneself without reason; undue self-deprecation.
  8. Looking Left and RightCao Zhi · IdiomsGlancing left and right; originally self-satisfied, now looking around or hesitating.
  9. Versed in Past and PresentAnonymous · IdiomsWell versed in both ancient and modern matters; broadly learned.
  10. Not Knowing What One Is SayingZhuge Liang · IdiomsOriginally humble; now for speech or writing so muddled one can't tell its point.
  11. Driving Straight InCao Cao · IdiomsDriving deep into enemy territory unopposed; an irresistible advance.
  12. Bending to the Task Until DeathZhuge Liang · AphorismsI will bend myself to the task with all my strength and stop only at death; as for success or failure, advantage or setback, that is beyond what my wisdom can foresee.
  13. A Time of Life-or-Death CrisisZhuge Liang · IdiomsThe late emperor passed away before his great work was half done; now the realm is split in three and Yi Province is worn out. This is truly a time when our survival hangs in the balance.
  14. Writers Belittle One AnotherCao Pi · IdiomsMen of letters belittle one another; it has been so since ancient times.
  15. Bright Moon, Sparse StarsCao Cao · IdiomsThe moon is bright, the stars are few; crows and magpies fly southward.
  16. Light as a Startled SwanCao Zhi · IdiomsHer form: as light as a startled swan, as supple as a swimming dragon.
  17. Committing Crimes and Breaking the LawZhuge Liang · IdiomsIf there are any who do evil and break the law, or who are loyal and good, they should be handed to the proper officials to decide their punishment or reward, so as to show Your Majesty's fair and enlightened rule; there should be no partiality that makes the law differ inside and outside the palace.
  18. Between Elder and Younger BrotherCao Pi · IdiomsFu Yi stood to Ban Gu as younger brother to elder, nearly equal, yet Ban Gu belittled him, writing to his brother Chao: 'Wuzhong became an archivist at the Orchid Terrace because he could write, but once he takes up the brush he cannot stop.'
  19. A Poem Composed Within Seven PacesCao Zhi · IdiomsEmperor Wen once ordered the Prince of Dong'e to compose a poem within seven paces, or suffer the full penalty of the law.
  20. Eastward to Jieshi to Gaze on the SeaCao Cao · AphorismsEastward I come to Jieshi, to gaze upon the blue sea.
  21. Weeping Before the Memorial on Departing for WarZhuge Liang · AphorismsNow that I must go far away, I weep as I face this memorial, and do not know what I have said.
  22. Crows and Magpies Flying South by MoonlightCao Cao · AphorismsThe moon is bright and the stars are few; crows and magpies fly south.
  23. Mournful Music of a Perishing StateJi Kang · IdiomsThe music of an ordered age is calm and joyful; the music of a perishing state is mournful and brooding.
  24. The Duke of Zhou Pauses His Meal for the WorthyCao Cao · IdiomsMountains never tire of height, seas never tire of depth. The Duke of Zhou spat out his food, and all under heaven gave him their hearts.
  25. All Hearts Under Heaven Turn to HimCao Cao · IdiomsThe Duke of Zhou spat out his food to greet the worthy, and all under heaven gave him their hearts.
  26. Heaven Is Unkind: Cai Wenji's LamentCai Yan (Cai Wenji) (traditionally attributed) · AphorismsHeaven is unkind to send down chaos and separation; Earth is unkind to make me meet such times.
  27. Graceful as a Swimming DragonCao Zhi · AphorismsHer form is light as a startled wild goose, supple as a swimming dragon.
  28. Aspirations Spanning the Four SeasCao Zhi · IdiomsA true man's aims embrace the four seas; ten thousand li away is like next door.
  29. The Courses of Sun and Moon Rising from the SeaCao Cao · AphorismsThe courses of the sun and moon seem to rise from within it.
  30. The Brilliant River of StarsCao Cao · AphorismsThe brilliant Milky Way seems to spring from its depths.
  31. Singing to Voice One's AspirationsCao Cao · AphorismsHow fortunate, how glorious; I sing to voice my aspirations.
  32. Burning Bean Stalks to Boil the BeansCao Zhi · IdiomsThe stalks burn beneath the pot; the beans weep inside it.
  33. Born of One Root, Why Torment Each Other SoCao Zhi · IdiomsWe grew from the same root; why are you so quick to boil me?
  34. Life Is Like the Morning DewCao Cao · AphorismsFacing wine, one should sing; how long is a human life? It is like the morning dew; the days gone by are all too many.
  35. Revival Close Enough to Count the DaysZhuge Liang · IdiomsI hope Your Majesty will draw close to them and trust them; then the revival of the house of Han can be awaited with the days counted.
  36. Blue, Blue Is Your Collar: Cao Cao's Longing for TalentCao Cao · AphorismsBlue, blue is your collar; long, long is my longing. Only for your sake have I gone on murmuring to this day.
  37. Grown from the Same RootCao Zhi · AphorismsWe grew from the same root; why must you cook me so fiercely?
  38. Let Your Aims Be Lofty and Far-ReachingZhuge Liang · AphorismsOne's aims should be lofty and far-reaching: admire the worthies of old, cut off desires, cast away doubts and hindrances, so that the aspiration to approach them stands clearly in the heart and is deeply felt.
  39. Laying Down One's Life in the Nation's Hour of PerilCao Zhi · AphorismsHe gives his life to meet the nation's peril, and looks on death as going home.
  40. A Beauty Both Lovely and SereneCao Zhi · AphorismsA beauty, lovely and serene, picks mulberry leaves where the road divides.
  41. Talents No Bridle Could HoldXiang Xiu · IdiomsI lived close to Ji Kang and Lü An, and both of them had talents that no bridle could hold.
  42. Joy Departs and Sorrow ArrivesCao Pi · IdiomsA cool breeze rose in the night and the reed pipes played a mournful tune; joy departed and sorrow arrived, and my heart was stricken with grief.
  43. Things Turned Out Against My WishesJi Kang · IdiomsThings went against my wishes, and so I have met with this detention.
  44. The Gateway to All MysteriesWang Bi · AphorismsThese two come forth together but differ in name; both are called mysterious. Mystery upon mystery: the gateway to all wonders.
  45. Music Holds No Sorrow or Joy: Ji Kang's ThesisJi Kang · AphorismsNow you alone hold that music has no sorrow or joy; on what grounds do you say so?
  46. Longing Like Thirst and Hunger: Ji Kang Misses His BrotherJi Kang · IdiomsI think of my good friend, longing as if thirsty, as if hungry.
  47. Catch the Hare and Forget the SnareWang Bi · IdiomsThe snare is for the hare; get the hare and forget the snare.
  48. Free of Care When the Heart Is ContentJi Kang · AphorismsThey move with the season, content, forgetting care.
  49. Grasp the Meaning and Forget the WordsWang Bi · IdiomsWords are for meaning; get the meaning and forget the words.
  50. Grasp the Meaning and Forget the ImageWang Bi · IdiomsThe image exists to preserve the meaning; get the meaning and forget the image.
  51. Catch the Fish and Forget the TrapJi Kang · IdiomsI admire that old fisherman who caught the fish and forgot the trap.
  52. Kindred Spirits on a Shared PathCao Zhi · IdiomsThey were truly one in way and aim, their profound plans in perfect accord.
  53. Quaking as if Holding Ice to the HeartRuan Ji · IdiomsHis heart is as if it held ice; he trembles with care.
  54. Ever More Careful With Each Passing DayRuan Ji · IdiomsHis heart is as if it held ice, trembling with fear; he restrains himself and cultivates his conduct, growing more careful day by day.
  55. The Sun Sinking Toward the Abyss of YuXiang Xiu · IdiomsAt that time the sun was sinking toward the Yu Abyss, the cold ice was bleak, and a neighbour was playing the flute, its notes clear and carrying.
  56. Floating Melons and Sinking Plums in Cool WaterCao Pi · IdiomsWe floated sweet melons in the clear spring and sank red plums in the cold water.
  57. The Autumn Wind Blows Bleak: Cao Pi's Song of YanCao Pi · AphorismsThe autumn wind blows bleak and the air turns cold; plants and trees shed their leaves and dew turns to frost.
  58. Literature as a Great Enterprise of Governing the StateCao Pi · IdiomsLiterature is a great enterprise in governing the state, a splendid undertaking that never decays.
  59. Liver and Gall as Far Apart as Chu and YueRuan Ji · IdiomsSeen from their differences, liver and gall are Chu and Yue; seen from their sameness, the myriad things are one body.
  60. Brilliance upon Brilliance, Prosperity upon ProsperityHe Yan · IdiomsDown to the present emperor, light has been added to light and prosperity heaped upon prosperity.
  61. Swift as Wind, Gone Like LightningJi Kang · IdiomsSwift as wind and gone like lightning, he treads on shadows and chases flying birds; he sweeps across the central plain, glancing about in splendid style.
  62. Drooping Millet and Ripening Wheat: Xiang Xiu Remembers Old FriendsXiang Xiu · IdiomsI sigh with the Drooping Millet that mourned the Zhou, and grieve with the Ripening Wheat over the ruins of Yin.
  63. Writing as an Undying GloryCao Pi · AphorismsWriting is a great enterprise in governing the state, a glorious deed that does not perish.
  64. No Good Deed Too Small to DoLiu Bei · AphorismsDo not do wrong because it is small; do not leave good undone because it is small.
  65. No Wrong Too Small to ShunLiu Bei · AphorismsDo not do wrong because it is small; do not leave good undone because it is small.
  66. The Long Night Not Yet EndedCao Pi · AphorismsThe bright moon shines white on my bed; the river of stars flows west, and the night is not yet ended.
  67. In Writing, Vital Energy Comes FirstCao Pi · AphorismsIn writing, vital energy is the chief thing; whether that energy is clear or turbid has its own nature and cannot be achieved by force.
  68. Keeping the Empty Room Alone: Cao Pi's Song of YanCao Pi · AphorismsAlone I keep to the empty room; when sorrow comes I think of you and dare not forget, and before I know it my tears have soaked my clothes.