An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911 [Paperback]

Stephen Owen (Editor, Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0393971066 | ISBN-13: 978-0393971064

Hailed as a groundbreaking text in Chinese Studies, An Anthology of Chinese Literature brings together representative works from the first millenium B.C. to the end of the imperial system in 1911.

This collection of over 600 pieces, translated with great clarity and sense of the original, presents the tradition in historical and aesthetic context.  Moving roughly chronologically through the tradition, An Anthology of Chinese Literature gathers texts in a variety of genres—songs, letters, anecdotes, poetry, political oratory, plays, traditional literary theory, and more—to show how the essential texts build on and echo each other.  Coupled with highly readable commentary, this innovative structure uniquely highlights the interplay among Chinese literature, culture, and history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Owen (Chinese and comparative literature, Harvard Univ.) is well known to students of Chinese literature for his work in literary criticism. His latest book offers a most welcome compendium of traditional Chinese literature at once comprehensive in its coverage and creative in its approach to translation and exposition. The broad variety of genres presented includes poetry, letters, stories, excerpts from novels and drama, philosophical writings, even "profound jokes"-almost every form of Chinese prose and verse except the eight-legged essay. The samplings within each genre are liberal enough to give a good feel for all formats. Arranged chronologically, sections start with a "period introduction" that briefly gives a political, social, and philosophical framework for the period. Interspersed among the selections are explanatory comments. Frequently, Owen illustrates a stylistic or thematic point with examples from other periods and genres, thus enriching and maximizing the readers' appreciation. He eschews many time-honored conventions used in translating Chinese, which may be startling to some. This is a prodigious work of translation (Owen rendered nearly all 900-plus pages singlehandedly) published at a bargain price; it will become a staple in introductory Chinese literature courses and a useful reference for specialists. Even with the end of the Ch'ing dynasty as its cut-off point, it surpasses other anthologies (e.g., The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature, Columbia Univ., 1994) in its inclusion of works not formerly anthologized and its cohesive translation style. Highly recommended.
D.E. Perushek, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, Ill.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Victory Music by Bo Pu
The Bitter Cold by Cao Cao
Short Song by Cao Cao
Grand by Cao Pi
The Goddess Of The Luo by Cao Zhi
A Lament For Golden Gourd, Jin-hu by Cao Zhi
Persented To Cao Biao, Prince Of Bai-ma by Cao Zhi
Public Banquet by Cao Zhi
Sending Off Mr. Ying (1) by Cao Zhi
Song Of A Brown Wren In Wild Fields by Cao Zhi
Unclassified Poem: 1 by Cao Zhi
Unclassified Poem: 2 by Cao Zhi
In Jin-ling: A Second Series On Watching A Chess Game: 1 by Ch'ien Ch'ien-yi
New Swallows by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
On A Lonely Duck by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
The Reflection Of A High Building In The Water by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
Roaming In The North Park By Night by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
Sending A Palace Lady Back By Night To The Rear Boat by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
Song Of Yong-zhou: 2. North Isle by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
Song: Every Night by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
Source Of Pain: 2 by Ch'ien Wen Of Liang
The Roads Of Luo-yang: Presented To The Director Li Xiang: 1 by Ch'u Kuang-hsi
Song Of The Southland (1) by Ch'u Kuang-hsi
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 1. The Sovereign Of The East by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 2. Lord In The Clouds by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 3. The Lady Of The Xiang River by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 4. The Lord Of The East by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 5. The Yellow River's Earl by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 6. The Hill Wraith by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 7. The Kingdom's Dead by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu (the Nine Songs): 8. Rites For Souls by Ch'u Yuan
Lyrics Of Chu: The Li Sao by Ch'u Yuan
Spending The Night At An Inn Outside The West Gate Of Ji-zhou by Chao Duan-you
I Watered My Horse At A Spring By The Wall by Chen Lin
It Was A Fine Feast, Joy Suddenly Left by Chen Lin
Since You Have Gone Away by Chen Shu-bao
Fragrance Fills The Yard. Written On A Summer Day At Wu-xiang by Chou Pang-yen
Gallant by Chou Pang-yen
Spring In The Mansion Of Jade by Chou Pang-yen
A Little Chang-gan Song by Cui Guo-fu
Midcurrent Song by Cui Guo-fu
Song Of Xiang-yang by Cui Guo-fu
At The Yangzi And Han by Du Mu
Egrets by Du Mu
Getting Something Off My Mind by Du Mu
Going Out On The Le-you Plain by Du Mu
I Wrote This On The Tower By The Water At The Kai-yuan Temple by Du Mu
Late Autumn In The Qi-an District by Du Mu
Late Autumn In The Qi-an District by Du Mu
On Passing By Hua-qing Palace by Du Mu
Pouring Wine Alone by Du Mu
Presented To Someone On Parting by Du Mu
A Quatrain On The Pool Behind The District Office In Qi-an by Du Mu
A Quatrain Written On The Road by Du Mu
Sent To Judge Han Chuo In Yang-zhou by Du Mu
Three Poems Thinking On Past Travels: 1 by Du Mu
Three Poems Thinking On Past Travels: 2 by Du Mu
Three Poems Thinking On Past Travels: 3 by Du Mu
Written On The Chan-zi Temple In Yang-zhou by Du Mu
Written On The Kai-yuan Temple At Xuan-zhou by Du Mu
Yang-zhou by Du Mu
The Yellow River At Bian-zhou Blocked By Ice by Du Mu
A Description Of Walking In The Meadows On Cold Food Festival by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In Fields And Gardens: 15 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In Fields And Gardens: 31 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In The Fields And Gardens: 33 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In The Fields And Gardens: 40 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In The Fields And Gardens: 44 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
Various Occasions Of Interest In The Fields And Gardens: 52 by Fan Ch'eng-ta
The Pleasures Of Kicking The Football by Feng Yen-ssu
Bowing To The New Moon by Geng Wei
On The Set Topic: 'wild Goose On The Sands' by Geng Wei
Another Repentance by Gong Zi-zhen
From Spring To Autumn Of 1827 Some Things Came To Me ...: 15 by Gong Zi-zhen
Poems Of The Year Ji-hai, 1839: 125 by Gong Zi-zhen
Poems Of The Year Ji-hai, 1839: 170 by Gong Zi-zhen
Poems Of The Year Ji-hai, 1839: 5 by Gong Zi-zhen
Poems Of The Year Ji-hai, 1839: 86 by Gong Zi-zhen
Autumn Hills: 1 by Gu Yan-wu
A Half by Guan Han-qing
A Spray Of Flowers (not Giving In To Old Age) by Guan Han-qing
Clear River by Guan Yun-shi
By The Passes; Songs (2) by Guan-xiu
Shrine By The River by Guan-xiu
On Yin-wu Pavilion by Hai-yin
Selling Tattered Peonies by Hai-yin
Visiting The Southern Tower Of Chong-zhen Temple by Hai-yin
Autumn Thoughts (8) by Han Yu
Drunk, To Zhang Shu Of The Imperial Library by Han Yu
Mountain Stones by Han Yu
Visiting The Temple Of Mount Heng, Then Spending The Night by Han Yu
Written Playfully To Zhang Ji by Han Yu
The Master Of Cold Mountain: 16 by Han-shan
The Master Of Cold Mountain: 232 by Han-shan
The Master Of Cold Mountain: 233 by Han-shan
The Master Of Cold Mountain: 3 by Han-shan
The Master Of Cold Mountain: 32 by Han-shan
Mountain Flower by He Ning
Performers On The Terrace Of The Black Sparrow by He Xun
A Walk In The Wilds by He Zhu
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Ballad by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Bells by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Bribe by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Bringing Her Fruit by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Declaration Of Love by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Denouncing The Rebel by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Gift Of A Meal by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Jade Burial by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Melody-theft by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Omen by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Outing On A Spring Holiday by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Peeking At The Bathers by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Prologue And Argument by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Reunion by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Secret Pledge by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: Stocking-view by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: The Circle For Dance by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: The Corpse Released by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: The Immortal's Recollections by Hong Sheng
The Palace Of Lasting Life: The Music by Hong Sheng
Zi-ye Song by Hsiao Yen
A Companion Piece For Xie Jing's 'terrace Of The Brown Sparrow' by Hsieh T'iao
Asking For A Cat by Huang Ching-jen (1045-1105)
August 17, Sleeping In Daytime by Huang Ching-jen (1045-1105)
Following The Rhymes Of Huang Da-lin's 'sent To Su Che' by Huang Ching-jen (1045-1105)
To Huang Ji-fu by Huang Ching-jen (1045-1105)
A Companion Piece To A Poem By Qian-quan by Huang Jing-ren
Dreaming Of A Friend One Night by Huang Jing-ren
My Home Lies East Of The Eastern Sea by Huang Jing-ren
Offhand Compositions: New Year's Eve 1774 by Huang Jing-ren
Visiting Ju-fa-yuan Temple With Wang Qiu-cheng And Zhang He-chai by Huang Jing-ren
Written At Night At An Inn In The Hills: 2 by Huang Jing-ren
On Reaching Honh Kong by Huang Tsun-hsien
Various Responses On An Ocean Voyage: 1 by Huang Tsun-hsien
Dream Of The Southland by Huang-fu Song
Looking For The Recluse And Not Finding Him Home by Jia Dao
The Poetic Exposition On The Owl by Jia Yi
On First Arriving In Ba-ling, Joining Li Bo And Pei, We Go Boating by Jia Zhig
Fragrance From Somewhere Unseen by Jiang Kui
Red Filling The River by Jiang Kui
Yang-zhou Andante by Jiang Kui
Painting Of A Pine by Jin-yun
The Grain Is Ripe by Kong Ping-zhong
Peach Blossom Fan: Accepting The Way, Sels. by Kong Shang-ren
Peach Blossom Fan: Prologue by Kong Shang-ren
Peach Blossom Fan: Refusing The Trousseau by Kong Shang-ren
Peach Blossom Fan: Sending The Fan by Kong Shang-ren
Peach Blossom Fan: Teaching The Song by Kong Shang-ren
Passion by Lan Chu-fang
Bowing To The New Moon by Li Duan
Bring In The Wine by Li He
By The Passes; A Song by Li He
Don't Go Out The Gate! by Li He
Don't Plant Trees by Li He
Dream Of Heaven by Li He
The King Of Qin Drinking by Li He
Little Su's Tomb by Li He
Long Songs Following Short Songs by Li He
Release From Melancholy; Song (written Under The Flowers) by Li He
Song For The Governor Of Wild Goose Barrier by Li He
Song Of A Young Nobleman At The End Of Night by Li He
Song Of An Arrowhead From The Battlefield Of Chang-ping by Li He
String Music For The Gods by Li He
Bring In The Wine by Li Po
The Crows Cry At Night by Li Po
Dialogue In The Mountains by Li Po
Drinking Alone By Moonlight by Li Po
Excursion On Lake Dong-ting: 4 by Li Po
Getting Out What I Feel by Li Po
Hard Ways To Shu by Li Po
A Lament For Old Mr. Ji, The Finest Brewer In Xuan-cheng by Li Po
Lotus-picking Song by Li Po
Lyrics For The Girls Of Yue by Li Po
Moon Over Mountain Passes by Li Po
The Old Airs: 14 by Li Po
The Old Airs: 5 by Li Po
The Old Airs: 7 by Li Po
Parted By Great Distances by Li Po
Reproach by Li Po
Rising Drunk On A Spring Day, Telling My Intent by Li Po
Sending A Friend On His Way by Li Po
A Song Of Ming-gao: Sending Off Mr. Chen, A Gentleman In Retirement by Li Po
A Song On Visiting Heaven's Crone Mountain In A Dream: On Parting by Li Po
South Of The Walls We Fought by Li Po
Summer Day In The Mountains by Li Po
The Turks Are Gone! by Li Po
Yang Pan-er by Li Po
Free-spirited Fisherman by Li Qing-zhao
Like A Dream by Li Qing-zhao
Note After Note by Li Qing-zhao
Southern Song by Li Qing-zhao
Again Passing The Shrine Of The Goddess by Li Shang-yin
Chang E by Li Shang-yin
Citadel Of Sapphire Walls (1) by Li Shang-yin
Dragol Pool by Li Shang-yin
Frost And Moon by Li Shang-yin
Left Untitled (2) by Li Shang-yin
Left Untitled (4) by Li Shang-yin
Midnight by Li Shang-yin
Stirred By Something At Mount Li by Li Shang-yin
The Sui Palace by Li Shang-yin
The Sui Palace (2d Version) by Li Shang-yin
Sunbeams Shoot by Li Shang-yin
Written During The Rain One Night And Sent Back North by Li Shang-yin
South Of The Walls We Fought by Li Ye-si
An Actress Scorns Wealth And Honor To Preserve Her Chastity by Li Yu
Boddhisattva Barbarian by Li Yu
Pleasure In The Lovely Woman by Li Yu
The Pleasures Of Meeting by Li Yu
On A Woman Unwilling To Come Forth by Liu Hsiao-cho
Joy At Midnight by Liu Yong
Turning Back After Seeing The Flowers by Liu Yong
Quitting My Post At He-zhou And Visiting Jian-kang by Liu Yu-xi
Quitting My Post At He-zhou And Visiting Jian-kang by Liu Yu-xi
Unclassified Poem by Liu Zhen
Calling To The Recluse by Lu Ji
The Poetic Expression On Literature by Lu Ji
By The Passes by Lu Lun
Encountering A Wounded Soldier by Lu Lun
Drawing Water From The Well And Making Tea by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
End Of Spring by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
For My Sons by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Gazing In The Evening North Of My Cottage by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
In The Moon Light by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Lonely Cloud by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Meeting A Gentle Rain On The Sword-gate Pass Road by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
On The Three Peaks Of Magic Stone Mountain by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Partridge Weather by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Plum Blossoms Iii by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Small Garden by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Snowy Night by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Song Of Draft Cursive by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Visiting West-of-the-mountain Village by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Walking In The Wilds by Lu Yu (1125-1210)
Autumn Moonlight On Lake Dong-ting by Ma Chih-yuan
Autumn Thoughts by Ma Chih-yuan
Clearing Haze At A Market In The Hills by Ma Chih-yuan
Evening Bells In A Misty Temple by Ma Chih-yuan
Evening Sunshine In A Fishing Village by Ma Chih-yuan
A Sail Returns To The Distant Shore by Ma Chih-yuan
A Suite On Autumn Thoughts by Ma Chih-yuan
At A Party Given By Fan Zhong-yan The Guests Spoke Of Eating Blowfish by Mei Yao-ch'en
A Companion Piece To Xie Jing-chu's 'spending The Night...' by Mei Yao-ch'en
Crescent Moon by Mei Yao-ch'en
In The Rain, Spending The Night In The Library ... by Mei Yao-ch'en
Listening To A Neighbor Singing At Night by Mei Yao-ch'en
A Lone Hawk Over The Buddha Tower Of The Monastery Of Universal Purity by Mei Yao-ch'en
On March 26, 1048, I Had A Dream by Mei Yao-ch'en
Writing Of My Sorrow by Mei Yao-ch'en
Answering A Friend's Gift Of Charcoal by Meng Chiao
Autumn Cares: 2 by Meng Chiao
A Ballad Of Mount Jing by Meng Chiao
I Tried To Climb Zhao-cheng Tower ... by Meng Chiao
Informal Composition by Meng Chiao
Inviting Writers To Drink by Meng Chiao
Lying Sick by Meng Chiao
Old Man's Bitterness by Meng Chiao
Plagiarizing Poems by Meng Chiao
Seeing Off Reverend Dan Xii by Meng Chiao
Something Touched Me One Night And I Try To Get It Out by Meng Chiao
Tormented by Meng Chiao
A Visit To The South Mountains by Meng Chiao
What Came To Me In A Mood by Meng Chiao
What Was In My Heart On A Spring Day by Meng Chiao
Early Cold On The River: Something On My Mind by Meng Hao-jan
Gazing From A Boat In The Early Morning by Meng Hao-jan
Going From Luo-yang To Yue by Meng Hao-jan
Parting From Mr. Xue At Guang-ling by Meng Hao-jan
Spending The Night In Reverend Ye's Mountain Chamber by Meng Hao-jan
Stopping By The Manor Of An Old Friend by Meng Hao-jan
Written At Wan Mountain Pool by Meng Hao-jan
Account Of A Dream In Xiao Temple by Nara Singde
Clear And Even Music by Nara Singde
Like A Dream (1) by Nara Singde
Like A Dream (2) by Nara Singde
On The Frontier by Nara Singde
Thoughts On The Anniversary Of My Wife's Death by Nara Singde
Boating On West Lake: To Zhang Shan, Acdemician & Fiscal Commissioner by Ou Yangxiu
Butterflies Love Flowers by Ou Yangxiu
A Companion Piece To Liu Chang's 'clear Heart Paper' by Ou Yangxiu
Immortal By The River by Ou Yangxiu
On The Carved Stone Screen Of Wu Kui, The Han-lin Academician by Ou Yangxiu
On The Pavilion Of The Drunken Old Man In Chu-zhou by Ou Yangxiu
Ox by Ou Yangxiu
Seal Script In Stone by Ou Yangxiu
White Egret by Ou Yangxiu
The South Country by Ou-yang Jiong
Washing Creek Sands by Ou-yang Jiong
Hard Traveling: 2 by Pao Chao
Hard Traveling: 4 by Pao Chao
Hard Traveling: 6 by Pao Chao
Song Of The Bright Moon by Pao Chao
I Chanced On Rain At Wang-kou And Recalled Mount Zhong-nan by Pei Di
Choosing A Dwelling Place In Luo-yang by Po Chu-yi
Eating Bamboo Shoots by Po Chu-yi
An Invitation For Mr. Liu by Po Chu-yi
Lotus-picking Song by Po Chu-yi
On My Laziness by Po Chu-yi
On My Portrait by Po Chu-yi
Reciting Aloud, Alone In The Mountains by Po Chu-yi
Salt Merchant's Wife (in Hatred Of Profiteers) by Po Chu-yi
Song Of Lasting Pain by Po Chu-yi
What Came To Mind When Chanting My Poems by Po Chu-yi
Winter Night by Po Chu-yi
Of Myself by Qiao Ji
Gods On The Magpie Bridge by Qin Guan
To His Wife (1) by Qin Jia
Mr. Ishii Of Japan Seeks A Matching Verse (using His Rhymes) by Qiu Jin
On The Yellow Sea: A Man From Japan Sought Some Verses ... by Qiu Jin
Walking In The Hills And Looking For The Reclude .. Not Finding Him In by Qiu Wei
Songs Of My Cares: 1 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 16 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 2 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 3 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 33 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 6 by Ruan Ji
Songs Of My Cares: 68 by Ruan Ji
Seven Sorrow by Ruan Yu
Song On Reflections In Water by Shen
Going Out Early And Meeting An Old Love, I Give This To Her ... by Shen Yueh
The Sensual Charms Of The Three Wives by Shen Yueh
Scent Of Lace by Shi Da-zu
The Pavilion Of Revising History by Si-kong Tu
The Pavilion Of Revising History by Si-kong Tu
The Great One by Si-ma Xiang-ru
The Goddess by Song Yu
The Poetic Expression On Gao-tang: Opening by Song Yu
Account Of A Visit To Lu Mountain by Su Shih
An Account Of The Pavilion For Setting The Cranes Free: Song by Su Shih
The Charms Of Nian-nu by Su Shih
Companion Piece To Chen Xiang's 'peonies On A Winter Day': 1 by Su Shih
A Companion Piece To Su Che's 'thoughts Of Former Times At Mian-chi' by Su Shih
Crossing The Sea by Su Shih
Down And Out Drunk; Written On Leaving Jing-kou by Su Shih
East Slope by Su Shih
Eight Poems On Eastern Slope: 1 by Su Shih
Fragrance Fills The Yard by Su Shih
Getting Up At Night In A Boat by Su Shih
Hall Of Drunken Ink by Su Shih
Immortal By The River by Su Shih
Moon Over West River; On Level Mountain Hall by Su Shih
The Ocean Mirage At Deng-zhou by Su Shih
On The Painting Of Tiered Bluffs And The Misty River by Su Shih
On The Paintings Of Bamboo By Wen Tong by Su Shih
On The Winter Festival I Visited Lone Mountain And Two Monks by Su Shih
Ou-yang Xiu Asks Me To Write A Poem On A Stone Screen He Owns by Su Shih
Settling Wind And Waves by Su Shih
Some Time Ago ... I Saw A Painting Of Buddha By Wu Dao-zi by Su Shih
Song For The River Tune by Su Shih
Thirteen Companion Pieces: Bridge Over Lake by Su Shih
Tong-caho Tower At Zheng-mai Station by Su Shih
Wu Mountain by Su Shih
Anonymous Old Poem (1) by Su Wu
Anonymous Old Poem (2) by Su Wu
I Ride The Coach With Polished Sides by Su Xiao-xiao
Wandering To The Tian-tai Mountains by Sun Cho
Begging by T'ao Ch'ien
Biography Of Master Five Willows by T'ao Ch'ien
Confucius, Analects Xi.26 by T'ao Ch'ien
Drinking Wine: 5 by T'ao Ch'ien
Dwelling In Peace On The Double Ninth by T'ao Ch'ien
Moving My Dwelling: 1 by T'ao Ch'ien
Pall Bearer's Song: 2 by T'ao Ch'ien
Reading The Classic Of Mountains And Seas: 1 by T'ao Ch'ien
Returning To Dwell In Gardens And Fields: 1 by T'ao Ch'ien
Returning To Dwell In Gardens And Fields: 3 by T'ao Ch'ien
A Sacrifical Prayer For The Dead On My Own Behalf by T'ao Ch'ien
Seasons Shift by T'ao Ch'ien
The Sixth Month Of 408: We Had A Fire by T'ao Ch'ien
Peony Pavilion: Looking Over The Portrait by Tang Xian-zu
Peony Pavilion: Secret Union by Tang Xian-zu
Peony Pavilion: Waking Suddenly From Dream by Tang Xian-zu
The Ballad Of Running Horse River; Sending Off The Army by Ts'en Shen
On The Terrace Of Cang Jie's Invention Of Characters At San-hui Temple by Ts'en Shen
Wong Of The White Snow; Sending Off Assistant Wu On Rteurn To Capital by Ts'en Shen
Another Poem On Mr. Zheng's Eastern Pavilion by Tu Fu
The Army Wagons; A Ballad by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 1 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 2 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 3 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 4 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 5 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 6 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 7 by Tu Fu
Autumn Stirrings: 8 by Tu Fu
Ballad Of An Old Cypress by Tu Fu
Ballad Of The Painted Eagle by Tu Fu
Bending River: 1 by Tu Fu
Boating On The Reservoir West Of The City by Tu Fu
The Diagram Of Eight Formations by Tu Fu
Early Migrating Geese by Tu Fu
End Of Spring: On My Newly Rented Thatched Cottage At Rang-xi Iii by Tu Fu
Enjoying Rain On A Spring Night by Tu Fu
Having Fallen Off My Horse Drunk, Various Gentlemen Come To Visit Me by Tu Fu
Jiang Village: 2 by Tu Fu
Lament By The River by Tu Fu
Lament For Chen-tao by Tu Fu
Lament For Greenslope by Tu Fu
Lone Wild Goose by Tu Fu
A Mei-pi Lake Song by Tu Fu
Night's Midpoint by Tu Fu
The Officer At Tong Pass by Tu Fu
Out To The Frontier: 1 by Tu Fu
Painted Hawk by Tu Fu
Quatrain by Tu Fu
The River Flooded by Tu Fu
River Village by Tu Fu
Song Of A Painting by Tu Fu
A Song Of My Cares When Going From The Capital To Feng-xian by Tu Fu
Sunlight Cast Back by Tu Fu
Taking Down A Trellis by Tu Fu
The View In Spring by Tu Fu
Where Yangzi Meets The Han by Tu Fu
Anonymous Old Poem by Anonymous
The Ballad Of Mu-lan by Anonymous
Before Those Morsels Make The Rounds by Anonymous
Boddhisattva Barbarian by Anonymous
Bowing To The New Moon by Anonymous
Breaking The Branches Of Willows by Anonymous
Calling Back The Recluse by Anonymous
Calling Back The Soul by Anonymous
Chang-an Has Narrow Alleys by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 1 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 10 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 104 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 105 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 107. 'sandals Of Straw' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 111 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 12. 'magpie's Nest' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 131. 'yellow Bird' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 137 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 138. 'barred Gate' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 140 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 158. 'cutting The Haft' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 161 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 167 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 168. 'bringing Forth The Chariots' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 17 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 177. 'sixth Month' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 184 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 20 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 22 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 23. 'dead Roe Deer' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 236. 'the Gentle Brightness' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 237. 'spreading' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 24 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 245 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 250. Liu The Duke by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 255 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 26 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 262 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 277 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 290 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 30 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 34 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 35 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 36 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 4 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 41. 'north Wind' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 42 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 46 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 46 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 48. 'in The Mulberries' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 5 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 51. 'rainbow' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 59. 'bamboo Pole' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 6 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 61. 'the River Is Broad' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 63. 'fox' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 64. 'quince' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 65. 'millet Lush' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 66 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 7 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 73 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 76 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 77 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 81 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 82. 'rooster Crows' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 83. 'no Clothes' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 87. 'lift Your Kilts' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 9. 'the Han So Wide' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 90. 'wind And Rain' by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 93 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 94 by Anonymous
Classic Of Poetry: 95 by Anonymous
Cocks Crow by Anonymous
Dew On The Onion Grass by Anonymous
Drunk In An Age Of Peace by Anonymous
The Drunken Lord by Anonymous
East Gate by Anonymous
East Of Ping-ling by Anonymous
Far Roaming by Anonymous
Fisherman's Lyrics by Anonymous
Grand by Anonymous
The Graveyard by Anonymous
Hanging Branch Song by Anonymous
Heaven Above by Anonymous
Leaves Of A Thousand Lotuses by Anonymous
The Magpie Steps On The Branch by Anonymous
Meeting by Anonymous
Mulberries By The Path by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 1 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 10 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 13 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 14 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 15 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 19 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 2 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 3 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 4 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 5 by Anonymous
Nineteen Old Poems: 9 by Anonymous
Old Poem by Anonymous
The One I Love by Anonymous
Prelude by Anonymous
Prelude: White Swans In Pairs by Anonymous
Qi-yu Songs: 1 by Anonymous
Qi-yu Songs: 4 by Anonymous
Song Of The Autumn Wind by Anonymous
Song Of The Prince Of Lang-ya by Anonymous
Song White Hair by Anonymous
Songs Of The West: The Crows Fly By Night (4) by Anonymous
South Of The Walls We Fought by Anonymous
Washing Creek Sands by Anonymous
Watering My Horse By The Great Wall by Anonymous
West Gate by Anonymous
Yang Pan-er by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs Of The Four Seasons. Spring: 10 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs Of The Four Seasons. Spring: 6 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs Of The Four Seasons. Spring: 9 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs Of The Four Seasons. Winter: 13 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 1-2 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 12 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 16 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 19 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 20 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 23 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 24 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 33 by Anonymous
Zi-ye Songs: 36 by Anonymous
Climbing Bao-gong Pagoda by Wang Anshih
Meditation On The Past At Jin-ling Iii by Wang Anshih
My Brother Wang Chun-fu Brings Out A Painting By The Monk Hui-chong by Wang Anshih
One Day Coming Home: Ballad (on The Death Of His Wife) by Wang Anshih
The Temple Of Shooting Stars by Wang Anshih
Wu-zhen Monastery by Wang Anshih
Seven Sorrows: 1 by Wang Can
Seven Sorrows: 2 by Wang Can
With The Army: 5 by Wang Can
Army Song by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Long-xi; A Ballad by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Out The Passes by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Reproach In The Women's Chambers by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Song Of The Spring Palace by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Variation On 'hard Traveling' by Wang Ch'ang-ling
With The Army; A Ballad by Wang Ch'ang-ling
Putting On Lipstick by Wang Guo-wei
Washing Creek Sands by Wang Guo-wei
Song Of Lian-zhou by Wang Han
Helped Home Drunk by Wang He-qing
Gazing On Hua-qing Palace At Daybreak by Wang Jian
Palace Lyrics: 95 by Wang Jian
With The Army; A Ballad by Wang Jian
Since You Have Gone Away by Wang Rong
Spring Longings by Wang Seng-ju
South Of The Wall We Fought by Wang Shi-zhen (1526-1590)
At Daybreak I Crossed The Ping-jiang River And Climbed On Foot ... by Wang Shih-chen
Crossing The Ancient Barrier Pass In The Rain by Wang Shih-chen
Farm Home By Cu-lai Mountain by Wang Shih-chen
On The Ba River Bridge: Sent Home To My Wife: 2 by Wang Shih-chen
On The Qing-yang Road by Wang Shih-chen
What I Saw On The Northern Outskirts Of Zhen-zhou by Wang Shih-chen
Answering Magistrate Zhang by Wang Wei (699-761)
Answering Pei Di by Wang Wei (699-761)
Answering The Poem Left By Mr. Su, Nominally Of The Bureau Of Forestry by Wang Wei (699-761)
Farming Homes By Wei River by Wang Wei (699-761)
Parting by Wang Wei (699-761)
Sending Mr. Yuan On His Way On A Mission To An-xi by Wang Wei (699-761)
Sight-seeing In The Moors Outside Of Liang-zhou by Wang Wei (699-761)
Songs For The Goddess' Shrine On Fish Mountain by Wang Wei (699-761)
Stopping By The Temple Of Incense Massed (1) by Wang Wei (699-761)
Stopping By The Temple Of Incense Massed (1) by Wang Wei (699-761)
Villa On Zhong-nan Mountain by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Deer Fence by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Dogwood Strand by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Fine Grained Apricot Wood Lodge by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Gold Dust Spring by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Hua-zi Hill by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Jin Bamboo Ridge by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Lacquer Tree Garden by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Lake Qi by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Lodge In The Bamboo by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Magnolia Dell by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Magnolia Fence by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': North Cottage by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Pavilion Overlooking The Lake by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Pepper Tree Garden by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Rapids By The Luan Trees by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': South Cottage by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': The Hollow By Meng's Walls by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': The Lane Of Palace Ash Trees by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': White Stone Rapids by Wang Wei (699-761)
The 'wang Stream Collection': Willow Waves by Wang Wei (699-761)
Watching A Hunt by Wang Wei (699-761)
When Living Quietly At Wang-chuan I Gave This To Pei Di by Wang Wei (699-761)
Written Crossing The Yellow River To Qing-he by Wang Wei (699-761)
Songs Of Hu-zhou: 3 by Wang Yuan-liang
Climbing Stork Tower by Wang Zhihuan
Parting by Wang Zhihuan
Song Of Liang-zhou by Wang Zhihuan
Going Home To Visit Censor Wang On My Day Off And Not Finding Him Home by Wei Ying-wu
Boddhisattva Barbarian by Wei Zhuang
Immortal In Heaven by Wei Zhuang
Boddhisattva Barbarian by Wen T'ing-yun
Song For The Bank Where The Cock Crowed by Wen T'ing-yun
A Song Of Lord Xie's Villa by Wen T'ing-yun
Written On The Temple Of Mount Xiao by Wen T'ing-yun
Quatrains On Various Topics: 1 by Wu Chun
Escaping The Fighting: 5 by Wu Wei-yeh
Escaping The Fighting: 6 by Wu Wei-yeh
A Lament For My Daughter: 1 by Wu Wei-yeh
Mooring In The Evening by Wu Wei-yeh
Thoughts Stirred On Meeting The Gardener Of Royal Academy In Nanjing by Wu Wei-yeh
West Fields: 1 by Wu Wei-yeh
Night-closing Flowers by Wu Wen-ying
Treading The Sledge by Wu Wen-ying
Wind Enters Pines by Wu Wen-ying
Climbing An Upper Story By The Pool by Xie Ling-yun
Fu-chun Isle by Xie Ling-yun
Visiting The Southern Pavilion by Xie Ling-yun
Written On The Lake, Returning From The Chapel At Stone Cliff by Xie Ling-yun
Clear And Even Music by Xin Qiji
Expressing What Was On My Mind by Xin Qiji
Ugly Slave by Xin Qiji
Officer Of The Guard by Xin Yan-nian
Chamber Thoughts: 3 by Xu Gan
Dead Drunk In The East Wind by Xu Zai-si
Spring Passion by Xu Zai-si
The Drunken Lord by Xue Zhao-yun
Butterflies Love Flowers by Yan Jidao
Partridge Weather (1) by Yan Jidao
Partridge Weather (2) by Yan Jidao
Springtime In The Mansion Of Jade by Yan Jidao
Young Ruan Returns by Yan Jidao
Since You Have Gone Away by Yan Shi-bo
Breaking Through The Ranks by Yan Shu
Reaching Golden Gates by Yan Shu
Washing Creek Sands by Yan Shu
Washing Creek Sands by Yan Shu
A Child Crying For Food by Yang Wan-li
A Child Playing With Ice by Yang Wan-li
During An Intercalary August After The 'arrival Of Autumn' It Was Hot by Yang Wan-li
For Play by Yang Wan-li
Going To The Palace Library Early In The Morning by Yang Wan-li
Just Before The Mid-march Festival, I Heard That My Father Was Ill by Yang Wan-li
March 5, 1180. In Early Morning Crossing The Great Marsh Ferry: 1 by Yang Wan-li
One Day Before New Year's Eve ... I Spent The Night In Zhi-ping Temple by Yang Wan-li
Strolling Along A Juniper Path In The Morning by Yang Wan-li
Ten Stanzas On The Autumn Rain: 1 by Yang Wan-li
Traveling By Boat To Take Up My Post At Pi-ling by Yang Wan-li
Two Companion Pieces For Li Tian-lin: 1 by Yang Wan-li
Watching Ants by Yang Wan-li
Yan Ji-sheng, Chancellor Of Education ... Visit The Pei Garden by Yang Wan-li
The Drunken Lord by Yin E
A Companion Piece For Grand Master Yan's 'newly Cleared Skies' by Yu Hsin
Respectfully Answering 'drifting On The River' by Yu Hsin
Study In The Hills by Yu Hsin
Song Of The Southland by Yu Hu
Roaming Free In Huai-nan by Zhang Hu
A Ballad Of The Yong-jia by Zhang Ji
Long-tou Ballad by Zhang Ji
By The Lake by Zhang Ke-jiu
Parting by Zhang Rong
Peach Blossom Creek by Zhang Xu
Thoughts On The Past At Tong Pass by Zhang Yang-hao
In Bed by Zhao Yi
Livelihood by Zhao Yi
Local Song by Zhao Yi
On Poetry: 1 by Zhao Yi
On Poetry: 2 by Zhao Yi
Poems On My Dwelling In The Rear Park: 2 by Zhao Yi
Poems On My Dwelling In The Rear Park: 3 by Zhao Yi
Returning On Yang Lake by Zhao Yi
A Song Sequence To 'a Spray Of Flowers' by Zhong Si-cheng
Sunning Oneself by Zhou Mi
Calling To The Recluse: 1 by Zuo Si
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1264 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (March 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393971066
• ISBN-13: 978-0393971064
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Asian
  • #32 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Asian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not really suitable for scholars, nor suitable for casual readers..., April 7, 2011

By 

Gareth Scullion - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911 (Paperback)

As a westerner who studies ancient Chinese Culture, I've "palled around" with this anthology for about two years. My first Chinese literature teacher taught out of it, but as an introductory text it fell short and most of the class couldn't get into the material as it's presented here.

The translations, as far as I know, are accurate, or at least as accurate as you can expect, though they're also quite lifeless. I'll be amazed if the students reading the poems in this book actually come away with the feeling that they've just read poetry-- I certainly didn't.

What doesn't help is that Owen provides the bare minimum in terms of supplementary annotations. He gives most of the literary eras a measly three-or-so paragraphs of "explanation" before spamming the reader with his impressive collection of literal yet glossless translations. For a work of this magnitude, from a scholar who's written captivating works about Chinese literature in the past, there is simply no excuse for this.

And here's the rub: if you want to learn more about Chinese literature, you can read the numerous, far superior translations of the great novels, the philosophers, the histories, the most famous poets Li Bai and Dufu, etc, by Arthur Waley, Burtson Watson, and so on. If you want to delve even deeper, you can try Cyril Birch's anthology. And if you want to take learning about Chinese literature seriously, you'd better start learning classical Chinese. In short, this book is, sad to say, pretty darn useless. It's not fit for casual readers, and unfortunately due to the lack of deeper effort, it's not going to be helping any scholars either.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, March 8, 2009

By 

echoes of empires (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911 (Paperback)

This anthology is amazing and really beyond belief - rich in poetry and commentary that is deep and intelligent. This book (at over 1,200 pages) is virtually an encyclopedia of traditional Chinese culture, and it's fascinating to read the poems in the context of the world in which they were written. The range of work is vast to say the least, and is utterly absorping; this is far and away my favorite of the larger anthologies of traditional Chinese poetry.

17 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Slipshod Work of a Big Name, May 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911 (Paperback)

Anybody who has a decent knowledge of both the language and culture of traditional China will be dismayed at the errors and infelicities scattered throughout the anthology. Many of the errors are highly primitive and ludicrous, and it is extremely disappointing to see that they came from the hands of a well-known scholar. For example, Owen seems to be totally ignorant of some very common Chinese ways to indicate numbers. In one of Pu Songling's stories, Lianxiang, the phrase "three five nights" in the original should be translated as FIFTEEN (i.e., 3 x 5) nights instead of "three or five nights." Again, in a love song from the Classic of Poetry, the dwindling of the woman's marriage chances is compared to the steady falling of the mature plums from the tree (In the beginning, SEVENTY PERCENT of the fruits are on the tree; then there are THIRTY PERCENT; as Owen translates it, first there were SEVEN plums and then there were THREE, the poem becomes ridiculous and inscrutable.)

Owen is not being accused of being a bad mathematician. A student who has had two years of classical Chinese and got his tuition's worth by all means should know such stuff. A frustrated reader, as I am, will hardly have the patience to go into numerous other instances of wrong or bad translations on a higher level in order to discredit this work, which the author himself describes as "another big book."

Big names only do disservice to themselves by fast-produced, slipshod big books (I do not want to mention the typos and weird sentences in the book, which are not rare, either). Those who have a serious interest in knowing about classical Chinese literature and who are looking for a textbook to be used for undergrads are urged to turn to other sources or at least to take great caution in use.