晏殊

Yan Shu was a Song-dynasty ci poet. Public information about his birth and death dates and place of origin is limited, and this site has not confirmed his nationality or an English name. Eight of his works are included here, mostly editions and compilations of ci collections. Representative works include Zhu Yu Ci and the joint collection Yan Shu Ci Ji · Yan Jidao Ci Ji. His ci often treat banquets, the passage of time and reflections on life, in a clear, restrained and gently expressive style that holds a distinctive place in Northern Song ci poetry. Besides poetic texts, the collection also includes titles such as Jie E Shu and Jie E Xue, which concern ways of coping with adversity and a survival philosophy of turning danger into safety; hence the common categories of ancient poetry, literary appreciation and philosophical reading. These editions offer readers a way to understand his poetic style and related cultural themes.