Night Recitation After Failing the Examination

戴衢Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

2.3

Word count: 2.9K words
Chapters: 48

Summary

Dai Qu's birth and death years and native place are unknown. He sat for the imperial examination for many years without success. His deeds are recorded in "Shihua Zonggui" former collection, juan 44, quoting Lu Gui's "Shuqing Shi." "Quan Tang Shi" preserves one poem and two fragmentary lines.

Editor's review

Biographical information on Dai Qu is extremely scarce; he is known only as a man who sat for the imperial examination and was long stranded in the examination halls, and his surviving works in "Quan Tang Shi" are very limited. This poem, "Xia Di Ye Yin," written on the night of failing the examination, centers on the nighttime soliloquy of one who has failed the examinations. Its value lies not in the aura of a famous name or famous piece but in providing an extremely specific perspective of failure: sleeplessness, repeated brooding, self-consolation intertwined with unwillingness—emotions compressed into a short space, direct and weighty to read. For readers interested in Tang examination culture and literati psychology, this poem serves as firsthand emotional material complementing institutional records in historical texts. Published as a standalone piece by Nanhai Publishing House, it is suitable as a textual sample for thematic reading; comparing along threads of failure, night recitation, and writing of disappointment reveals more clearly how classical poetry handles the universal experience of personal defeat.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature and history readers interested in Tang examination culture and the psychology of failed candidates
Reading group members wishing to conduct disappointment-themed reading and comparison with short texts
Language teachers needing classroom materials on examination-themed poetry
Classical poetry enthusiasts who enjoy discovering emotional details in obscure poems

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking Dai Qu's complete biography and full body of work; surviving materials are too limited
Readers pursuing famous works and classic anthology reading experiences
Academic researchers expecting detailed institutional historical research rather than literary feeling

Reading tips

First read through without background, noting the emotions and scenes directly conveyed, then look up the author and examination background.
Read alongside other Tang poems on failure in the examinations to compare how different poets handle disappointment.
Read with basic knowledge of the Tang examination system to understand the practical impact of failure on literati careers.
After reading, write a short review of about a hundred words explaining which passage moved you most and why.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
【见美人闻琴不听】李播
卷773_24【赋诗】辛弘智
卷773_25【自君之出矣】辛弘智
卷773_26【自君之出矣（又一首）】辛弘智
卷774_1【题春梦秋归故里】吉师老
卷774_2【看蜀女转昭君变】吉师老
卷774_3【放猿】吉师老
卷774_4【鸳鸯】吉师老
卷774_5【巫峡听猿】吴商浩
卷774_6【长安春赠友人】吴商浩
卷774_7【塞上即事】吴商浩
卷774_8【宿山驿】吴商浩
卷774_9【北邙山】吴商浩
卷774_10【秋塘晓望】吴商浩
卷774_11【水楼感事】吴商浩
卷774_12【泊舟】吴商浩
卷774_13【湘云】吴商浩
卷774_14【秋闺】沈祖仙
卷774_15【秋闺】邵士彦
卷774_16【捣衣】吴大江
卷774_17【题慈恩塔】荆叔
卷774_18【三湘有怀】萧静
卷774_19【九日对酒】元凛
卷774_20【中秋夜不见月】元凛
卷774_21【雷塘】徐振
卷774_22【古意】徐振
卷774_23【寄人】张侹
卷774_24【武昌阻风】方泽
卷774_25【秋夜宿淮口】景池
卷774_26【赠乔尊师】张鸿
卷774_27【村行】姚揆
卷774_28【颍川客舍】姚揆
卷774_29【独不见】王训
卷774_30【归去来引】张炽
卷774_31【结客少年场行】虞羽客
卷774_32【塞上】郑渥
卷774_33【洛阳道】郑渥
卷775_1【宜春郡城闻猿】崔江
卷775_2【谪宜阳到荆渚】李伉
卷775_3【九嶷山（山在萍乡，上有九嶷仙观）】刘望
卷775_4【郡城放猿献卫使君】易思
卷775_5【题袁州龙兴寺】易思
卷775_6【山中送弟方质】易思
卷775_7【寻易尊师不遇】易思
卷775_8【秋日寄弟】赵防
卷775_9【杨岐山】刘廓
卷775_10【南源山】姚偓

FAQ

Will the scarcity of information on the author Dai Qu affect reading?

There will be some impact, but do not be deterred. The emotions and scenes in the poem are fairly direct; one can start from the text to feel them, then supplement with general background on the Tang examination system and the plight of failed candidates. The blank in the author's biography actually makes the text the main basis for understanding this kind of experience.

How does this poem compare with other Tang poems on failing the examinations?

Its feature is using night recitation as the scene, concentrating the thoughts after failure into the moment of nighttime solitude, with compact and restrained emotional expression. Because so few works survive, comprehensive stylistic positioning is difficult; it is better treated as a case study, read alongside other poems on examination disappointment to observe commonalities and differences.

In what settings is it suitable to read this poem?

Suitable for quiet, solitary close reading, and also as a thematic text for reading groups or classrooms, discussing around examinations, disappointment, and nighttime writing. Short in length, it is convenient for repeated rereading and annotation, not suited to plot-driven or quick-skimming reading.

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About the author

戴衢 Author

Very little is known about Dai Qu from publicly available sources: his native place, dates of birth and death, and courtesy name are all unrecorded. Only two works can currently be confirmed, both bearing the title "Night Chant After Failing the Examination," and both fall within the classical Chinese poetry tradition. The title itself indicates a context of failing the imperial examination, with "night chant" specifying the time and manner of composition. Such themes typically revolve around the mixed emotions following disappointment in the examination hall and tend to resonate with later readers. Given the scarcity of biographical material, discussion of the author and his poetry must rely mainly on the work itself: the title reflects the plight of literati in the examination era and suggests a personal, lyrical mode of expression. For readers wishing to approach Dai Qu, the most direct path is to read this poem closely, sensing its emotional tone and manner of expression from its limited text, and thereby glimpse the inner world of unsuccessful scholars in premodern China.