Selected Five Dynasties Ci with Explanations
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Summary
This is an appreciation of Five Dynasties ci for beginners. The author selects works by Wei Zhuang, Feng Yansi, Li Jing, Li Yu and other masters, covering themes from boudoir lament and frontier verse to meditations on the past and reclusion, and comments on each piece in turn. The book expounds both the allegorical resonance of loyal love and noble resentment and the lofty, ethereal quality of ci that harbors no message, while also illuminating the subtleties of tonal prosody and bi-xing allusion. Written in plain, accessible language, it is a classic primer on the origins and artistic essence of Five Dynasties ci.
Editor's review
This book is Yu Biyun’s appreciation of Five Dynasties ci for beginners, selecting works by masters such as Wei Zhuang, Feng Yansi, Li Jing and Li Yu, with themes including boudoir lament, frontier verse, meditations on the past and reclusion. The commentary expounds the allegorical resonance of loyal love and noble resentment and the lofty, ethereal quality of ci that harbors no message, while also pointing out the subtleties of tonal prosody and bi-xing allusion; the language is plain and easy to understand. Five Dynasties ci stands at a crucial stage of transition from Tang style to Song tone, and this piece-by-piece commentary helps readers see clearly the development and artistic features of the ci form in this period. For beginners, it is both a guide to famous pieces and an introductory step toward understanding the origins of ci. It should be read slowly against the original ci, noting the author’s judgments on wording, structure and ci realm, and may be read alongside the later Northern Song ci selections to appreciate the evolution of style. The book does not show off erudition or pile up terminology, making it suitable for casual reading at the desk and as supplementary material for classroom teaching.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers new to Five Dynasties ci who wish to know famous pieces by Wei Zhuang, Feng Yansi, the two Li rulers and other masters
- Junior undergraduates in Chinese literature, who can use it as a guide and reference for Five Dynasties ci appreciation
- Language teachers preparing lessons and looking for piece-by-piece commentary and artistic analysis
- Lovers of classical poetry who have read Northern Song ci selections and wish to trace the origins of the ci form
Not a good fit for
- Professional researchers with a deep foundation in ci studies who expect cutting-edge academic discussion
- Readers who prefer long modern vernacular appreciations and are unused to plain classical commentary
- Readers with no interest in Five Dynasties ci who only want famous Song ci
Reading tips
- Read the original ci first, then the commentary, and compare your first impressions with the author’s judgments.
- Read in groups by poet, for example several pieces each by Wei Zhuang, Feng Yansi and Li Yu, to appreciate each style.
- At comments on prosody and bi-xing allusion, reread the corresponding lines and recite aloud to feel the rhythm.
- After finishing, read alongside Northern Song ci selections and observe traces of stylistic change from the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 叙
- 后唐
- 李承（二首）
- 如梦令
- 一叶落
- 后晋
- 和凝（六首）
- 小重山
- 喜迁莺
- 渔父
- 天仙子
- 薄命女
- 春光好
- 前蜀
- 韦庄（十六首）
- 天仙子
- 定西番
- 菩萨蛮（四首）
- 木兰花
- 思帝乡
- 上行杯
- 荷叶杯（二首）
- 小重山
- 望远行
- 谒金门
- 清平乐
- 浣溪沙
- 王衍（一首）
- 醉妆词
- 薛昭蕴（七首）
- 女冠子
- 浣溪沙（四首）
- 小重山（二首）
- 牛峤（六首）
- 江城子
- 望江怨
- 定西番
- 菩萨蛮（二首）
- 更漏子
- 张泌（五首） 浣溪沙（三首）
- 南歌子（二首）
- 牛希济（二首）
- 生查子
- 尹鹗（二首）
- 满宫花
- 临江仙
- 李珣（十二首）
- 南乡子（八首）
- 浣溪沙（二首）
- 定风波（二首）
- 毛文锡（四首）
- 醉花间（二首）
- 更漏子
- 临江仙
- 魏承班（一首）
- 生查子
- 后蜀
- 顾敻（十一首）
- 荷叶杯（二首）
- 杨柳枝
- 醉公子（二首）
- 浣溪沙（二首）
- 河传（二首）
- 木兰花
- 临江仙
- 鹿虔扆（一首）
- 临江仙
- 阎选（一首）
- 定风波
- 毛熙震（三首）
- 菩萨蛮
- 清平乐
- 临江仙
- 欧阳炯（五首）
- 三字令
- 南乡子（四首）
- 欧阳彬（一首）
- 生查子
- 孟昶（一首）
- 木兰花
- 南唐
- 冯延巳（五十首）
- 三台令（三首）
- 归国谣（二首）
- 长相思
- 抛球乐（六首）
- 采桑子（六首）
- 谒金门（二首）
- 清平乐
- 菩萨蛮
- 玉楼春
- 鹊踏枝（五首）
- 菩萨蛮（三首）
- 虞美人
- 临江仙
- 蝶恋花
- 采桑子（二首）
- 酒泉子
- 临江仙
- 虞美人（二首）
- 南乡子
- 更漏子（三首）
- 菩萨蛮（二首）
- 浣溪沙（二首）
- 忆江南（二首）
- 李璟（六首）
- 应天长
- 望远行
- 浣溪沙（二首）
- 浣溪沙（春恨）
- 帝台春
- 李煜（二十七首）
- 虞美人
- 乌夜啼
- 一斛珠
- 菩萨蛮
- 更漏子
- 临江仙
- 望江南（二首）
- 清平乐
- 浣溪沙
- 菩萨蛮（三首）
- 浪淘沙
- 采桑子
- 虞美人
- 捣练子令
- 玉楼春
- 蝶恋花
- 阮郎归
- 浪淘沙令
- 采桑子
- 喜迁莺
- 相见欢
- 长相思
- 浣溪沙
- 相见欢
- 闽
- 徐昌图（一首）
- 临江仙
- 荆南
- 孙光宪（十一首）
- 竹枝词
- 浣溪沙（三首）
- 河传（二首）
- 菩萨蛮（三首）
- 定西番（二首）
- 佚名（一首）
- 鱼游春水
FAQ
Can I read this Five Dynasties ci selection directly without having read Song ci?
Yes. The book is intended for beginners, its language is plain, and it comments piece by piece without relying on prior knowledge. Five Dynasties ci is short and concentrated in imagery, which actually makes it a suitable first stop for entering the ci form; reading Song ci afterward will then be smoother.
Does the commentary emphasize allegorical thought or artistic form?
Both. The author expounds the allegorical resonance of loyal love and noble resentment and the lofty, ethereal quality of ci that harbors no message, and also points out the subtleties of tonal prosody and bi-xing allusion, giving equal weight to meaning and formal analysis, so readers can take what they need.
What is the relationship between Five Dynasties ci and Song ci? Is it necessary to read this book?
Five Dynasties ci stands at the stage of transition from Tang style to Song tone, and the approaches of Wei Zhuang, Feng Yansi, Li Yu and others directly influenced Northern Song poets. Reading Five Dynasties ci before Song ci makes the lines of origin and stylistic evolution clearer.
How does this book differ from ordinary dictionaries of ci appreciation?
This book is Yu Biyun’s piece-by-piece commentary, focusing on revealing the relative heights of ci realms and the subtleties of prosody and bi-xing allusion. The comments carry personal judgment and are not an entry-style compilation of materials. Readers can follow one commentator’s view to appreciate the artistic essence of Five Dynasties ci.
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About the author
俞陛云
Author
Yu Biyun (little is publicly confirmed about his dates or nationality) was a modern scholar of classical Chinese poetry and ci lyric whose works have circulated widely in the field of poetry appreciation. Fourteen of his titles are held in this collection, covering both shi poetry and ci lyric: reader-friendly introductions to Tang poetry such as Shijing Qianshuo (Brief Remarks on the Realm of Poetry) and How to Appreciate Tang Poetry, alongside annotated anthologies arranged by period, including Selected Ci of the Northern Song, the Southern Song, the Five Dynasties, and the Tang. His approach is mainly selection and explanation, clarifying wording and highlighting imagery in plain, accessible language well suited to beginners. Bridging literary appreciation and Eastern philosophy, his books are usually grouped under classical poetry and literature.
