Collected Works of Yuan Zhen

元稹Bashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.3

Word count: 418 words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Yuan Zhen (779–831, or from the 14th year of Dali in the reign of Emperor Daizong of Tang to the 5th year of Taihe in the reign of Emperor Wenzong), courtesy name Weizhi, also styled Weiming, of Han ethnicity, was a native of Luoyang in Tang (present-day Luoyang, Henan). His father was Yuan Kuan and his mother of the Zheng clan. He was a descendant of the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei, the imperial clan of Northern Wei, and the 14th-generation grandson of Shiyijian. In his early years he and Bai Juyi jointly advocated the "New Yuefu." People often refer to him and Bai Juyi together as "Yuan-Bai."

Editor's review

Named a "collection," The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen focuses on presenting an organized compilation of Yuan Zhen's works, complementing complete-works editions. As an important poet of the mid-Tang, Yuan Zhen in his early years jointly advocated the New Yuefu with Bai Juyi; his writing attends to reality and is clear in language, moving freely between narrative and lyricism. His poems mourning the dead are deeply sincere, while his tale Yingying's Story displays the high achievement of Tang literati narrative. This book offers readers a relatively concentrated textual entry point into Yuan Zhen's poetry and prose, suitable for grasping the overall shape of his writing within limited time. When reading, one may first go through the poems in order, noting the interweaving of yuefu subjects and personal lyricism, then turn to the prose to sense the tension between his official writing and his literary expression. For readers who wish to approach the literary map of the mid-Tang through an individual writer, this book can serve as a basic reader; read alongside a selection of Bai Juyi, it better reveals the literary-historical significance of the joint name "Yuan-Bai."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Tang poetry enthusiasts who want to read Yuan Zhen's representative works in a concentrated way
Chinese majors who need a Yuan Zhen collection for course reference
Readers interested in the Yuan-Bai poetic school and mid-Tang literature
Readers who enjoy Tang tales and want to read the original text of Yingying's Story

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers who need an exhaustive gathering of all Yuan Zhen's scattered writings
Readers who find classical Chinese difficult and want vernacular interpretation
General readers seeking modern poetry or contemporary literature

Reading tips

Begin with the selected poems, focusing on the difference in subject matter between the New Yuefu and the poems mourning the dead.
Read Yingying's Story alongside related poems and prose to observe how the same author expresses himself in different genres.
Read in comparison with a selection of Bai Juyi's poems to sense the literary-historical thread of the joint name "Yuan-Bai."
After finishing each category of works, write a few notes to organize an overall impression of Yuan Zhen's writing.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
1.行宫
2.会真记
3.遣悲怀
4.遣悲怀
5.遣悲怀
6.离思
7.菊花

FAQ

Is this book suitable as an introductory reader for Yuan Zhen?

It can be used as an introductory reader. It gathers Yuan Zhen's works in a collection, making it convenient to read representative pieces in a concentrated way. If the reader's grounding in classical Chinese is modest, it is advisable to read alongside an annotated edition or a literary history textbook: first become familiar with Yuan Zhen's life and the mid-Tang background, then move on to the original text.

Does the book include Yingying's Story?

Yuan Zhen collections generally include works in his various genres; whether Yingying's Story is included should be confirmed against the actual table of contents. Before purchasing, check the table of contents after the copyright page or the publisher's description to confirm whether the tale is included, and then judge whether it meets your expectations.

How is Yuan Zhen's New Yuefu advocacy reflected in the book?

In his early years Yuan Zhen, together with Bai Juyi, advocated the New Yuefu; the related poems mostly attend to real subjects and use plain language. Readers may note the subjects and methods of the yuefu pieces in the poetry collection, and read them alongside Bai Juyi's New Yuefu to understand how this advocacy took concrete form in his writing.

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About the author

元稹 Author

Yuan Zhen was a Tang dynasty poet and writer of fiction. Public information about him is limited, and his dates, native place, and official career are not recorded in the available sources. This site holds twenty of his works, including collected editions such as The Complete Works of Yuan Zhen and The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen, as well as individual pieces such as Yingying's Story and its unannotated edition, "Moon at the Postal Pavilion on the Road East to Sichuan," "Huayue Temple," and "Ten Poems on Wine." His writing spans classical poetry and classical literature, with subjects ranging from travel and landscape to personal reflection and verse exchanges; his language is concise and his sentiments are subtly expressed. Yingying's Story, a tale of love in the chuanqi manner, is notable for its elegant prose and had a profound influence on later drama and fiction. His works are also classed among Eastern philosophy and classic works, reflecting the reflections on life and thought that run through his poetry and prose.