First Acquaintance with Plum Blossoms

Han FeiBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.4

Word count: 3K words
Chapters: 48

Summary

One of the works of the Tang poet Cui Tu. Cui Tu (854–?), courtesy name Lishan, was a native of what is now the Fuchun River area of Zhejiang. He passed the imperial examination as a jinshi in the fourth year of Guangqi (888) under Emperor Xizong of Tang.

Editor's review

This book centers on "First Encounter with Plum Blossom" by the Tang poet Cui Tu, reading a short plum-blossom poem closely within both the Tang tradition of object-praising poetry and the poet's personal experience. The book traces the clues of Cui Tu's movements around his passing of the jinshi examination in the fourth year of Guangqi and, drawing on the regional background of the Fuchun River area, helps readers understand how the plum-blossom imagery in the poem carries the feelings of travel and the sense of a first encounter. The textual analysis section emphasizes glossing words and explaining syntactic rhythm, making it friendly to general readers; annotations and running commentary do not pile up terminology, making it easy to read through the whole piece in a short time. Notably, the book combines appreciating the poem with understanding the person: readers can encounter both the common ways plum blossoms are written about in Tang poetry and a glimpse of the life of a late Tang scholar. It is suitable as an introductory reader for classical poetry and for casual browsing of an item or two in leisure, reading aloud alongside the original poem to savor the lingering flavor of a short piece. If used for classroom support or family reading, one can focus discussion on the sense of time and the layers of emotion contained in the words "first encounter."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginning readers interested in Tang poetry and object-praising poems
Students who wish to use a short anthology as an introduction to classical poetry
Language teachers who need classroom support materials
Readers who like to read one or two short poems closely in leisure

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers expecting a systematic study of the late Tang poetry scene
In-depth readers hoping to read Cui Tu's complete works
Readers who prefer long narratives and plot-driven works

Reading tips

First read the original poem two or three times, then read the commentary, and revise your understanding against your first impressions.
Use the annotations to work through the glossing of words, marking uncertain lines to resolve in a focused way.
After reading the textual analysis, try to retell the poem's imagery and emotion in your own words.
Read alongside other Tang plum-blossom poems and compare the differences in the use of imagery.

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
【樵者】崔涂
卷679_53【南涧耕叟】崔涂
卷679_54【春日闲居忆江南旧业】崔涂
卷679_55【屈原庙】崔涂
卷679_56【宿庐山绝顶山舍】崔涂
卷679_57【王逸人隐居】崔涂
卷679_58【申州道中】崔涂
卷679_59【江上怀翠微寺空上人】崔涂
卷679_60【秋宿鹤林寺】崔涂
卷679_61【远望】崔涂
卷679_62【秋晚书怀】崔涂
卷679_63【途中秋晚送友人归江南】崔涂
卷679_64【己亥岁感事】崔涂
卷679_65【金陵晚眺（一作怀古）】崔涂
卷679_66【过长江贾岛主簿旧厅】崔涂
卷679_67【途中感怀寄青城李明府】崔涂
卷679_68【夏日书怀寄道友】崔涂
卷679_69【和进士张曙闻雁见寄】崔涂
卷679_70【鹦鹉洲即事（一作眺望）】崔涂
卷679_71【读留侯传】崔涂
卷679_72【赤壁怀古】崔涂
卷679_73【东晋】崔涂
卷679_74【春夕】崔涂
卷679_75【涧松】崔涂
卷679_76【湘中弦】崔涂
卷679_77【续纪汉武（一作读汉武内传）】崔涂
卷679_78【陇上逢江南故人】崔涂
卷679_79【夷陵夜泊】崔涂
卷679_80【橹声】崔涂
卷679_81【海棠图】崔涂
卷679_82【云】崔涂
卷679_83【过二妃庙】崔涂
卷679_84【送友人】崔涂
卷679_85【声】崔涂
卷679_86【放鹧鸪】崔涂
卷679_87【泉】崔涂
卷679_88【巫山旅别】崔涂
卷679_89【幽兰】崔涂
卷679_90【读庾信集】崔涂
卷679_91【过绣岭宫】崔涂
卷679_92【巴山道中除夜书怀】崔涂
卷679_93【题净众寺古松】崔涂
卷679_94【折杨柳】崔涂
卷679_95【七夕】崔涂
卷679_96【泛楚江】崔涂
卷679_97【初过汉江】崔涂
卷679_98【题授阳镇路】崔涂

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in classical poetry?

Fairly suitable. The annotations and running commentary do not rely on technical terminology; they explain words first and then discuss the poetry, so first-time readers can follow along in order. If certain allusions are unfamiliar, they can be skipped at first and revisited after finishing the whole piece, without affecting overall understanding.

Does the book include other works by Cui Tu?

According to the available information, this book centers on the poem "First Encounter with Plum Blossom," focusing on close textual reading and related background; it does not state that other poems by Cui Tu are included. Those who need his complete works should look for a dedicated anthology or collected works.

What can readers gain from finishing this book?

Readers can learn the meanings of words, the syntactic rhythm, and the layers of emotion in "First Encounter with Plum Blossom," and gain a basic understanding of Cui Tu and his era. They can also build up methods for reading object-praising poetry, laying a foundation for reading other short Tang poems.

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About the author

Han Fei Author · Chinese

Han Fei (c. 280–233 BCE) was a nobleman of the late Warring States state of Han and a disciple of Xunzi, and he is regarded as the great synthesizer of pre-Qin Legalist thought. Combining Shang Yang's "law," Shen Buhai's "method," and Shen Dao's "position of power," he advocated rule by law and centralized monarchical authority. His writing is precise in argument and sharp in tone, often using historical examples and parables to persuade, and is marked by a cool, forceful style. His works include "Solitary Wrath," "The Difficulties of Persuasion," "The Five Vermin," and the Inner and Outer "Storage of Illustrations," later collected as the Han Feizi. His themes center on political strategy, ruler-minister relations, and statecraft, with excursions into prose miscellany and the use of language, giving him influence in both Eastern philosophy and literary appreciation. Sent as an envoy to Qin, he was slandered by Li Si and Yao Jia and died in prison.