Yougu Ci Poems
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Summary
A total of 174 ci poems. The author is Cai Shen, courtesy name Shendao, style name Yougu Jushi, a ci poet of the Southern Song dynasty. The artistic features of his ci works are as follows: first, the themes are concentrated on parting and longing, and on the sorrow of travel and lodging, as in Man Ting Fang, which recalls the past and grieves over parting, and Su Wu Man, which expresses the lonely sorrow of travel; second, the emotions are deep and dense, and the language is clear and natural, with both the melancholy of "parting tears shed in the east wind, past joys like a dream" and the sincerity of "life's joy lies in two hearts that know each other"; third, he is good at using scenery to set off emotion, with a fused and complete artistic conception, using images such as "lonely clouds dim with sorrow" and "a stray goose in the cold sky" to heighten the mood, unfolding layer by layer and portraying the sorrow of parting most vividly.
Editor's review
The 174 ci poems in Yougu Ci chiefly present Cai Shen's work along the axes of parting and longing and the sorrows of travel. Its value lies in clear emotional threads and densely woven imagery: from the remembered past and parting grief of "Man Ting Fang" to the lonely traveler's sorrow of "Su Wu Man," readers can follow a single emotional line and see how a Southern Song ci poet unfolds layer upon layer of feeling within everyday separation. The language is fresh and natural, without piling up obscure allusions; lines such as "parting tears scattered on the east wind, past joys like a dream" and "life's joy lies in two hearts that know each other" are direct yet linger with aftertaste, suited to slow reading poem by poem in quiet hours. The technique of using scenery to set off emotion also deserves attention: images like "lonely clouds dim with sorrow" and "a stray goose in the cold sky" are not mere decoration but work in concert with the emotional progression; note where scenery appears and how it relates to emotional turns. For readers who want to understand the achievements of minor Southern Song ci poets or who prefer the graceful and restrained lyric mode, this collection offers a moderate-sized, stylistically consistent sample.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Classical literature readers who prefer the graceful and restrained style and want to read Southern Song parting and longing themes closely
- Readers who need a moderate-sized, stylistically consistent ci collection for daily recitation
- Literature students studying imagery and lyric structure in Southern Song ci
- General poetry lovers who enjoy fresh, natural language and do not seek abstruse allusions
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for the grandeur of the heroic school or strong themes of nation and homeland
- Complete beginners in ci poetry who need detailed annotations and line-by-line explication
- Readers who prefer anthologies with diverse subjects, varied styles, and high information density
Reading tips
- Read in groups by emotional theme—parting, travel, reminiscence—so that variations in treatment within a single theme emerge.
- After each poem, first mark where descriptions of scenery appear, then look back at how emotion advances with the scenery, training sensitivity to scene-as-feeling.
- Choose directly expressive lines such as "Tears of parting on the east wind" and "Life's joy lies in two hearts that know each other," read them aloud against the surrounding scenic language, and sense the restraint of the clear, natural style.
- Read a dozen or so poems at a fixed weekly pace and jot down repetitions and variations of imagery; when the collection is finished, review the notes to trace the overall style.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 水调歌头
- 水调歌头
- 水调歌头
- 满庭芳
- 满庭芳
- 满庭芳
- 满庭芳
- 满庭芳
- 苏武慢
- 飞雪满群山
- 飞雪满群山
- 水龙吟
- 蓦山溪
- 蓦山溪
- 蓦山溪
- 蓦山溪
- 念奴娇
- 念奴娇
- 念奴娇
- 念奴娇
- 念奴娇
- 雨中花慢
- 喜迁莺
- 忆瑶姬
- 丑奴儿慢
- 满江红
- 婆罗门引
- 青玉案
- 青玉案
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 南歌子
- 南歌子
- 南歌子
- 南乡子
- 南乡子
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 忆秦娥
- 忆秦娥
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 谒金门
- 谒金门
- 忆王孙
- 阮郎归
- 柳梢青
- 柳梢青
- 柳梢青
- 好事近
- 好事近
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 小重山
- 小重山
- 小重山
- 小重山
- 踏莎行
- 踏莎行
- 踏莎行
- 踏莎行
- 踏莎行
- 踏莎行
- 定风波
- 定风波
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 昭君怨
- 醉落魄
- 醉落魄
- 醉落魄
- 醉落魄
- 极相思
- 极相思
- 玉楼春
- 玉楼春
- 长相思
- 长相思
- 长相思
- 西地锦
- 归田乐
- 七娘子
- 感皇恩
- 感皇恩
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 渔家傲
- 四楼子
- 四楼子
- 御街行
- 上阳春
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 临江仙
- 鹧鸪天
- 惜奴娇
- 行香子
- 一剪梅
- 一剪梅
- 一剪梅
- 六么令
- 镇西
- 看花回
- 诉衷情
- 浪淘沙
- 如梦令
- 如梦令
- 愁倚阑
- 愁倚阑
- 愁倚阑
- 望江南
- 春光好
- 风流子
- 朝中措
- 朝中措
- 侍香金童
- 江城子
- 西江月
- 苍梧谣
- 采桑子
- 洞仙歌
- 瑞鹤仙
FAQ
Can I read Yougu Ci directly without any background in ci studies?
Yes, but start with short-tune pieces and plainly worded works rather than trying to master every poem. Cai Shen's language is fresh and natural with a light burden of allusion, so readers with no background can grasp the general meaning; to go deeper into imagery and structure, an annotated edition or reference tools are still helpful.
What setting is best for reading this collection?
Quiet, uninterrupted stretches for slow reading poem by poem, such as before bed or on a weekend afternoon. The themes center on parting, longing, and travel sorrow, with a consistent emotional tone; it is not suited to fast or skipped reading. Read in sections with pauses to better appreciate how scenery and emotion unfold layer by layer.
What should I focus on when reading Yougu Ci?
Two things: first, the relationship between scenic language and emotion—how images like "lonely clouds dim with sorrow" and "a stray goose in the cold sky" support the emotional progression; second, how direct expressive lines connect with scenic language, and the place and function of lines like "parting tears scattered on the east wind" within the whole poem.
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About the author
蔡伸
Author
Cai Shen was a Song dynasty ci poet. Public sources on his life are limited, making it difficult to give a detailed account of his native place, examination record, or official career. Two works are extant under his name, both titled Yougu Ci, through which his poetic style can be examined. In subject and technique, his ci often treat parting sorrow, seasonal scenery, and personal reflection; the language is clear and graceful, the feeling subtle and indirect, and he shows skill in both short songs and longer man forms. Later ages placed his work within the categories of classical poetry and literary appreciation, indicating that his ci holds some reference value for the evolution and appreciation of Song ci. Owing to insufficient documentation, details of his life and his place in literary history await further study; readers should rely chiefly on the extant ci and consider them against the background of the Song ci world when assessing his achievement and influence.
