The Ancient Sea

1. First read the book's section on the origins of the ci form to establish the line of evolution from Tang through Five Dynasties to Song, then return to read each chapter closely
2. When encountering ci works quoted in the book, it may help to find the original poem and read it through, comparing it with the book's views to appreciate its lyric qualities
3. After finishing, choose a few Song ci you are familiar with and reread them to test whether the book's theory of "the remainder of shi" matches your own sense

Writers Publishing House is a Chinese publisher focused mainly on literary publishing. Its output covers classical literature, foreign literature, folk literature and Eastern philosophy, with some extension into popular reading such as social fiction and parenting books. Its catalogue contains more than 900 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber and its edited editions, Shakespeare's Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and foreign literary classics such as The Brothers Karamazov and Lost Illusions. In terms of authors, it includes classical writers such as Cao Xueqin and Gao E, foreign masters such as William Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Balzac, and translations by translators such as Zhu Shenghao, Geng Jizhi and Fu Lei. Overall, its publishing profile balances Chinese and foreign literary classics, emphasizes quality translations, and serves both academic and general readers; publicly available information on its specific publishing plans is limited.