Collection of Heavenly Sounds

郑旭旦Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJul 2024

3.5

Word count: 16K words
Chapters: 40

Summary

Tianlai Ji (The Sounds of Nature) is a collection of ci poems by Bai Pu of the Yuan dynasty. This edition, compiled with reference to Zheng Xudan, preserves in its prefatory materials Zhu Yizun's and others' examinations of Bai Pu's family background, acquaintances, and the transmission of his ci poems, and is of considerable documentary and ci-scholarship value. In his preface Zhu Yizun recounts that in his youth he read Jin and Yuan drama texts and held Bai Pu's play Wutong Yu in high regard, and that he later obtained Tianlai Ji from Yang Xiluo; he further establishes that Bai Pu's given name was Pu, his courtesy name Taisu, and that he was a son of the privy councillor Yuzhai, touching also on the exchanges between the Bai father and son and early Yuan literati. These prefaces and colophons not only explain how the book was compiled and printed but also reflect the scholarly context in which early Qing scholars edited Yuan ci collections. For researchers in ci studies, the book serves to examine the character of Bai Pu's ci and the reception history of Yuan ci; for general readers of classical literature, the prefaces and colophons offer a window into how a ci collection was sought out, collated, and printed. Readers should read the poems alongside the prefaces and colophons, appreciating both the ci and how later generations evaluated and edited them.

Editor's review

The Tianlai Collection is a lyric (ci) anthology by the Yuan-dynasty writer Bai Pu, prepared for this edition in connection with Zheng Xudan. The prefatory materials preserve Zhu Yizun's and others' accounts of Bai Pu's family background, circle of associates, and the transmission of his lyrics, giving the book considerable documentary and ci-studies value. In his preface Zhu Yizun recalls reading Jin and Yuan drama scripts in his youth and praising Bai Pu's play Wutong Yu, and later seeing the Tianlai Collection through Yang Xiluo; he establishes that Bai Pu, courtesy name Taisu, was the son of the chief judge Yuzhai, and traces the Bai father and son's contacts with early Yuan literati. These prefaces and colophons not only recount how the book was compiled and printed but also reflect the scholarly context of early Qing efforts to organize Yuan lyric anthologies. For ci scholars the book supports study of Bai Pu's lyrical style and the reception history of Yuan ci; for general readers of classical literature, the prefaces offer a window into how an anthology was sought out, collated, and published. It is best read by pairing the lyrics with the prefaces, appreciating both the poems and how later readers evaluated and edited them.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University teachers and students researching Yuan ci, ci scholarship, and textual transmission
Readers of classical literature interested in Bai Pu and works such as Wutong Yu
Scholars of intellectual history concerned with Qing scholars' organization of Yuan authors' collected works
Literature enthusiasts who enjoy reading prefaces and colophons to learn how a book came to be

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking plain-language appreciation or an introductory ci anthology
Beginners expecting modern annotation, poem-by-poem translation, and detailed explanatory notes
Readers who only want a quick grasp of Yuan drama plots and are not interested in the lyrics

Reading tips

Begin with Zhu Yizun's preface and the appended prefaces and colophons to understand Bai Pu's family background and the anthology's origins, then turn to the lyrics.
While reading the lyrics, note the associations and evaluations mentioned in the prefaces and compare them with poems by early Yuan literati.
For research, record the textual and biographical information in the prefaces and cross-check it against relevant ci scholarship.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
序
●目錄
●白蘭谷天籟集序
●天籟集卷上
○春從天上來
○奪錦標
○水調歌頭
○水龍吟
○念奴嬌
○滿江紅
○瑞鶴仙
○沁園春
○風入松
●天籟集卷下
○風流子
○燭影搖紅
○摸魚子
○木蘭花慢
○玉漏遲
○江梅引
○秋色橫空
○石州慢
○鳳凰臺上憶吹簫
○滿庭芳
○綠頭鴨【一名多麗】
○永遇樂
○賀新郎
○讌瑤池
○垂楊
○西江月
○浪淘沙
○朝中措
○清平樂
○點絳脣
○小桃紅
○蹋莎行
○浣溪沙
○附錄
●跋

FAQ

Whose ci anthology is the Tianlai Collection?

According to the prefaces and colophons in the book, the Tianlai Collection is a ci anthology by the Yuan-dynasty writer Bai Pu. In his preface Zhu Yizun states that Bai Pu, courtesy name Taisu, was the son of the chief judge Yuzhai, and recounts how he came upon the collection through Yang Xiluo of Liu'an and was later asked to collate and publish it.

How do the prefaces and colophons help in reading the lyrics?

They explain Bai Pu's family background, his circle of associates, and the process by which the anthology was sought out and published, and they preserve Zhu Yizun's high praise for Bai Pu's plays. Reading them first helps readers understand the collection's transmission and see the scholarly attitude of early Qing figures in organizing Yuan materials.

Is this book suitable as an introductory guide to ci?

Not really. It leans toward documentary and preface-based study of a ci collection and lacks annotations, translations, and appreciation aimed at beginners. Readers with some grounding in ci studies or an interest in Yuan literature and textual transmission will find it more rewarding.

Related on WeRead

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

郑旭旦 Author

Zheng Xudan is the author credited with Tianlai Ji (Collection of Heavenly Sounds), and currently little public information is available about his life and identity. His name appears in connection with this single work, which is classified under ancient poetry. The title Tianlai Ji contains the term tianlai, often referring to natural sounds or sounds of nature, which resonates with the sound patterns and emotional tone of poetry. Given the available materials, it is not possible to confirm Zheng Xudan's native place, period, official career, or circle of acquaintances, nor to determine his connections with contemporary writers or poetic schools. Discussion of the author and his work must therefore rely on the existing catalog record: only one work is listed under Zheng Xudan's name, namely Tianlai Ji, categorized as ancient poetry. Readers and researchers seeking to learn more about him will need further documentary evidence and should study the work itself closely, examining its themes, language, and prosody in order to appreciate its writing style and possible influence.