The Anlu Collection
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Summary
The collection contains 165 ci poems. The author, Zhang Xian (courtesy name Ziyé), was a Northern Song ci poet. Because he once served as prefect of Anlu, his collection is also known as Anlu Ji. A jinshi of the eighth year of the Tiansheng era, he held posts in several places and in old age retired to his home district, where he associated with Ouyang Xiu, Su Shi, and others. His creative career spanned the mid-Northern Song; he inherited from Liu Yong and anticipated Yan Jidao, making him an important figure in the development of the Northern Song wan'yue (delicate and restrained) ci. The artistic features of his work are, first, skillful polishing of words and phrases, with a particular gift for writing of "shadows," as in "clouds break, the moon comes, flowers play with their shadows," where precise strokes sketch a vivid scene and earned him the name "Zhang Three Shadows"; second, a clear, delicate, and restrained style with finely wrought feeling, expressing both the tender affection of "a pair of swallows" and the parting sorrow of "the farewell banquet"; third, subjects close to life, in refined yet lively language, with vivid and true-to-life depiction of scenes.
Editor's review
Anlu Ji collects 165 of Zhang Xian's ci poems and is an important text for understanding the Northern Song wan'yue ci in its transition from Liu Yong to Yan Jidao. Zhang Xian earned the name "Zhang Three Shadows" from lines such as "clouds break, the moon comes, flowers play with their shadows"; his ci excel at polishing words and phrases, especially at capturing fleeting moments of light and shadow with a strong sense of picture; his style is clear, delicate, and restrained, with tenderness and parting sorrow both present, his subjects close to daily life, his language refined yet lively. Reading this collection, one can savor the elegant atmosphere of Northern Song literati circles and observe the trajectory of ci as it evolved from the expansive narration of long tunes toward refined intricacy. It suits as supplementary reading for thematic study of Song ci, and can also be enjoyed at leisure by lovers of classical poetry, especially read slowly poem by poem in a quiet setting to appreciate the wonder of its scene-painting and atmosphere-building.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Lovers of classical poetry who want to read closely the work of a representative Northern Song wan'yue ci poet
- Song ci researchers interested in Zhang Xian's place in ci history as heir to Liu Yong and precursor of Yan Jidao
- Literary readers who enjoy scene-painting, object-praise, and imagery of light and shadow
- University students of ancient literature who need to broaden their reading of Northern Song ci
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer the bold and unconstrained school or strongly narrative ci
- Skim-readers who want only a quick read-through and will not savor poem by poem
- General fiction readers with no interest in the Northern Song ci milieu
Reading tips
- Begin with the poems containing the famous "three shadows" lines, then read through the collection to form an intuitive impression of Zhang Xian's style.
- Read in groups by subject, comparing poems on objects, parting sorrow, and banquets to observe his word-polishing and scene-building techniques.
- Keep an anthology of Song ci at hand and note similarities and differences between Zhang Xian, Liu Yong, and Yan Jidao in syntax and emotional expression.
- After every few poems, note fine lines and briefly annotate the source of their pictorial quality, building an aesthetic feel for the "shadow" image.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 醉垂鞭（正宫）
- 醉垂鞭
- 南乡子（中吕宫）
- 南乡子（中吕宫）
- 菩萨蛮（中吕宫）
- 菩萨蛮（中吕宫）
- 菩萨蛮（中吕宫）
- 菩萨蛮（中吕宫）
- 踏莎行（中吕宫）
- 踏莎行（中吕宫）
- 感皇恩（中吕宫）
- 西江月（中吕宫）
- 庆金枝（中吕宫）
- 浣溪沙（中吕宫）
- 相思儿令（中吕宫）
- 师师令（中吕宫）
- 山亭宴慢（中吕宫）
- 谢池春慢（中吕宫）
- 惜双双（中吕宫）
- 江南柳（南吕宫）
- 八宝妆（南吕宫）
- 一丛花令（南吕宫）
- 西江月（道调宫）
- 感皇恩（道调宫）
- 宴春台慢（仙吕宫）
- 好事近（仙吕宫）
- 好事近（仙吕宫）
- 清平乐（大石调）
- 清平乐（眠大石调）
- 醉桃源（大石调）
- 恨春迟（大石调）
- 恨春迟（大石调）
- 庆佳节（双调）
- 庆佳节（双调）
- 采桑子（双调）
- 御街行（双调）
- 玉联环（双调）
- 玉联环（双调）
- 武陵春（双调）
- 定风波（双调）
- 百媚娘（双调）
- 梦仙乡（双调）
- 归朝欢（双调）
- 相思令（双调）
- 少年游（双调）
- 贺圣朝（双调）
- 生查子（双调）
- 夜厌厌（小石调）
- 迎春乐（小石调）
- 凤栖梧（小石调）
- 双燕儿（歇指调）
- 卜算子慢（歇指调）
- 更漏子（林钟商）
- 更漏子（林钟商）
- 南歌子（林钟商）
- 南歌子（林钟商）
- 南歌子（林钟商）
- 蝶恋花（林钟商）
- 蝶恋花（林钟商）
- 蝶恋花（林钟商）
- 蝶恋花（林钟商）
- 诉衷情（林钟商）
- 诉衷情（林钟商）
- 木兰花（林钟商）
- 木兰花（林钟商）
- 木兰花（林钟商）
- 减字木兰花（林钟商）
- 少年游（林钟商）
- 少年游（林钟商）
- 醉落魄（林钟商）
- 喜朝天（林钟商）
- 破阵乐（林钟商）
- 菊花新（中吕调）
- 虞美人（中吕调）
- 醉红妆（中吕调）
- 天仙子（中吕调）
- 天仙子（中吕调）
- 菩萨蛮（中吕调）
- 怨春风（高平调）
- 于飞乐令（高平调）
- 临江仙（高平调）
- 江城子（高平调）
- 转声虞美人（高平调）
- 燕归梁（高平调）
- 燕归梁（高平调）
- 定西番（高平调）
- 河传（仙吕调）
- 偷声木兰花（仙吕调）
- 偷声木兰花（仙吕调）
- 醉桃源（仙吕调）
- 千秋岁（仙吕调）
- 天仙子（仙吕调）
- 渔家傲（般涉调）
- 天仙子（般涉调）
- 天仙子（般涉调）
- 南乡子（般涉调）
- 少年游（般涉调）
- 定风波令（般涉调）
- 定风波令（般涉调）
- 定风波令（般涉调）
- 定风波令（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 木兰花（般涉调）
- 倾杯（般涉调）
- 倾杯（般涉调）
- 离亭宴（般涉调）
- 沁园春（般涉调）
- 感皇恩（般涉调）
- 忆秦娥（般涉调）
- 系裙腰（般涉调）
- 清平乐（般涉调）
- 偷声木兰花（般涉调）
- 菩萨蛮（般涉调）
- 菩萨蛮（般涉调）
- 菩萨蛮（般涉调）
- 菩萨蛮（般涉调）
- 庆春泽（般涉调）
- 庆春泽（般涉调）
- 玉联环（般涉调）
- 玉树后庭花（般涉调）
- 玉树后庭花（般涉调）
- 卜算子（般涉调）
- 双韵子（般涉调）
- 鹊桥仙（般涉调）
- 醉垂鞭（般涉调）
- 定西番（般涉调）
- 定西番（般涉调）
- 望江南（般涉调）
- 少年游慢（般涉调）
- 翦牡丹（般涉调）
- 画堂春（般涉调）
- 芳草渡（般涉调）
- 芳草渡（般涉调）
- 御街行（般涉调）
- 苏幕遮（般涉调）
- 武陵春（般涉调）
- 醉落魄（般涉调）
- 长相思（般涉调）
- 更漏子（般涉调）
- 浣溪沙（般涉调）
- 醉桃源（般涉调）
- 行香子（般涉调）
- 熙州慢（般涉调）
- 虞美人（般涉调）
- 泛青苕
- 惜琼花
- 河满子
- 劝金船
- 庆同天
- 江城子
- 雨中花令
- 汉宫春
- 青门引
- 满江红
- 塞垣春
- 西江月
- 浪淘沙
- 望江南
- 碧牡丹
- 山亭宴
FAQ
Which three lines does "Zhang Three Shadows" refer to?
The materials explicitly mention the line "clouds break, the moon comes, flowers play with their shadows" and use "Zhang Three Shadows" to sum up his fame for writing of shadows. The other two lines are not listed in the given materials; readers may search the collection for lines containing "shadow" and compare for themselves, and should not fill them in from hearsay.
Where does the title Anlu Ji come from?
Zhang Xian once served as prefect of Anlu, hence his ci collection is also called Anlu Ji. The title comes from an official post and place name, not from a native place or studio name; when reading, note the indirect connection between the works in the collection and the author's official career.
What is Zhang Xian's place in ci history?
The materials summarize his work as inheriting from Liu Yong and anticipating Yan Jidao, making him an important figure in the development of Northern Song wan'yue ci. When reading, attend to how he handles tenderness and parting sorrow with finely wrought wording, and thereby understand the intermediate stage in the mid-Northern Song evolution of ci style.
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About the author
张先
Author
Zhang Xian was a Song-dynasty ci poet whose name is recorded in the history of ci poetry, and whose surviving collection is the Anlu Ji. Public sources offer limited information about his native place, birth and death dates, and official career, so only his extant works can be discussed here. The Anlu Ji consists mainly of ci poems, whose subjects often involve spring sorrow and parting, boudoir longing, and banquets and poetic exchanges; they belong to the graceful and restrained strand of classical poetry. Zhang Xian was skilled at capturing fine details of scenery, and his language is clear, delicate, and understated. He often uses scenery to set off emotion, creating lingering meaning within short pieces; his phrasing and diction attend to musical harmony, making the poems suitable for singing. His work inherits the late Tang and Five Dynasties style and anticipates later poets' pursuit of blending feeling and scene, giving him some significance in the development of ci from short songs toward longer forms. Because the relevant historical materials are scattered, his style and subjects can presently be understood only through the Anlu Ji, and further biographical details await investigation.
