Cherishing Spring cover

Cherishing Spring

Rating 3.5
Word count
4.4K words
Chapters
48

Tags

Summary

Du Mu (803–c. 852), courtesy name Muzhi, art name Fangchuan Jushi, Han Chinese, was a native of Wannian, Jingzhao (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi). Du Mu was an outstanding poet and prose writer of the Tang dynasty.

Editor's review

Cherishing Spring is a poem by Du Mu, printed here by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company, short in length yet lingering in meaning. Du Mu excelled at the seven-character quatrain, skilled at unfolding scenery and feeling within limited lines; this poem centers on the theme of cherishing spring, weaving the passing of seasons with personal reflection, its language clear and graceful yet never lacking strength. In reading, note the choice and turning of images, and sense the late Tang poet's keen awareness of time's passage. For general readers, this book is better taken as an entry point to Du Mu's poetry than as the only anthology for understanding his work as a whole. Read alongside his other poems on spring and on antiquity, it better reveals the shared verve and depth of feeling in his style. The slim volume is easy to carry, suited to savoring line by line on a commute or at leisure, and can also serve as practice material for reciting classical poetry.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Classical literature enthusiasts seeking an initial encounter with Du Mu's poetry
  • Readers who wish to experience the mood of Tang poetry in a short form
  • Readers who enjoy the theme of cherishing spring and time, and prefer lyrical short poems
  • Students or office workers who wish to recite classical poems in spare moments

Not a good fit for

  • Readers expecting a systematic account of Du Mu's life and complete works
  • Researchers needing detailed annotations and a scholarly, textually verified edition
  • Readers who prefer long narrative or fiction

Reading tips

  1. Read through once without straining for full understanding, then go line by line, tracing the emotional thread through the imagery.
  2. Read alongside other Tang poems on cherishing spring, comparing how different poets handle the theme.
  3. When reciting, attend to the rhythm of the seven-character lines and feel how sound and emotion relate.

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.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 卷526_11【寄兄弟(又见《许浑集》,题作寄小弟)】杜牧
  3. 卷526_12【秋日】杜牧
  4. 卷526_13【卜居招书侣】杜牧
  5. 卷526_14【西山草堂】杜牧
  6. 卷526_15【贻隐者】杜牧
  7. 卷526_16【石池】杜牧
  8. 卷526_17【送苏协律从事振武】杜牧
  9. 卷526_18【怀政禅师院】杜牧
  10. 卷526_19【送荔浦蒋明府赴任】杜牧
  11. 卷526_20【秋夕有怀】杜牧
  12. 卷526_21【秋霁寄远】杜牧
  13. 卷526_22【经古行宫(一作经华清宫)】杜牧
  14. 卷526_23【宣州开元寺赠惟真上人】杜牧
  15. 卷526_24【秋晚怀茅山石涵村舍】杜牧
  16. 卷526_25【留题李侍御书斋】杜牧
  17. 卷526_26【行次白沙馆,先寄上河南王侍郎】杜牧
  18. 卷526_27【贵游】杜牧
  19. 卷526_28【越中】杜牧
  20. 卷526_29【闻范秀才自蜀游江湖】杜牧
  21. 卷526_30【绿萝】杜牧
  22. 卷526_31【宿东横山濑】杜牧
  23. 卷526_32【贻迁客】杜牧
  24. 卷526_33【陵阳送客】杜牧
  25. 卷526_34【寄桐江隐者(一作许浑诗)】杜牧
  26. 卷526_35【长兴里夏日寄南邻避暑】杜牧
  27. 卷526_36【送太昱禅师(一作许浑诗)】杜牧
  28. 卷526_37【梁秀才以早春旅次大梁将归郊扉言怀兼别示…走笔依韵】杜牧
  29. 卷526_38【川守大夫刘公早岁寓居敦行里肆有题壁十韵…辄献此诗】杜牧
  30. 卷526_39【中秋日拜起居表晨渡天津桥即事十六韵献…兼呈工部刘公】杜牧
  31. 卷526_40【分司东都寓居履道叨承川尹刘侍郎大夫恩知上四十韵】杜牧
  32. 卷526_41【题白云楼(一作许浑诗,题作汉水伤稼)】杜牧
  33. 卷526_42【赠别】杜牧
  34. 卷526_43【秋夜与友人宿】杜牧
  35. 卷526_44【将赴京留赠僧院】杜牧
  36. 卷526_45【寄湘中友人】杜牧
  37. 卷526_46【江上逢友人】杜牧
  38. 卷526_47【金谷怀古】杜牧
  39. 卷526_48【寄卢先辈】杜牧
  40. 卷526_49【南楼夜】杜牧
  41. 卷526_50【行经庐山东林寺】杜牧
  42. 卷526_51【途中逢故人,话西山读书早曾游览】杜牧
  43. 卷526_52【将赴京题陵阳王氏水居】杜牧
  44. 卷526_53【送别】杜牧
  45. 卷526_54【寄远】杜牧
  46. 卷526_55【新柳】杜牧
  47. 卷526_56【旅怀作】杜牧
  48. 卷526_57【雁】杜牧

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in classical poetry?
Worth a try. Du Mu's language is relatively clear and smooth, and the poem is short, so the threshold is not high. But it is best read with annotations or appreciative commentary: first grasp the words and allusions, then savor the poetry, so as not to give up over an obscure passage.
Can reading this single poem give me an understanding of Du Mu?
No. This book contains only a single poem and shows but one facet of Du Mu's work. To understand his varied range—poems on history, travel, and personal feeling—you should also read a representative selection or a selected complete edition.
What should I focus on while reading?
Note how the description of scenery advances layer by layer, and where the shift from scene to feeling occurs. Attend to the season and mood suggested by key words, and observe how a short poem creates lingering resonance within a limited space.

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About the author

Du Mu Author · Chinese

Du Mu (803–852), courtesy name Muzhi and styled Fanchuan Jushi, was a native of Wannian in Jingzhao (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi). A distinguished poet and prose writer of the Tang Dynasty, he was the grandson of the chancellor Du You. He rose to the office of Zhongshu Sheren and is known above all for his seven-character quatrains; together with Li Shangyin he is called one of the "Little Li-Du." His works include the prose piece "Epang Palace Fu" and poems such as "Mountain Journey" and "Mooring on the Qinhuai River." This library holds nineteen of his works, among them "Two Poems of Parting," "The Complete Works of Du Mu," "The Collected Works of Du Mu," "A Quatrain Sent to a Recluse," and "Three Poems Recalling Past Travels"; they are commonly classified under social sciences, classical poetry, and classic works. His writing is admired for its vigor and clarity, and his quatrains in particular have been praised by later generations, giving him an important place in Tang literary history.

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