Sighing

Bai JuyiJul 2024

3.8

Word count: 8.2K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Chinese traditional culture has a long and profound intellectual history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early thought forms are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysical studies, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography—all are vast and profound in content. This "Essential Classics of Chinese Traditional Culture—Original Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books, with emphasis on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers may cultivate their temperament and subtly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Taking Bai Juyi's reflective poems as its thread, *You Tan* reveals the self-examination and sighs of mid-Tang literati amid the shifts of worldly affairs. Its language is plain and accessible, yet its emotional resonance is long-lasting, making it a fitting sample for understanding Bai Juyi's poetic style of "seeing deep meaning in the colloquial." The book belongs to the "Essential Classics of Chinese Traditional Culture—Original Texts" series and focuses on preserving the original appearance of the text and transmitting traditional thought and culture; it suits readers who wish to approach the classical tradition of reflective verse through a single short poem. Unlike lengthy scholarly monographs, this small volume is easy to recite repeatedly in spare moments, using the sighs of the ancients to reflect on one's own circumstances. Readers may dip into it while commuting or before sleep: first feel the emotion, then look up the allusions, and gradually appreciate how classical poetry turns personal lament into shareable, universal experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Classical literature readers who like Bai Juyi's poetic style and are interested in reflective themes
Office workers and students who wish to recite short poems in spare moments
Chinese teachers using it as classroom extension material for teaching reflective poetry
General cultural readers interested in the traditional literati's attitude toward life

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers needing complete collation, dating, and textual criticism
Beginner readers expecting line-by-line modern vernacular translation
Readers who want only light stories and lack patience for poetic language

Reading tips

First read the whole poem aloud, grasping the tone and pauses, then examine the meaning of key words line by line.
Consult background material on the writing context and understand the poem's laments in the era of its author.
After reading, write a short review of about one hundred words, recording the line that resonates most and why.
Read it alongside other Tang reflective poems to compare how different poets respond to worldly change.

版权信息
卷二百三十
卷二百三十

FAQ

Is this book suitable as an introductory poetry reader?

This book belongs to a classics series that preserves the original appearance of the text, and its annotations and supplementary material are relatively concise, so strictly speaking it is not a zero-foundation primer. But it is short and plain in language, and can serve as a first recitation text after one has begun studying the classics. Readers are advised to acquire basic knowledge of classical Chinese first and then read it with annotation tools; the results will be more reliable.

Besides *You Tan*, what else does the book contain?

The materials only state that this book belongs to the "Essential Classics of Chinese Traditional Culture—Original Texts" series, is titled *You Tan*, and emphasizes preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture. The specific contents and appendices should be confirmed against the actual table of contents. Before buying, check the contents page or the publisher's description to confirm whether the selection and level of annotation meet your expectations.

Why choose the 2024 Nanhai Publishing House edition?

This edition is part of a recent classics series positioned to preserve the original appearance of the text and make traditional classics accessible to the general public; its trim size and price are usually better suited to daily reading. If you seek academic-level collation or detailed annotation, you still need a professional critical edition; if you simply want to approach the classics through short poems, this edition can serve as a convenient entry point.

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About the author

Bai Juyi Author · Chinese

Bai Juyi (772–846), courtesy name Letian and styled Xiangshan Jushi, was born in Xinzheng, Henan, with ancestral roots in Taiyuan. A leading Tang dynasty realist poet, he championed the New Yuefu movement together with Yuan Zhen, and the two were known as "Yuan-Bai"; he is also paired with Liu Yuxi as "Liu-Bai." Bai Juyi served as a Hanlin academician and Left Remonstrator, among other posts. His wide-ranging work includes satirical poems on the hardships of ordinary people and long narrative and lyrical songs. Masterpieces such as "Song of Everlasting Sorrow," "Song of the Pipa," and "The Charcoal Seller" are noted for their plain, natural language and sincere feeling, and have exerted a lasting influence on later poetry. His Bai Shi Changqing Collection survives, and this library holds 77 of his works, including poems, prose collections, and verse groups such as Poems from Qin and Spring by the Xunyang River, commonly classed under ancient poetry, classic works, and inspirational growth.