Complete Ci of Li Jing

李璟Bashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.1

Word count: 194 words
Chapters: 2

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Summary

One of the ci works of Li Jing, a ci poet of China's Tang dynasty.

Editor's review

Li Jing was the middle ruler of Southern Tang. His surviving ci are few, yet works such as Tiaopo Huanxisha have left a clear mark in ci history. His ci have broad vision and deep feeling, in a line continuous with Li Yu, the last ruler, and he is an unavoidable figure for understanding Southern Tang ci style. This complete ci collection published by Bashu Press gathers Li Jing's surviving ci into one volume for concentrated study. Bashu Press has deep accumulated experience in collating classical documents, and its editions are usually fairly standard in arrangement, suitable as a basic reader for ci study and textual reference. For readers concerned with Five Dynasties ci, Southern Tang literature, or the evolution of ci form, Li Jing's surviving ci, though few, are an important link for understanding the Southern Tang transition from Huajian toward deepened lyric expression. The book is not long, suitable as material for thematic research or comparative reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University teachers, students, and classical literature lovers studying Southern Tang ci and the evolution of Five Dynasties ci form
Poetry lovers who wish to read Li Jing and Li Yu's styles in comparison
Researchers engaged in ci textual research who need Li Jing's surviving ci texts

Not a good fit for

General poetry beginners expecting long ci works or rich subjects
Readers completely without classical Chinese reading ability who need vernacular explanation

Reading tips

First read all of Li Jing's surviving ci, then read alongside Li Yu's ci collection to appreciate the continuation and change in the ci styles of the Southern Tang father and son.
Understanding the Southern Tang's situation against the historical background of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms helps grasp the emotional tone of the ci.
The volume is short; you can close-read it in two or three sessions, each time focusing on one or two pieces for repeated savoring.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
李璟词全集

FAQ

Li Jing's surviving ci are very few; is this complete collection worth reading?

Li Jing's transmitted ci are indeed not many, but in ci history he achieves much with little; his works have broad vision and deep feeling. For readers studying Southern Tang ci and the evolution of Five Dynasties ci form, his surviving ci are important texts for understanding Southern Tang style, and the small size makes close reading easier.

Do I need to know Southern Tang history before reading Li Jing's ci?

Not obligatory, but helpful. Li Jing lived in the period when Southern Tang went from prosperity to decline; understanding this background allows better appreciation of the deep emotional tone in the ci. You may read the ci first, then supplement relevant historical knowledge as needed.

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About the author

李璟 Author

Li Jing is an author in the field of classical Chinese poetry, though publicly available information about his life is rather limited: his dates of birth and death, native place, and nationality are not clearly recorded, and his English name is not definitively known. The database currently holds two of his works, The Complete Ci of Li Jing and The Collected Ci of Li Jing, commonly classified under classical poetry and classic works. Judging from the surviving pieces, his writing centers on ci, with themes that mostly concern the emotions and scenery familiar to traditional literati, paying attention to the harmony of tone and rhythm and to the creation of mood. His language is concise and restrained, showing the distinctive rhythm and lyricism of the classical ci form. These works provide a basic basis for later readers to understand his creative profile and offer reference material for the collation and study of classical ci texts. Because public information is limited, his life experiences, social connections, and artistic background cannot yet be described in detail, and these questions await further investigation.