Encountering Sorrow

屈原Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

5.0

Word count: 2.9K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The main thread of Li Sao is the conflict between ideal and reality, symbolized by the imagery of flowers, plants, and birds and by the wondrous, hallucinatory “quest for the goddess.” The poem unfolds through the surging emotions of autobiographical recollection and through alternating, densely layered visions that flare up and vanish in an instant. It voices concern for the fate of Chu and the life of its people, “lamenting how hard the people’s lives are” and sighing that the wicked hold power. It advocates “raising the worthy to office and entrusting them with ability” and “following the plumb line without deviation.” It declares that “Heaven shows no partial favor” and criticizes the doctrine of Mandate of Heaven. Its abundant metaphors and rich imagination express a spirit of positive romanticism, and it created the “sao” form of Chinese poetry, exerting a profound influence on later ages. Annotated editions include Wang Yi’s Chapters and Sentences on the Songs of Chu (Eastern Han), Zhu Xi’s Collected Commentaries on the Songs of Chu (Southern Song), and Dai Zhen’s Annotations on Qu Yuan’s Rhapsodies (Qing).

Editor's review

Li Sao is a long lyric poem Qu Yuan wrote with his life, and the founding work of the “sao” form in Chinese literature. This edition, printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company, presents the complete text and serves well as an introduction to the Songs of Chu. The intense conflict between ideal and reality, the symbolic system of flowers, plants, and birds, and the wondrous, hallucinatory “quest for the goddess” together create a lyric tone both tender and exalted. Readers encounter the world-weariness of “lamenting how hard the people’s lives are,” the political positions “raise the worthy to office and entrust them with ability” and “follow the plumb line without deviation,” and a critique of the doctrine of Mandate of Heaven. Layer upon layer of metaphor and imagination make the reading like traveling a mountain path—one scarcely has time to take it all in. It is best not read straight through in one sitting: read it slowly in sections, with Wang Yi’s Chapters and Sentences on the Songs of Chu or Zhu Xi’s Collected Commentaries on the Songs of Chu at hand to explain names, objects, and allusions. Suited to repeated savoring in quiet hours, to feel its emotional surge and linguistic tension.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary enthusiasts who want a systematic introduction to the Songs of Chu and the origins of Chinese poetry
Chinese literature majors who need to study pre-Qin literature and Qu Yuan’s works
Writers interested in romantic technique and the tradition of symbolic imagery
General readers seeking spiritual nourishment from classical poetry

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting light, story-driven reading and unwilling to engage classical Chinese
Beginners who need a modern vernacular translation line by line and can read without annotations
Readers with little patience for long lyric poems and dense allusions

Reading tips

First read straight through for rhythm and emotion, then read closely in sections; do not expect to grasp every allusion at once.
Keep Wang Yi’s Chapters and Sentences on the Songs of Chu or Zhu Xi’s Collected Commentaries on the Songs of Chu at hand to look up symbolic imagery as it appears.
Read aloud to feel the recurrence and cadence of the sao line; this enters the mood more easily than silent reading.
After finishing, copy out the symbolic images and sort out the layers of the “fragrant herbs and beautiful woman” system.

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
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FAQ

Can I read Li Sao without any grounding in classical Chinese?

Yes, but with the help of an annotated edition. Choose one with detailed notes; read the notes first, then return to the original, and do not grind over every character. On a first reading it is enough to grasp the emotional main line and the principal images; repeated readings will gradually smooth the way.

What is the relationship between Li Sao and the Songs of Chu?

Li Sao is the most representative work in the Songs of Chu and the source of the name “sao form.” The Songs of Chu is an anthology of poems by Qu Yuan, Song Yu, and others; Li Sao is its longest and most influential piece.

Do I need to know Qu Yuan’s life story before reading Li Sao?

Knowing the basic background helps in understanding the autobiographical recollection and political allegory in the poem, but you need not first read a full biography. Read a brief preface or short life sketch, learn that Qu Yuan was a Chu nobleman slandered and estranged from his ruler, and then enter the text.

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About the author

屈原 Author

Qu Yuan is one of the most important poets in the history of Chinese literature, though public sources offer limited detail about his life, and neither his dates nor his nationality are clearly recorded. Judging from the works handed down under his name, he drew on the language and mythology of the Chu region and pioneered a lyrical, imaginative style known as sao poetry. The library holds 10 of his works, including the signature pieces Li Sao and Jiu Ge, as well as several editions of Chu Ci: an unannotated version, a general collection, a fully annotated, translated and phonetic edition, and a vernacular metrical rendering. These works span ancient poetry, folk literature, Eastern philosophy and culture; they are intense in feeling and rich in wondrous imagery, often using fragrant herbs and beautiful figures to express inner concerns. Qu Yuan exerted a profound influence on later poetry, and his works remain essential texts for studying pre-Qin literature and thought.