On Nalan's Lyrics

Name: On Nalan's Lyrics
ISBN: 9787546360638

苏樱Jilin Publishing Group Co., Ltd. · ChinaApr 2017

3.7

Word count: 90K words
Chapters: 6
ISBN: 9787546360638

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Summary

Nalan Xingde's lyrics are an outstanding representative of Qing dynasty poetry and a brilliant jewel in the treasury of Chinese verse. Countless scholars have annotated the Nalan Lyrics, and still more have recited and interpreted them. Many of the lines have long been familiar, and even today they flow smoothly from the tongue and touch the heart. Drawing on years of affection for and study of Nalan's poetry, and on his wide reading of the collations, annotations, and splendid commentaries of other researchers, the editor puts forward his own distinctive insights. This book appreciates the Nalan Lyrics from four angles: Nalan Rongruo's true temperament, the love between husband and wife, the love between lovers, and the friendship of bosom companions. With annotations to aid understanding, it is written in an accessible style, striving to lead readers into the emotional world of Nalan Rongruo and to present a fairly complete portrait of the young master Rongruo.

Editor's review

Nalan's Ci: A Poetic Commentary is not a simple compilation of Nalan Xingde's ci but a deep spiritual dialogue and aesthetic decoding of his work by the author, Su Ying, through delicate literary sensitivity. Its greatest value is that it escapes the evidential-method rut of traditional literary criticism and, in a prose-poem-like style, leads readers into Nalan Rongruo's emotional world and the creation of his poetic realm. With her profound classical literary cultivation and a woman's particular sensitivity, Su Ying precisely captures those subtle moments in Nalan's ci where aristocratic elegance mingles with a sense of life's impermanence, unfolding the emotions, imagery, and human flavor behind the lines. For modern readers, this book is an excellent bridge: it dissolves the language barrier of classical poetry and makes the deep feeling and sorrow of three hundred years ago tangible and felt. In reading it, you gain not only an understanding of specific ci but also an education in aesthetic sensibility—learning to appreciate the restrained, refined, and profound beauty of classical Chinese poetry. It suits itself to bedside reading: in a quiet night, follow the author's interpretations and slowly immerse yourself in Nalan's beautiful and sorrowful world of "if only life were as at first meeting."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in Nalan Xingde and his ci who wish to go beyond the literal meaning to its emotional core
Lovers of classical literature, especially those who appreciate the graceful, deep, and emotionally delicate style of ci
Urban readers seeking spiritual settling and aesthetic experience through literature
Readers with an inquiring interest in the spiritual world and social landscape of literati in the Ming-Qing transition

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting rigorous academic textual research or detailed biographical-chronological study
Readers who prefer the bold and unconstrained ci style or seek fast-paced, strongly plotted narrative

Reading tips

Read alongside the original ci texts: savor them yourself first, then compare with the author's interpretations, creating a dialogue between personal response and expert perspective
Do not rush; choose the ci tunes or pieces that move you most and dwell on them, focusing on the overall atmosphere and emotional flow created by the words
Treat the book as training in classical aesthetics: try applying the author's interpretive method to other graceful-school ci poets and expand your range of appreciation

About the publisher

Jilin Publishing Group Co., Ltd. China · Founded in 2003

Jilin Publishing Group Co., Ltd. focuses on fine fiction, social sciences, literary appreciation, history, classical poetry and classical literature, with 1,141 titles in the library. Representative books include Dan Simmons's science fiction novels Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, Freud's works on psychology and society such as The Ego and the Id and Group Psychology, and classical literature ranging from Laozi and Zhuangzi, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Three Hundred Poems of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties to Lü Simian's A General History of China. Its authors include Dan Simmons, Freud, Laozi, Lü Simian, Hengtang Tuishi, Pan Zhenhua, Li Yi and Guan Shanming, reflecting a balance between translated works and domestic editions. Public information is limited; the above is based on the library's holdings.

前言
卷一我是人间惆怅客
卷二一生一代一双人1
卷二一生一代一双人2
卷三人生若只如初见
卷四人生别易会常难

FAQ

How does this book differ from other books interpreting Nalan's ci?

It places greater emphasis on interpretation from the angle of emotional experience and aesthetic mood; its prose is highly literary and personal, closer to a series of refined appreciation essays than to academic criticism or popular knowledge.

Do I need a strong foundation in classical literature to understand it?

No. The author's language is accessible, and allusions and difficult points in the ci are explained aptly; the focus is on guiding readers to feel the emotion and mood, so even readers with a weak foundation can have a good reading experience and aesthetic enjoyment.

Does the book's interpretation carry a strong subjective coloring?

Yes, and that is precisely its feature. It does not offer standard answers but a highly intuitive and resonant personalized interpretive path, meant to stimulate the reader's own emotions and imagination and form a unique connection with Nalan's ci.

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About the author

苏樱 Author

Su Ying, about whom limited public information is available, is known only by this Chinese byline and two works. Her writing focuses on the popularization and appreciation of classical Chinese poetry. Her representative works are Nalan Cihua and How Deep Is This Devotion: Who Can Understand Nalan's Ci. Both works center on the Qing dynasty poet Nalan Xingde and fall into the categories of classical poetry and literary appreciation. Judging from the titles and subject matter, Su Ying's writing emphasizes the form of cihua (remarks on ci poetry) and emotional interpretation, guiding readers into the artistic world of Nalan's ci while combining textual analysis with aesthetic reflection. Her prose stays close to the emotional tone of the original works, offering readers a path to understanding the emotional depth of Nalan's ci while popularizing knowledge of classical poetry. Because biographical details are unavailable, this author can currently be understood only through the subject matter and orientation of her works.