Selected Ci Poems from Hua'an
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Summary
Editor's review
Professionally, Huang Sheng was both a late-Song ci poet and a selector whose criteria combined artistic judgment with historical vision. He included famous pieces by masters such as Su Shi, Xin Qiji and Zhou Bangyan while preserving fine work by many lesser poets, leaving a rich legacy for later ci scholarship. His comments, though brief, often hit the mark and reflect late Southern Song views of the art. The editors of this edition retain the original form while adding necessary collation notes and annotations, respecting the old text and lowering the barrier to reading.
For modern readers, the Hu'an Ci Xuan offers not only the beauty of classical ci but, through Huang Sheng's selections, insight into Song literati taste and cultural sensibility. The poems trace a clear line from the delicate Huajian manner of Tang and Five Dynasties, through Northern Song innovation, to Southern Song concerns for country and homeland. Readers may first survey the table of contents, then read individual pieces alongside the comments to appreciate the selector's craft.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Researchers and enthusiasts of classical Chinese literature, especially the history of Song ci
- Readers who want the finest Tang and Song ci in a systematic selection rather than sprawling anthologies
- Collectors who value carefully collated editions based on fine original texts
- Literature students needing a reference work that is both anthology and historical source
Not a good fit for
- Beginners seeking modern vernacular translation or detailed appreciation
- Readers who only wish to skim a few famous pieces without regard to the history of the genre
Reading tips
- Begin with the preface and editorial notes to understand Huang Sheng's principles and the textual history
- Read the poems together with the poets' biographies and comments to grasp the selector's critical eye
- Compare with later anthologies such as Three Hundred Song Ci to observe differences in selection criteria
About the publisher
Shanghai Classics Publishing House is a professional publisher centered on the collation of ancient texts and academic research works. Its publishing areas cover historical readings, classical poetry, folk literature, literary appreciation, canonical works, and Eastern philosophy. Its books include Chen Yinke's A Brief Discussion of the Origins of the Sui and Tang Institutions, Xin Qiji's Chronological Annotated Edition of Jiaxuan's Ci (Simplified Edition), Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion, Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, as well as New Annotations to Three Hundred Tang Poems (Collector's Edition), Annotated Edition of Han Changli's Collected Works (Simplified Edition, 3 volumes), and Youyang Zazu. Its authors include Chen Yinke, Xin Qiji, Tang Xianzu, Liu Xie, Deng Guangming, Hengtang Tuishi, Han Yu, and Ma Qichang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the house emphasizes collation, annotation, and compilation of ancient texts alongside academic research works, and continues to issue simplified and collector's editions that balance scholarship and accessibility. Public information about the publisher's fuller publishing profile is limited.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言
- 唐宋诸贤绝妙词选
- 卷之一
- 卷之二
- 卷之三
- 卷之四
- 卷之五
- 卷之六
- 卷之七
- 卷之八
- 卷之九
- 卷之十
- 中兴以来绝妙词选
- 绝妙词选序
- 词选序
- 卷之一
- 卷之二
- 卷之三
- 卷之四
- 卷之五
- 卷之六
- 卷之七
- 卷之八
- 卷之九
- 卷之十
- 附录
- 后记
FAQ
How does the Hu'an Ci Xuan differ from famous Song ci anthologies such as Three Hundred Song Ci?
Is this edition suitable for readers with no grounding in classical Chinese?
What range of ci does the book include?
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About the author
Huang Sheng is an editor in the field of classical poetry whose works survive but whose life remains difficult to trace. Public information about him is limited: his native place, dates of birth and death, and official career are not precisely recorded, so he can be known today only through the three works transmitted under his name. Among them, Huian Ci Xuan and Tang Song Zhu Xian Jue Miao Ci Xuan best reveal his judgment. The former collects ci poems in anthology form, while the latter focuses on famous works by Tang and Song masters, balancing representative pieces with readability and showing a clear sense of literary appreciation, thus offering later readers an accessible path into the world of classical ci. San Hua An Ci shows that he was not only a selector but also a writer of ci, and the style of his own works resonates with the spirit of the poems he chose. Overall, Huang Sheng's contribution lies mainly in the compilation and appreciation of ci studies; his anthologies preserved works and spread the art of ci, exerting a lasting influence on the reading and reception of classical poetry.
Yang Wanli (1127–1206), courtesy name Tingxiu and art name Chengzhai, was a native of Jishui in Jizhou (present-day Jishui, Jiangxi). A famous poet of the Southern Song dynasty, he is known together with Lu You, You Mao, and Fan Chengda as one of the "Four Great Poets of the Restoration," and was posthumously honored with the title Wengjie. He founded the "Chengzhai style," marked by plain, fresh, and natural language, and left more than 4,200 poems, collected in the Chengzhai ji. This library holds fifteen of his works, including the Nanhai, Jingxi, Chengzhai, Chaotian xuji, and Xigui collections from Songshi chao, as well as Hua'an cixuan and Chengzhai shihua. His writing spans classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, and literary appreciation, and the scholarly work Bubi zaohua: Research on the Narrative Tradition of Poetry from the Mid-Tang to the Late Song is related to his poetics. Overall, Yang Wanli's works are distinguished by natural imagery and everyday charm and have had a profound influence on later poetry.
