The Origins of Ci
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Enthusiasts of classical poetry who want a systematic understanding of Song views on ci poetics
- Students of Chinese literature who need to study original works of traditional ci theory
- Writers of classical-style ci seeking guidance on syntax, diction, and meaning and interest
- Researchers of ancient literature concerned with the relationship between ci prosody and compositional theory
Not a good fit for
- General readers looking only for light entertainment; this book is theoretical and written in classical Chinese
- Beginners with no foundation in classical Chinese, for whom direct reading is difficult
- Readers expecting modern vernacular explanations and extensive annotations
Reading tips
- Read the compositional theory in the second volume first, then return to the prosody section in the first volume to lower the barrier to entry.
- Pair each section with one or two famous Tang and Song works to see what the discussion refers to.
- Keep a notebook to excerpt key terms such as “clarity and emptiness” and “meaning and interest,” and outline the book’s main propositions.
- Mark musical terminology for later and look it up after finishing a first reading.
About the publisher
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.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 词源(宋) 张炎
- 词源卷上
- 词源卷下
FAQ
What do the first and second volumes of Ciyuan discuss respectively?
Can I understand the first volume without a background in music theory?
How should the idea of “clarity and emptiness” in the book be understood?
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About the author
Zhang Yan is a Song-dynasty ci poet, though public information about his life and official career is limited; his dates of birth and death, nationality, and English name are not clearly recorded in the available data. The collection contains nine works attributed to him, mainly focused on ci scholarship. These include compilations of his ci poetry such as The Complete Ci of Zhang Yan, The Ci of Zhang Yan, and Ci of the White Clouds in the Mountains, as well as the specialized study Ciyuan. These works show that his writing centers on classical poetry, especially the ci form, and also covers the organization of tonal patterns, compositional methods, and theories of creation, with a refined and restrained style that emphasizes the harmony of sound and mood. The library also classifies related material under social fiction, folk literature, culture, and philosophy, indicating that his editorial writings extend into other subjects. Zhang Yan's works on ci scholarship offer reference texts and theoretical clues for later study of Song ci and hold a certain documentary value.
