The Book of Songs
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
The book is set in simplified horizontal type, with detailed but not cumbersome notes, and a translation that strives to convey the original meaning accurately while preserving poetic cadence. Particularly praiseworthy is the brief introduction before each poem, which concisely sets out its background, theme, and artistic features, clearing away obstacles for modern readers. The book also includes essential evaluations by celebrated critics of past dynasties, offering diverse perspectives for deeper study.
As a popular edition, it strikes a fine balance between scholarly rigor and reader-friendliness: it avoids the loss of information caused by oversimplification while overcoming the daunting obscurity of academic works. The design is elegant and understated, the layout open, and notes and main text clearly distinguished—ideal for keeping at one's desk. For readers who wish to read the Shijing systematically, this edition is a bridge between introduction and advanced study—it helps beginners build an overall understanding of the Shijing and provides readers with some foundation a reliable textual basis and scholarly reference.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Classical literature enthusiasts who want a systematic understanding of the Shijing as a whole
- Students and teachers who need reliable annotations to aid comprehension of the original text
- Readers who favor Zhonghua Book Company's classic approach to editing ancient texts
- Those seeking an introductory Shijing edition that is both readable and scholarly
Not a good fit for
- Professional researchers seeking the latest scholarly views and cutting-edge research
- Readers who only want to skim famous lines and passages without deep understanding
Reading tips
- Begin by reading through the Airs of the Fifteen States to feel the vividness of regional folk songs, then gradually move on to the Odes and Hymns
- While reading, consult the annotations and savor the original text repeatedly, focusing on the use of bi and xing devices and the creation of imagery
- It is advisable to understand the poems in light of their historical background, but do not become overly bound to verifying specific historical events
About the publisher
Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言
- 周南
- 关雎
- 葛覃
- 卷耳
- 桃夭
- 芣苢
- 汉广
- 召南
- 摽有梅
- 小星
- 野有死麕
- 邶风
- 柏舟
- 绿衣
- 燕燕
- 击鼓
- 凯风
- 谷风
- 式微
- 北门
- 北风
- 静女
- 鄘风
- 柏舟
- 墙有茨
- 桑中
- 相鼠
- 载驰
- 卫风
- 硕人
- 氓
- 竹竿
- 河广
- 伯兮
- 木瓜
- 王风
- 黍离
- 君子于役
- 兔爰
- 采葛
- 郑风
- 将仲子
- 女曰鸡鸣
- 狡童
- 褰裳
- 风雨
- 子衿
- 出其东门
- 野有蔓草
- 溱洧
- 齐风
- 鸡鸣
- 东方未明
- 魏风
- 园有桃
- 陟岵
- 十亩之间
- 伐檀
- 硕鼠
- 唐风
- 蟋蟀
- 山有枢
- 绸缪
- 鸨羽
- 葛生
- 秦风
- 蒹葭
- 黄鸟
- 晨风
- 无衣
- 渭阳
- 陈风
- 宛丘
- 衡门
- 东门之杨
- 墓门
- 防有鹊巢
- 月出
- 泽陂
- 桧风
- 隰有苌楚
- 匪风
- 曹风
- 蜉蝣
- 候人
- 下泉
- 豳风
- 七月
- 鸱鸮
- 东山
- 伐柯
- 小雅
- 鹿鸣
- 常棣
- 伐木
- 采薇
- 出车
- 鸿雁
- 鹤鸣
- 白驹
- 无羊
- 节南山
- 小旻
- 巧言
- 巷伯
- 蓼莪
- 北山
- 隰桑
- 苕之华
- 何草不黄
- 大雅
- 文王
- 大明
- 绵
- 生民
- 公刘
- 周颂
- 清庙
- 鲁颂
- 駉
- 商颂
- 那
FAQ
What distinguishes this edition from other annotated editions of the Shijing?
Does the book include all 305 poems?
How does the translator's academic background ensure the reliability of the annotations?
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Wang Xiumei, born in 1972 in Yantai, Shandong, is a member of the China Writers Association, vice chair of the Shandong Writers Association, and chair of the Yantai Writers Association. She has published more than nine million characters of work, including the novels Heavy Snow, The Railway of 1938, and We Meet at Sea, as well as the story collections Going to Huaihua Island and Father's Bridge. Her writing centers on fiction and also touches on children's literature, drawing largely on rural memory and historical experience with a solid, steady narrative style. Her honors include the National Excellent Novella Award from the Novella Selection Journal, the Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award, and the Taishan Literature and Art Award. The library also holds her editions of classics such as the Book of Songs, the Family Sayings of Confucius, and The Groans of Language, along with works on law and management, reflecting an interest that spans traditional texts and contemporary practice.
