Two Poems on Leisure cover

Two Poems on Leisure

Rating 3.4
Word count
9.9K words
Chapters
51

Tags

Summary

One of the poems composed by Yuan Zhen, a poet of the Tang Dynasty.

Editor's review

Though brief, Yuan Zhen's Two Idle Poems epitomize the keen observation and restrained emotional expression of his poetry of leisure. The original Commercial Press edition from the Republican era preserves the typography and character usage of its time, offering reference value for the study of modern antiquarian book editing and the transmission of Tang poetry. This book serves as an introductory selection to Yuan Zhen's poetry and is also suited to slow, careful reading in a quiet setting, to appreciate the rhythm and imagery of short five-character verses. Because of its small scope, readers seeking a systematic understanding of Yuan Zhen's life or the full landscape of mid-Tang poetry will need to pair it with other anthologies and poetic criticism.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers with a budding interest in Tang poetry who wish to begin with short pieces
  • Classical literature enthusiasts studying editions of Yuan Zhen's poetry and Republican-era publishing
  • General readers who enjoy short five-character poems and value imagery and linguistic rhythm
  • Language teachers seeking short classical poems for teaching or recitation practice

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking a systematic understanding of Yuan Zhen's life and the full history of mid-Tang poetry
  • Deep readers expecting long narrative poems or detailed annotated interpretation
  • Beginning readers who prefer modern vernacular appreciation and are unfamiliar with classical Chinese

Reading tips

  1. Read the whole poem twice first, then savor it line by line, noting how verbs and images echo one another.
  2. Read alongside Yuan Zhen's other poems on leisurely themes to appreciate shifts in his style.
  3. While reading, note the character usage and line breaks of the original Republican-era edition and record differences from current editions.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

"Republic-era Commercial Press Original Editions" refers to original books printed by The Commercial Press during the Republican period, not a separate publishing house. Judging from the 300 titles held in the collection, its publishing focus centers on classical poetry and lyrics, literary appreciation, classic works, military texts, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy. Representative titles include Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua, Zhong Rong's Shipin, the lyric collections of Xin Qiji and Liu Yong, Sun Wu's The Art of War, and Lü Buwei's Xianshi Lan. Its author resources are mainly classical writers, together with modern scholars such as Li Jingbang and Guo Huaruo, whose collations and annotations are also represented, giving the list a character centered on original texts while attending to annotation and appreciation. Public information on the precise Republican-era catalog and printings is limited; this overview is based only on the titles held in the collection.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 【酬段丞与诸棋流会宿弊居见赠二十四韵(次用本韵)】元稹
  3. 卷406_6【酬窦校书二十韵(次本韵)】元稹
  4. 卷406_7【泛江玩月十二韵】元稹
  5. 卷406_8【痁卧闻幕中诸公征乐会饮,因有戏呈三十韵】元稹
  6. 卷406_9【酬友封话旧叙怀十二韵(依次重用为韵)】元稹
  7. 卷406_10【送王协律游杭越十韵】元稹
  8. 卷406_11【送东川马逢侍御使回十韵】元稹
  9. 卷四百零七
  10. 卷407_1【酬卢秘书】元稹
  11. 卷407_2【见人咏韩舍人新律诗,因有戏赠】元稹
  12. 卷407_3【奉和权相公行次临阙驿逢郑仆射相公归…赠诗十四韵】元稹
  13. 卷407_4【酬乐天东南行诗一百韵】元稹
  14. 卷407_5【和乐天送客游岭南二十韵(次用本韵)】元稹
  15. 卷407_6【献荥阳公诗五十韵】元稹
  16. 卷四百零八
  17. 卷408_1【酬乐天江楼夜吟稹诗,因成三十韵(次用本韵)】元稹
  18. 卷408_2【酬乐天待漏入阁见赠(时乐天为中书舍人予任翰林士)】元稹
  19. 卷408_3【酬乐天早春闲游西湖颇多野趣…亦欲粗为恬养之赠耳】元稹
  20. 卷408_4【江边四十韵(此后并江陵时作)】元稹
  21. 卷408_5【春六十韵】元稹
  22. 卷408_31【月三十韵】元稹
  23. 卷408_32【饮致用神麹酒三十韵】元稹
  24. 卷408_33【感石榴二十韵】元稹
  25. 卷408_34【度门寺】元稹
  26. 卷408_35【大云寺二十韵】元稹
  27. 卷408_36【和友封题开善寺十韵(依次重用本韵)】元稹
  28. 卷四百零九
  29. 卷409_1【牡丹二首(此后并是校书郎以前作)】元稹
  30. 卷409_2【象人】元稹
  31. 卷409_3【与杨十二巨源、卢十九经济同游大安亭各赋…探得松石】元稹
  32. 卷409_4【赋得春雪映早梅】元稹
  33. 卷409_5【赋得玉卮无当(韵取卮字)】元稹
  34. 卷409_6【赋得数蓂(元和中作)】元稹
  35. 卷409_7【赋得九月尽(秋字)】元稹
  36. 卷409_8【赋得雨后花】元稹
  37. 卷409_9【早归】元稹
  38. 卷409_10【晚秋】元稹
  39. 卷409_11【送林复梦赴韦令辟】元稹
  40. 卷409_12【忆杨十二】元稹
  41. 卷409_13【夜合】元稹
  42. 卷409_14【新竹】元稹
  43. 卷409_15【秋相望】元稹
  44. 卷409_16【春病】元稹
  45. 卷409_17【山竹枝(自化感寺携来,至清源,投之辋川耳)】元稹
  46. 卷409_18【悟禅三首寄胡果】元稹
  47. 卷409_19【东台去】元稹
  48. 卷409_20【戴光弓(韦评事见赠也)】元稹
  49. 卷409_21【刘颇诗】元稹
  50. 卷409_22【夜饮】元稹
  51. 卷409_23【褒城驿(军大夫严秦修)】元稹

FAQ

Are the Two Idle Poems suitable for readers with no foundation in classical poetry?
They can be read, but require some patience. These two short five-character poems are highly condensed; it is advisable first to clarify the literal meaning with annotations or a vernacular translation, then read aloud repeatedly to appreciate the rhythm and imagery. Those with no experience reading classical Chinese may first read Yuan Zhen's poems in modern annotated anthologies as preparation.
What significance does the original Commercial Press Republican-era edition have for general readers?
The original edition preserves the typography, character usage, and line-break conventions of its time, allowing a direct sense of modern antiquarian publishing. For general readers it is more a reference for editions and a reading experience; for researchers it can be used to compare textual variants and examine how Tang poetry circulated during the Republican era.
Can reading only the Two Idle Poems convey Yuan Zhen's poetic style?
It offers only a glimpse of one corner of his leisure-themed work. Yuan Zhen's style is diverse, including both plain, fluent poems of leisure and deeply tender elegies and long narrative works. It is best to use this book as a starting point and then read representative works such as Grieving for the Departed and The Lianchang Palace Poem to gain a fuller grasp of his creative profile.

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About the author

元稹 Author

Yuan Zhen was a Tang dynasty poet and writer of fiction. Public information about him is limited, and his dates, native place, and official career are not recorded in the available sources. This site holds twenty of his works, including collected editions such as The Complete Works of Yuan Zhen and The Collected Works of Yuan Zhen, as well as individual pieces such as Yingying's Story and its unannotated edition, "Moon at the Postal Pavilion on the Road East to Sichuan," "Huayue Temple," and "Ten Poems on Wine." His writing spans classical poetry and classical literature, with subjects ranging from travel and landscape to personal reflection and verse exchanges; his language is concise and his sentiments are subtly expressed. Yingying's Story, a tale of love in the chuanqi manner, is notable for its elegant prose and had a profound influence on later drama and fiction. His works are also classed among Eastern philosophy and classic works, reflecting the reflections on life and thought that run through his poetry and prose.

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