Contents

Introduction The Ancient Ballads Poetry before the T`angs The Poets of the T`ang Dynasty A Poet's Emperor Chinese Verse Form The Influence of Religion on Chinese Poetry

The Odes of Confucius Sadness Trysting Time The Soldier Ch`u Yuan The Land of Exile

Wang Seng-ju Tears

Ch`en Tzu Ang The Last Revel

Sung Chih-Wen The Court of Dreams

Kao-Shih Impressions of a Traveller Desolation Meng Hao-jan The Lost One A Friend Expected Ch`ang Ch`ien A Night on the Mountain

Ts`en-Ts`an A Dream of Spring

Tu Fu The Little Rain A Night of Song The Recruiting Sergeant Chants of Autumn

Li Po To the City of Nan-king Memories with the Dusk Return An Emperor's Love On the Banks of Jo-yeh Thoughts in a Tranquil Night The Guild of Good-fellowship Under the Moon Drifting

Wang Ch`ang-ling The Song of the Nenuphars Tears in the Spring

Chang Chih-ho A World Apart Chang Jo-hu

T`ung Han-ching The Celestial Weaver

Po Chu-i The Lute Girl The Never-ending Wrong The River and the Leaf Lake Shang The Ruined Home A Palace Story Peaceful Old Age Sleeplessness The Grass Autumn across the Frontier The Flower Fair The Penalties of Rank The Island of Pines Springtide The Ancient Wind

Li Hua An Old Battle-field

Ssu-K`ung T`u Return of Spring The Colour of Life Set Free Fascination Tranquil Repose The Poet's Vision Despondent Embroideries Concentration Motion

Ou-Yang Hsiu of Lu-ling Autumn At the Graveside Appendix