Claimed by some to have been compiled by Confucius in the 5th century BCE, the Book of Songs is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry. Collecting poems over a number of centuries, the anthology – sometimes known as the Classic of Poetry (or Shi-jing) – is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, comprising 305 works dating from the 11th to 7th centuries BCE. Some poems are shorter lyrics in simple language that are folk songs which record the voice of the common people, addressing love and courtship, political satire and protest. Other poems are about court life and dynasties. Nearly all of the songs are rhyming. In the same way that Homer’s epics took hold within the West, the Book of Songs played a role in spheres far beyond literature, with a lasting influence on education, politics and communal life. Produced using traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques, this edition of the Book of Songs is a selected anthology of 25 classic poems presented in an exquisite dual-language edition.
