A Lute of Jade | Page 3

Being Selections from the Classical Poets of China by
L. Cranmer-Byng
[Note on text: Italicized words or phrases are capitalized. Some slight

errors have been corrected.]
[Due to the method of transliteration used in this text,
including many
accent marks (and some strange ones),
please refer to the following
chart to see how these words
originally appeared, and how they are
presented in this text. In each case, the line with the letters is the same
as in the text, and the accent marks are on the line above.
Names of People
" " ^ ^ "
Ch`u Yuan Meng Hao-jan Ts`en-Ts`an Po Chu-i
" ^ * *
Ssu-K`ung T`u T`ai Chen Lao Tzu Chuang Tzu
Names of Places
0. " Ssuch`uan Ch`u
The accent marked by an asterisk resembles the lower half of a circle.
It is noted in the appendix that Mr. Lionel Giles is responsible for these
transliterations.]
[This etext has been transcribed from a New York edition of 1909.
Please note that not only is the system of transliteration out of date
(though perhaps still easier to use than the current standard), but other
things may be out of date as well. The study of Chinese literature has
come a long way from the time when Mr. Cranmer-Byng had to
include books in four languages to come up with a short bibliography.
Still, this book may serve well as an introduction to the subject.]
A LUTE OF JADE
To Professor Herbert Giles
A Lute of Jade

Being Selections from the Classical Poets of China
Rendered with an Introduction
by L. Cranmer-Byng
Author of "The
Odes of Confucius"
With lutes of gold and lutes of Jade
Li Po
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
Editorial Note
The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. They
desire above all things that, in their humble way,
these books shall be
the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and
West -- the old world of Thought and the new of Action. In this
endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the
highest example in the land. They are confident that a deeper
knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought

may help to a revival of that true spirit of Charity
which neither
despises nor fears the nations of another creed and colour. Finally, in
thanking press and public for the very cordial reception given to this
Series, they wish to state that no pains have been spared to secure the
best specialists for the treatment of the various subjects at hand.
L .
Cranmer-Byng.
S. A. Kapadia.
Northbrook Society,
185 Piccadilly, W.
A Lute of Jade
Introduction
The Ancient Ballads
A little under three hundred years, from A.D. 618 to 906,
the period
of the T`ang dynasty, and the great age of Chinese poetry had come and
gone. Far back in the twilight of history,
at least 1,700 years before
Christ, the Chinese people sang their songs of kings and feudal princes
good or bad, of husbandry, or now and then songs with the more
personal note of simple joys and sorrows. All things in these Odes
collected by Confucius belong to the surface of life; they are the work
of those who easily plough light furrows, knowing nothing of hidden
gold. Only at rare moments of exaltation or despair