Chinese Lyricism: Shih Poetry from the Second to the Twelfth Century

by Burton Watson

Book Overview

In the thousand years covered by this volume the shih reached its highest level of development. A lyric form which, using a predominantly four-character line, had earlier been employed in the Confucian Book of Odes, it rose to prominence once more in the period under discussion. The new shih, which differed from the original form only in its use of a five- or seven-character line, became the best known and most characteristic of Chinese poetic...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231034652
• ISBN13: 9780231034654
• Release Date: April 1971
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Lao's review

This book offers an in depth commentary on the structure and history of the 'shih' form of poetry, which I consider to be the singular and most exopressive form of classic Chinese writing for the time period that this book covers. Examples of classic composition and theme are cited. This is a 'must have' for scholars who are learning to write poetry in classic Chinese style.