The Dream in Nanking

Duncan Campbell translates a passage from the garden historian Tung Chuin 童寯 on speculation regarding the inspiration for Prospect Garden 大觀園, the site of so much of the action in the novel Dream of the Red Chamber.… Read

The Lament of the Lady of Qin

秦婦吟 Wei Zhuang
韋莊 Jinling or Jiangnan, the Nanking of our account, is often written about in terms of lost grandeur, devastation or faded glory. But in the following, Jinling appears at the end of the ‘Lament of the Lady of Qin’ as a refuge of peace, tranquility and good government.… Read

The Lyrics of Li Yu

The Last Lord of the Tang, Li Yu (李煜, 李後主, 937-978), ascended the throne of the Southern Tang dynasty 南唐, also known as Jiangnan 江南, in Jinling (Nanking) in 961. A ruler of refined spirit and rare artistic achievement, Li lacked the skill to navigate the treacherous political waters of his day.… Read

In History

 
  • Warring States 戰國
  • Six Dynasties 魏晉南北朝
  • Sui 隋
  • Tang 唐
  • Song 宋
  • Yuan 元
  • Ming 明
  • Qing 清
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    Song 宋

    Here we select two poets who, writing two centuries apart, draw on the complex history and imagery of Jinling. The Last Lord of the Tang, Li Yu (李煜, 李後主, 937-978), ascended the throne of the Southern Tang dynasty 南唐, also known as Jiangnan 江南, in Jinling (Nanking) in 961.… Read